Taking useful notes is really, really important across all fields - not just in an academic context. I use the cornell index card system for note taking, writing my notes on index cards and later ‘tagging’ the notes in the left-hand column.

The Proper Cornell System

Wikipedia details the Cornell system in great detail here - there are a bunch of places online where you can print out paper, and if you’re working in a field where you need to take detailed notes on the same subject, you may well find it handy in it’s virgin state.

My Cornell System

Personally, though, I find smaller chunks of text easier to handle, which is why I use a modified cornell system on index cards - with a space for tags on the left and a space for followup tasks at the bottom. Generally I can get one or two subjects on each card, which works well for me.

I’ve made a little pdf template with the rather awesome DIY Planner widget kit and OpenOffice.org draw. Give it a try if you’re into the whole index card thang - otherwise, this is a good PDF generator to roll-your-own notepaper.