The first step in the process of taking visual notes is to listen for certain kinds of information. These are the types of content I listen for when I take notes.

Statements

Many speakers share stories, anecdotes, and examples to help reinforce points they make. However, these types of illustrations often either begin or end with the speaker making a point or sharing a moral or lesson. Speakers are usually clear about their points, so it can be easy to listen for these and write them down. Since the stories we tell each other also have points or takeaways, you already know to listen for these and possibly even anticipate them.

For example, consider this fable23 from a collection of Aesop’s fables:

A crow almost dying from thirst during a long drought chanced upon a pitcher of water. However, the crow’s beak was not long enough to reach the level of the water. The crow took a pebble and dropped it in the pitcher (crows are intelligent). Then he took another pebble and dropped it in too. The crow kept dropping in pebbles until the water level was nearly at the top of the pitcher. He was able to drink and satisfy his thirst.

Quotes

One of my former employers often said, “A dwarf on giant’s shoulders can see the farther of the two,” based on the quote from William of Conche (1123), “We are like a dwarf perched on the shoulders of a giant.”24 Isaac Newton paraphrased this as, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” (1855).25 Books have been written for thousands of years, movies and television have been around for nearly 125 years, and social media for 10 years. I’ve heard speakers reference all these sources to share quotations during a presentation. 

Like statements, quotes are easy to recognize because speakers often say, “One of my favorite quotes is …” or “My father used to say” or something similar. Scriptural references (like John 3:16) are also easy to capture for visual notes. 

It is fine to just get the essence of a quote if you are unable to write out the full quote. Speakers often share a quote and highlight what they believe are the essential words within the quote.

Repeated phrases

Many times in a presentation, talk, or sermon, a speaker will repeat a phrase to connect parts of the presentation. The term for using repeated phrases in communication is “anaphora.” Repeated phrases are gold when taking visual notes. If a speaker repeats a phrase, you should add it to your visual notes.

Winston Churchill (1940)

… we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.26

If I added this to a visual note, it would look similar to this …

Sequences and lists

A lot of content we read or hear involves steps in a process or ways to complete a task or achieve a goal. Sequences and lists are also easy to identify because speakers often tell you what’s coming. A speaker may say, “I’m going to tell you three ways to improve your presentations.” Another example could be, “Let’s take a look at Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Speakers may also say, “The first step is to …” which lets you know a sequence or list is coming.

Questions

Questions have been in literature, entertainment, and presentations since words have existed. In the Bible is the question, “Who is my neighbor?”27 A speaker could ask the question, “What is something you could do today to make your dream a reality?” Questions are easy to hear since the inflection of the voice typically goes up.

Important to you

The last type of content to listen for and add to visual notes is simply things you feel are important. These can be any of the content types listed above or anything you find intriguing.

Look At My Notes