Best for: Argumentative subjects (such as history, philosophy, and literature)
Difficulty level: Medium
The Question/Evidence/Conclusion (Q/E/C) method of note-taking is a simple but powerful method for organizing and recording information from lectures. Focused on capturing the big ideas and how they relate to each other, the method is structured around concepts that require arguing and evidence to create a clear and concise summary. Each concept is divided up into three parts: question, evidence, and conclusion.
The Q/E/C is ideally suited for most subjects in the humanities, especially ones that tend to present in an argumentative form, such as history, philosophy, and literature. It is also a very useful method to include in your toolbox for other subjects, including technical ones, where it can be suited for certain classes.
The method is also an excellent way to outline or plan for your essays, as it helps you develop a clear structure and will likely help you identify additional questions and counterarguments along the way that you may need to consider.
Advantages:
Helps you focus on the bigger pictureHelps you keep track of the relationship between the overall topic and the arguments/evidenceAn excellent way to clearly record more argumentative presentationsClear way of presenting arguments and counterargumentsForces you to synthesize arguments and write a conclusionA good fit for the humanities and non-technical subjectsMatches the way many lecturers present (and view the world)Useful method for outlining argumentative essaysDisadvantages:
Less suitable for technical subjects or for concepts with more complex relationshipsChallenging to use during fast-paced or poorly structured lecturesRequires concentration and reflectionCan be difficult to use if you don’t yet have an overall grasp of a new subject
