My Thoughts on Taking Notes via Electronic Documents as You Read

Given my recent posts, I figured I'd give my thoughts on each of the note taking methods for reading. While I wanted to share my thoughts with you on each method, I didn't want to go back and add more to the posts, So here we are.

I'll be going in the same order as I did with my posts on the tips for each note-taking method: marginalia, post-it notes, notebooks, and electronic documents. How you personally feel about each note taking method - and about taking notes while reading - is wholly up to you. If you don't take notes while you read, that's fine. If you do, hopefully my posts on taking notes while reading help you.

Here are the positives of electronic documents:

1. It's quicker to record your notes. The first negative for electronic documents (and for notebooks) is that you have to be a bit more detailed with your notes. Since you're typing, though, you can get through roughly a paragraph of thoughts in about 5 minutes.
2. It's very easy to have structured notes. With notebooks, it's a little hard to structure your notes and keep the structure the same throughout since you're writing by hand. However, with typing up your notes, it's easy to have the same structure throughout your notes with little to no difference except in your actual thoughts.
3. Color coding is your best friend. It's so easy to color code your notes in an electronic document. And color coding can help you differentiate between different sections of your notes.

Here are the negatives of electronic documents:

1. You still have to be a bit more detailed with your notes. With marginalia or post-it notes, you know what your notes are talking about - since your notes are right next to the text. But with e-documents, you may need to include page numbers, chapter notes, and even partial quotes. This can be a bit tiresome, even if you're typing up your notes.
2. You won't be carrying your computer or iPad everywhere you carry your book. Unless you have Google Drive/Docs or Microsoft Word on your phone as apps, you're not going to have your notes handy wherever you go and have a book. (And carrying a computer or iPad around everywhere isn't something everyone does.)
3. While you don't need to find a place for your notes, it can be awkward to access at times. You don't need to find a place for electronic notes, since they'll be on your computer, Google Drive, or Microsoft website (when you sign in, of course). But, similarly with Point 2, technology can be hard to manage at times, making it awkward to access your notes when you may need them.