How to Create and Organize PDF Study Notes.

Having clear and organized study notes is crucial for students of all ages and all levels of study. Learn how to study smarter, not harder, by organizing your study notes with PDF files — whether you’re studying for an exam, writing an assignment, or taking a vocational course.

Female sitting in a library working on a laptop.

What you’ll learn.

Why is organizing study notes important?

It’s simple. Being systematic and organized from the start in the way you create your study notes will save you time and effort. You’ll be able to find relevant information quickly and easily. Good notetaking habits and methods will help you remember the content and to get those passing marks you’re striving for.

Choose effective notetaking tools and methods.

Creating good study notes starts with the tools you use to take your notes. Use what works best for you. The tools you use may depend on your environment and the resources you have available at the time. Notetaking methods and tools include —

Male sitting on a sofa holding both a paper notebook and a mobile phone.

  1. Handwritten study notes.
    The process of taking handwritten notes can be a highly effective way to retain information and engage with the material.

    • Keep notes for each class separate.
      Use separate notebooks for each class and label them clearly. Alternatively, use a refill pad to take notes for each class during the day, and file your notes in a folder with dividers for each class at the end of the day.
    • Date your notes.
      Write the date on each page of your notes to help you track when you took the notes and which topics you covered on specific dates.
    • Write clearly and legibly.
      Take the time to write your notes in a clear, legible manner so that you can read them later. Use bullet points, headings, and subheadings to organize your notes.
    • Highlight important information.
      Use highlighters or coloured pens to draw attention to important concepts or key terms. Highlighting helps to quickly find the most critical information when studying.

  2. Tablet or laptop study notes.
    Taking notes on a computer can be quicker, easier to organize, search, edit, share, and take less physical space. Tips for effective notetaking using a computer are —

    • Create a folder structure.
      Start a folder structure on your device or in secure cloud storage like Adobe Document Cloud to file your notes. Group your notes and files under subjects, classes, lectures, and dates. This will make it easier to search and find information later.
    • Prepare documents with outlines or structured formats.
      Before each class create your document for your study notes with an outline of the material you expect to cover. Using a pre-prepared document format will help you stay focused and take your notes more effectively in class.
    • Summarize and condense.
      Focus on summarizing and condensing the material, rather than trying to write everything down. Summarizing information helps you to retain the most important content.
    • Use formatting to highlight text.
      Use bold fonts, underlining, highlighting and different colours to emphasize key information. Be selective and avoid over-highlighting to ensure your attention is drawn only to the central points of your topic. Add bullets, numbering, and features such as boxes, and other visual aids to display your notes in a way that makes them easy to review later.
    • Learn keyboard shortcuts.
      Familiarize yourself with keyboard shortcuts for your chosen note-taking application. This will help you type, format, edit, and navigate your notes more efficiently.

  3. Use effective notetaking techniques and methods.
    Effective notetaking is a skill that improves with practice. Try different notetaking techniques until you find what works best for you. Adapt your approach as needed for different subjects and learning styles.

    • Actively listen and read.
      Focus on understanding the material, whether you’re in a class or lecture or reading a textbook. By actively listening and reading, you immerse yourself in the topic, and it’s easier to grasp and understand the main ideas and concepts.
    • Write notes actively.
      Write down the main ideas, supporting details, and examples in your own words. Summarize complex information. Use abbreviations and symbols to save time. Don't take verbatim notes unless you’re recording a quote or formula.

      Students sitting in a lecture theatre with laptops, notebooks, and raised hands ready to ask questions.
    • Clarify and ask questions.
      If something is unclear, jot down questions or areas that need further clarification. You can then ask your teacher or lecturer for more information or research these points in more depth later.
    • Collaborate and discuss.
      Engage in group study sessions or discussions. These help to reinforce your understanding and gain different perspectives.
    • Review and summarize.
      After your class ends or you finish reading an article or book, review your notes. Think about whether you have captured all the key points.

Organize your study notes systematically.

Keep your study notes organised and store them systematically. When it comes time to prepare for an assignment, test, or exam, it’s much quicker and easier if you’ve kept them in order throughout the term or semester.

Use your study notes to learn and prepare.

The study notes you take are not just a one-and-done activity. You’re creating an invaluable resource for yourself. Review your notes regularly. This will help you retain the information and make it less stressful to study leading up to assignment due dates and exam time.

Person's hands on laptop on top of an illustrated diagram of rocket taking off with an illuminated lightbulb at the top.

From your study notes you can also —

Related content.

A few more articles to help you with using Adobe Acrobat as a student include —

style
reading width