Blog
Notes on note-taking.
Guides to taking notes from video, and honest answers about the tools that claim to do it for you.
Guides · 13 min
How to take notes from a textbook without copying it out
Copying a chapter feels like studying, and the research disagrees. A section-by-section method, what to do with highlighting, and how long notes should be.
Guides · 8 min
Can ChatGPT take notes from a video?
What ChatGPT actually does with a YouTube link, a video file and an audio file as of October 2026, how Gemini, NotebookLM and Claude compare, and the method that works on any plan.
Guides · 8 min
How to get a YouTube transcript when there are no captions
Where Show transcript is on YouTube now, why it’s missing on some videos, the six reasons YouTube gives for skipping automatic captions, and what actually works when a video has none.
Guides · 9 min
I can’t take notes and listen at the same time. What helps?
Why writing and listening compete for the same attention, what the laptop-vs-pen research really found, and the methods that let you keep up in a lecture.
Guides · 9 min
Is it legal to record lectures in college?
One-party and all-party consent states, why your school’s policy usually matters more, disability accommodations, FERPA, sharing, and how to ask your professor.
Guides · 12 min
How to take notes from video lectures without pausing every 30 seconds
Four methods for taking notes from video lectures, and the 30-second test that decides which one to use: recorded lectures, online course videos, webinars.