When in doubt, sketch it out.
I wish I had learned about sketchnoting closer to the beginning of my University career. While I often incorporated drawings into my notes, I never considered the possibilities of sketchnoting as a specific method of notetaking. Throughout school I have found notetaking to be a sometimes onerous and boring process: there’s the mad rush to get down what the teacher is saying, the self-inflicted pressure to produce well-organized and clear notes, and the difficulty reading my own writing, which tends to dissolve into nonsensical scribbles when I’m in a rush. I think sketchnoting could have helped make notetaking a more enjoyable process for me.
But first, what is sketchnoting? As we learned in class, sketchnoting is a technique of note-taking that involves communicating ideas through both visual elements and texts. Basically, you try and communicate the most important points through both words and pictures. Apparently, this can help you learn better, according to a couple of scientific studies (for example, this one from the University of Waterloo) and the article “The Scientific Case for Doodling While Taking Notes.” In accordance with Dual Coding Theory and Multimedia Learning theory, combining textual notes with pictures forces you to process information more deeply and integrate multiple ways of thinking about the topic.
If you are not familiar with Dual Coding Theory or Multimedia Learning Theory, take a look at the videos below, both of which incorporate sketch-like visuals with auditory information to communicate the concepts!
I gave sketchnoting a go while reading “The Scientific Case for Doodling While Taking Notes.” I found that it was a pretty fun process, and I think I understood the material more deeply afterwards then I would have if I had just been making textual notes. Also, the notes are more fun to read over than just text would be, and I could see them being useful for studying later on. I can see this being a good technique to teach students to use in a classroom- in regards to my teachables I would particularly consider using it for Biology, which involves a lot of memorization of terms and concepts. This would be an especially useful technique to teach to Grade 12 students to help them build note taking skills before they go off to university.
However, I could see there being some problems arising when attempting sketchnoting. See the table below for some of my suggestions at dealing with these potential issues, based on my experiences and what we learned about in class. These problems could potentially arrise with your own sketchnoting, or in a classroom when teaching students how to sketchnote.
Troubleshooting Sketchnoting
| Problem | Potential Solution |
|---|---|
| I can’t draw! | You don’t need to be good at drawing to do sketchnoting! The notes are only for you to use for your own review, they won’t be put on display for others. The drawings are meant to be quick and simple representations. If you do want to get a bit more involved, you can google “icon” images to copy! |
| I can’t get all the material down! | As with any form of notetaking, don’t worry about getting all the material down, just the most important points. You can always add in things you missed after class, especially if the instructor provides powerpoint slides. In that case, focus on writing down essential material and material that is not on the slides that can be accessed later. |
| Sketchnoting is taking me longer than making traditional notes! | Some solutions to this issue could be as follows, and related to the above points. 1) put less time and effort into your drawings; try not to worry about making them look perfect. 2) only write down or draw what you think are the most important points. 3) It might just take practice before your brain (and hands) get used to this new way of notetaking. Don’t give up right away! |
| My notes don’t look perfect! | Remember, these notes are just for you. As long as you can understand them, then they are perfect. Additionally, your notes will almost definitely improve with practice! |
Looking for more information? This blog post has a very in-depth overview, even going so far as to discuss the features of different pens and notebooks. However, keep in mind that you don’t need fancy supplies to make great sketchnotes- a regular pen and piece of paper will do just fine. But, if you are like me, and have an obsession with trying different pens and notebooks, then by all means, go forth and optimize your sketchnote experience by finding your ideal writing materials!