Lecture notes

Taking Lecture Notes

Purpose

Transform raw lecture content (transcript, plain text, slides) into clean, structured notes that the user can use for study or reference.

Input

The user will provide:

• Required: The lecture text (transcript with or without timestamps, plain text, etc.)
• Optional — detail level: The user may ask for "concise" or "detailed" notes. If not specified, judge based on the complexity of the content.
• Optional — language: If the user does not specify, write the notes in the same language they used in their request.

Notes Principles — Critical

Study these principles carefully. They define the quality of the output:

• Hierarchy over lists. Don't just bullet-point everything. Use headers (##, ###) to show which concepts are central and which are subcategories.
• Summarize, don't transcribe. The goal is not to copy the lecture — it's to extract the essence. Use your own words where it aids understanding.
• Surface the "why". If the lecture explains why something exists or why it matters, that should be visible in the notes — not just the "what".
• Analogies and examples. If the lecture uses an analogy or example to explain something difficult, include it — it's often the most useful part for studying.
• Callouts for key points. Use > ⚠️ or > 💡 to highlight warnings, exceptions, or particularly important observations.
• Tables where helpful. If the lecture compares things (e.g. A vs B) or presents structured data, use a table instead of parallel bullets.
• Don't overload. If something in the lecture is repetitive or obvious, skip it. Notes should be shorter than the lecture.

Notes Structure

Follow this structure (adapt it to fit the content):

1. Title — A clear title that reflects the topic of the lecture.
2. Main Sections — Group content into thematic sections with ## headers. Each section should have:
   • A short introductory sentence or two (prose, not a bullet)
   • The key points as bullets or subsections
   • Analogies/examples if present
3. Callouts — ⚠️ for pitfalls/exceptions, 💡 for important observations
4. Tables — Only where there is a comparison or structured information

Process

1. Read the entire lecture text before you start writing.
2. Identify the main sections — what "chapters" does the lecture have?
3. For each section, ask: what is the central message? why does it matter? is there an analogy or example that helps?
4. Check if there are comparisons that would benefit from a table.
5. Check if there are warnings or exceptions that need a callout.
6. Check the detail level the user requested and adjust accordingly.

Detail Levels

Concise notes (default if the lecture is < 10 minutes or the user requests it):

• Fewer bullets per section
• Only the most critical points
• Shorter descriptions

Detailed notes (if the lecture is > 10 minutes or the user requests it):

• More detail per section
• Include examples and analogies
• More thorough explanations for complex concepts

Output Format

• Write in Markdown
• Use ## for main sections and ### for subsections
• Bullets should be at least 1-2 sentences — no single words
• Tables with |---|---| syntax where needed
• Callouts with > ⚠️ or > 💡
• Do not add an introduction like "Here are your notes" — start directly with the title