ADHD glossary · Family perspectives
Note-taking
Note-taking means recording selected information for a purpose you choose. A note might hold a question, an agreed next action, or a detail you want to return to. It does not need to capture every word of a conversation.
General education and practical perspectives. Editorial standards.
The question here is: What will this note be used for, and what can we leave out? A checklist marks items or steps. A transcript attempts to represent spoken words. A planning note can instead separate a decision from an idea that has not been accepted. This page offers an ordinary household example, not a prescribed study method or a claim about memory.
An example: notes about a shared weekend
In this invented conversation, Em, their partner Chris, and Chris's sibling Bea are discussing a weekend visit. Em offers to write a note. Chris wants the final travel arrangement recorded; Bea does not want every suggestion and personal explanation in a shared message.
Em asks, “Should I keep only the decisions, open questions, and who offered to do what?” The others agree. At the end, Em reads those parts back and lets each person correct their own contribution.
Their note says:
Purpose: Coordinate Saturday's visit
Agreed: Lunch at Chris and Em's home; Bea will choose what to bring after the menu is agreed
Not agreed yet: Arrival time; menu
Action someone accepted: Chris will send two arrival-time options on Thursday
Question to ask: Which option works for Bea?
Next update: Replace this page after the time and menu are confirmed
It does not say Bea “will bring dessert,” because dessert was only one suggestion. It also omits the personal reasons behind Bea's schedule. This is a fictional example of selecting information, not proof that a shared note stays private.
Choose a format by the job it needs to do
For a decision, write what was agreed and who was part of the agreement. For a question, mark it as unanswered. For an action, name the person only after they accept it. If you are recording someone's exact words, ask whether the wording is correct; otherwise label the note as your summary.
A paper page, typed document, or personal shorthand can all be possible choices. Ask who needs to read the result. A private abbreviation may be fine for your own note but unclear to someone expected to act on it. Headings such as “Agreed” and “Still open” can replace a complicated color system.
If two people take notes, decide whether they need one shared version at all. A child may want to keep their own questions rather than hand over a notebook. A parent can offer to write down a chosen question without taking ownership of the whole conversation. Partners can keep personal notes while sharing only the final arrangement.
Check before relying on the note
Ask: Does this sentence describe an observation, an interpretation, or an agreement? Did anyone actually accept the task? Is a name or personal detail necessary? Which version is current?
If the note is disputed, mark the disputed point as unresolved instead of presenting one person's wording as a settled record. If note-taking gets in the way of participating, pause it, choose fewer headings, or write a short summary afterward for the others to check. Recording audio is a separate decision and is not required or instructed here.
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