The Q/E/C Method of Notetaking
What is the Q/E/C Method
The Q/E/C Method, short for Question/Evidence/Conclusion, is an approach to notetaking that is designed to build active participation, critical thinking, and comprehension.
This notetaking method hinges on three essential components — Questions, Evidence, and Conclusions. Whether you're in a lecture, diving into readings, or participating in discussions, this structured approach encourages analysis, inquiry, and the synthesis of information.
As you formulate questions, gather evidence, and draw conclusions, you're cultivating a mindset that goes beyond surface-level understanding, paving the way for deeper insights.
The method facilitates the creation of clear relationships between topics, related information, and the arguments connecting them. Your notes become organized, interconnected, and easier to navigate, fostering a comprehensive understanding.
The Q/E/C Format
To use the Q/E/C Method of notetaking you need to format your page into three sections – Question, Evidence and Conclusion.
Format your page into the Q/E/C format listed below or you can buy A4 templates or US Letter templates from our store to use.
There are three key sections of the Q/E/C template:
Question section is a horizontal section across the top of the page to use for questions you will answer.
Evidence section is the main section in the middle of the page where you will write the main ideas, key concepts and essential information to answer the question.
Conclusion section is a horizontal section at the bottom of the page for explanations that summarise, analyse and synthesis the evidence you collected and answer the question.
How to make notes using the Q/E/C Method
Using the Q/E/C method is easy once you know how. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be good to go.
Step 1: Identify the Question
Write down questions or key points related to the topic being discussed or presented. This could involve jotting down queries or areas where further clarification is needed.
If the questions don't immediately come to mind, jot down essential data and use it to create matching questions later.
Keep a dedicated section in your notes for the questions you have identified.
Step 2: Add Evidence
Under each question add evidence or supporting information that answers the questions.
Include relevant facts, examples, or data that contribute to understanding the topic.
Use bullet points for easy revision, including direct quotations, statistics, facts, or even formulas if applicable.
Step 3: Write-up Conclusions
Complete your notetaking with straightforward conclusions. Conclusions can be summarizing statements or topic sentences that directly answer initial questions.
Synthesize gathered evidence to summarise, draw conclusions or establish connections from the information you have gathered.
This section might include insights gained, overarching themes, or the main points of the discussion.
Every piece of evidence should seamlessly support this final conclusion.
When to use the Q/E/C Method
Incorporating the Q/E/C Method into your notetaking routine can lead to more effective learning outcomes, honed critical thinking skills, and a deeper appreciation for the subjects you're studying.
It offers a strategic approach to notetaking that allows you to engage with information on a meaningful level creating a well-structured set of notes that makes studying a lot easier.
Here are a few situations where employing the Q/E/C Method can be highly effective:
Critical Analysis Sessions: Use the Q/E/C Method when engaging in critical analysis of texts, articles, or academic papers. The structured approach helps dissect and understand complex information.
Independent Study Sessions: When delving into a subject deeply, especially during independent study sessions, the Q/E/C Method aids in organizing and summarizing detailed information.
Research and Literature Reviews: For research purposes and literature reviews, the method is handy in extracting key information, supporting evidence, and forming conclusive insights.
Preparation for Exams: When preparing for exams, the method can assist in consolidating information, creating study guides, and reinforcing understanding through the formulation of questions and conclusive statements.
Revision: Consider this method for revision sessions. It allows you to review your understanding, identify gaps in knowledge, and refine your comprehension of the material.
By applying the Q/E/C Method in these contexts, individuals can actively engage with the material, enhance critical thinking skills, and foster a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Benefits of using the Q/E/C Method
The Q/E/C Method of notetaking offers several benefits that contribute to effective learning, critical thinking, and a comprehensive understanding of the material.
Here are some key advantages of using the Q/E/C Method:
Active Learning: It makes learning more active by making you think, ask questions, and find answers.
Thinking Skills: Helps improve your thinking skills by evaluating evidence and putting ideas together.
Focused Notes: Keeps your notes focused on the main ideas, preventing confusion.
Deeper Understanding: Gives you a better understanding of the subject, going beyond the surface.
Easy Review: The organized format makes it easy to review and remember important points.
Clear Structure: Provides a clear structure for notetaking, avoiding messy and confusing notes.
Personalized Learning: You can customize it to suit your own learning goals and interests.
Exam Prep: Acts as a ready-made study guide, helping you prepare for exams and assignments.
Transferable Skills: Skills learned can be used not just for notes but also for analyzing other sources and forming arguments.
Long-Term Memory: The active learning and thinking skills contribute to better remembering the material over time.
Drawbacks of using the Q/E/C Method
It's important to consider these potential drawbacks and assess whether the Q/E/C Method aligns with your learning style, the nature of the content you're engaging with, and the specific context of your notetaking.
As with any notetaking technique, adapting and customizing the Q/E/C Method to suit your needs can help mitigate some of these limitations.
No matter how well it works for some students, it isn’t ideal for everyone or every subject, the Q/E/C Method can be:
Time-Consuming: Making questions, finding evidence, and drawing conclusions for each piece of info takes time, especially in fast-paced situations.
Challenging in Real-Time: It can be hard to keep up with quickly presented information, potentially causing you to miss important points.
Potential for Overwhelm: Processing info through the method might lead to too much thinking, especially with complex content.
Limited Flexibility for Creativity: Not great for creative subjects that need open-ended exploration or artistic thinking.
Not Ideal for Every Learning Style: The structured method might not suit everyone's preferred learning style, making it hard to engage effectively.
Depth vs. Breadth: While it encourages in-depth analysis, it might result in fewer overall notes, possibly missing broader context and details.
May Require Refinement: Creating effective questions and conclusions might need practice to accurately represent the content.
Less Ideal for Memorization: Not the best for subjects needing memorization.
Potential for Disconnection: Constantly switching between making questions, finding evidence, and drawing conclusions might disrupt continuous understanding.
Risk of Oversimplification: In complex subjects, it might oversimplify ideas when summarizing them into conclusions.
Improve your Q/E/C Method notetaking
Notetaking usually requires great speed to catch up with the fast pace of the lectures. Therefore, it might be a good idea to take your laptop or tablet to class and put your technology to good use.
To save time while following the Q/E/C method of notetaking, you can adjust the settings of your Microsoft Word to automatically format the questions and conclusions.
It’s also a good idea to color-code the information by using a different color for questions. Then, choose another color for the supporting details and a different one for the conclusion.
Write clear and relevant questions
Clearly label each section for questions, evidence, and conclusions in your notes
Write notes in your own words
Keep your notes short and concise
Use colour, bold, underscoring to emphasize key points
Review your notes after each study session. Reflect on how the evidence supports your conclusions and if there are areas for improvement or further exploration.
Enhance your notes with visual elements such as diagrams or charts when applicable.
Combine with other methods when needed to enhance your notes.
Summary
The Q/E/C Method encourages students to analyze, question, and synthesize information. This method is designed to help students actively engage with the material, enhance critical thinking skills, and promote deeper understanding.
By taking notes using this method, you’ll be able to divide each concept into three parts: question, supporting evidence, and conclusion.
This enables you to create a clear and concise summary of the most important aspects of every topic, which you can later develop your notes into a valuable study guide. As a result, you get a better understanding of the main ideas.
Using this method, you’re better equipped at keeping a well-structured record of the main points of any topic in the form of a detailed question-and-answer format.
The Q/E/C method of notetaking will allow you to transform your notes into a learning opportunity that enhances your comprehension and critical thinking.
The Q/E/C Method is a great option for summarising complex topics but it might not be right for you in all situations. To find out about other notetaking methods check out 12 Notetaking Methods Essential for Students for some of the most effective options for students.
Q/E/C Method Templates
We have A4 and US Letter Question/Evidence/Conclusion Method templates for you to use for your notetaking and are available in our store to purchase. Use the Add To Cart buttons below to find out more.
