Minute Taking at Meetings from Udemy

And you'll take the minutes.

This is a statement that often sends fear into the minds of meeting attendees. Why? Because too many people consider the role boring, stressful, and non-important.

This three-hour Minute Taking course: How to Take Minutes at Meetings will change your mind.

I have been involved in the meeting process both as a minute taker and as a chair for many years.

In fact, I have written one of the first books exclusively on minute taking The Minute Takers Handbook now in its 4th reprint. Since then I have taught minute taking to all sorts of groups. And I have learned even more techniques to help you.

Whether you are taking minutes for boards, committees, weekly meetings, volunteer groups or your condo association, this workshop will make you more confident and enable you to produce professional minutes.

Take this ultimate Minute Taking course right now and learn how to take minutes at meetings.

What's inside

Learning objectives

After this workshop, you'll be able to:
Determine what to record and what to ignore
Understand how privacy legislation impacts minutes

Convey information in succinct, effective sentences
Organize yourself before, during and after the meeting
Watch for the hidden variables

After this workshop, you'll be able to:
Determine what to record and what to ignore
Understand how privacy legislation impacts minutes
Convey information in succinct, effective sentences
Organize yourself before, during and after the meeting
Watch for the hidden variables

Syllabus

Introduction

Outines the ingredients for a successful meeting and describes how the course is laid out.

What Every Minute Taker Needs to Know

Uses the definition of minutes to start outlining what the minute taker should record during a meeting.

Enter Quiz Information

Demonstrates how a detailed agenda will assist the minute taker and offers suggestions for preparing agendas for formal and semi-formal meetings.

Discusses how to handle the consent agenda when preparing minutes for formal meetings.

Provides suggestions for the minute taker before the meeting.

Outlines the details that should be recorded in the headers of formal, informal and action minutes.

Details what should be included in minutes and what should be omitted.

Discusses motions and resolutions for formal meetings and provides examples of how they are written.

This exercise contains five excerpts from minutes. Participants are asked to review the excerpts and note the details that should not have been included.

Critiques the minute excerpts in the previous exercise and provides better ways of writing the information.

Lists words that should be avoided and provides guidelines to help you avoid some of the most common grammar errors in minutes.

Analyzes the sentences provided in the previous exercise and suggests better ways of writing the information.

Enter Quiz Information

Provides a summary of the entire course that you can download for your personal reference. Happy minute taking!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops professional skills in minute taking, which is highly relevant to administrative and clerical fields

Designed for beginners, this course establishes a solid foundation in minute taking for those with little to no experience

Teaches the essential principles of minute taking, including what to include and what to omit, leading to more efficient and accurate documentation

Facilitated by Jane Watson, an expert in minute taking with decades of experience and recognized for her work in the field

Offers practical guidance and hands-on exercises to reinforce learning, making the content easily applicable to real-world scenarios

Comparatively short in duration, requiring a three-hour investment, making it a suitable option for busy professionals with limited time

Reviews summary

Practical guide to taking meeting minutes

According to learners, the "Minute Taking at Meetings" course is a highly practical and well-structured guide. Students found the content clear and concise, offering effective strategies for organizing and writing minutes for various meeting types. The writing tips were particularly highlighted as useful for improving sentence structure and content. Many felt the course provided a solid foundation for those new to minute taking and served as a valuable refresher for others. While some reviewers suggested adding more practice exercises, the overall feedback emphasizes the course's ability to equip learners with the confidence and skills needed to produce professional minutes. The instructor's experience also contributed to the positive reception.

Instructor's experience is a key asset.

"Knowing the instructor wrote a book on the topic added credibility."

"His experience shone through in the practical examples he shared."

"You can tell the instructor knows the subject matter inside and out."

"The instructor's authority on the subject is clear."

Great course for beginners and refreshers.

"This course is perfect for anyone new to taking minutes."

"It gave me the confidence I needed to take on this role."

"Even with some experience, I found valuable refreshers and new techniques."

"An excellent starting point for understanding minute taking basics."

Helpful tips for writing effective minutes.

"The section on writing tips was incredibly helpful for refining my sentences."

"I learned how to phrase motions and resolutions correctly."

"Avoiding common grammar errors and word choices was a great lesson."

"The guidance on succinct writing is something I will use regularly."

Content is well-organized and easy.

"The course is clear, concise, and gets straight to the point."

"Each module was well-structured and easy to digest."

"I appreciated the logical flow from preparation to writing and review."

"The organization of the lessons made the learning process very smooth."

Highly applicable to real meetings.

"The tips provided are highly practical and I can use them immediately."

"Really helped me understand what to include and what to leave out when taking minutes."

"The examples made the concepts easy to apply to my own meeting minutes."

"This course is full of actionable advice I can use right away at work."

Some desired more exercises/examples.

"I wish there were a few more practical exercises to practice writing."

"More examples beyond the provided excerpts would be useful."

"While the exercises were good, I would have liked more opportunities to practice different scenarios."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Minute Taking at Meetings with these activities:

Review note taking techniques

Show steps

Reviewing note taking techniques will help students identify areas for improvement and develop more effective strategies for capturing and retaining information.

Browse courses on Note taking

Show steps

Identify your preferred note taking method
Practice taking notes from different sources
Review and revise your notes regularly

Explore online resources on meeting facilitation

Show steps

Exploring online resources on meeting facilitation will provide students with additional insights and best practices for managing meetings effectively.

Browse courses on Meeting Facilitation

Show steps

Search for articles and videos on meeting facilitation
Identify key takeaways and tips
Apply what you've learned in your own meetings

Practice summarizing meeting discussions

Show steps

Practicing summarizing meeting discussions will help students improve their ability to capture the key points of a meeting and produce clear, concise minutes.

Show steps

Attend a meeting and take notes
Write a summary of the meeting based on your notes
Share your summary with a colleague for feedback

One other activity

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all four activities

Develop a template for meeting minutes

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Creating a template for meeting minutes will help students develop a consistent and efficient approach to recording meeting details.

Show steps

Identify the essential elements of meeting minutes
Design a template that includes these elements
Use your template to create minutes for a real meeting

Career center

Learners who complete Minute Taking at Meetings will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Administrative Assistant

Minute taking requires thorough documentation, organization, and an ability to write clear, concise sentences. Administrative Assistants use these skills every day to support their teams and manage their schedules. A course covering these areas will help you enter this field and learn skills that will help you be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Administrative Assistant

Business Analyst

Business Analysts gather and document requirements in order to suggest changes to business processes. Their work relies on clear communication and the ability to analyze a situation to determine the most effective course of action. This course can help you master the key skills needed to succeed in this role and may give you an advantage as you enter or advance in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Consultant

Consultants work with a variety of clients on a variety of projects, so the ability to quickly grasp new information and communicate effectively is essential. This course will help you develop the skills needed to be successful in this role. It covers topics like taking accurate notes, organizing meetings, and drafting reports, skills that will help you succeed as a consultant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Data Analyst

Data Analysts need to be able to understand and organize complex information to identify trends and patterns. This course will help you develop these skills and may give you an advantage as you enter or advance in this growing field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Executive Assistant

Executive Assistants manage all aspects of an executive's schedule and business life, and a key part of that is taking notes during meetings and writing reports. This course will teach you the skills you need to execute these tasks and be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Executive Assistant

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts need to be able to gather, organize, and analyze complex quantitative information to make recommendations to their clients and company leadership. This course may help you enter or advance in this field by teaching you how to take accurate notes and interpret data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for all aspects of managing an organization's workforce, and a significant portion of their job involves creating and maintaining documentation. This course will help you master the essential skills you need to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts must be able to gather and organize sensitive information in order to secure their clients' networks and assets. This course may help you enter or advance in this field by teaching you about the importance of data privacy and information security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Legal Assistant

Legal Assistants support attorneys with a variety of tasks, including taking notes during depositions and hearings, and summarizing complex legal documents. This course will help you develop the skills needed for these responsibilities in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Legal Assistant

Meeting Planner

Meeting Planners are responsible for planning, coordinating, and running a variety of meetings, and a critical part of that is taking accurate notes and distributing them to attendees. This course may assist you in this role by teaching you how to take notes efficiently and write clear, concise reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Meeting Planner

Operations Manager

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of an organization, which often involves documenting processes and procedures. This course will teach you how to create and maintain accurate records, which will help you be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Paralegal

Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys and are responsible for a variety of legal tasks, including taking notes during depositions and hearings. This course will help you develop the skills needed for these responsibilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Paralegal

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing projects. A significant part of this involves documenting project plans, progress updates, and meeting minutes. This course may help you enter or advance in this field by providing instruction in how to take accurate notes and create clear, concise reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation to help users understand and use a product or service. A critical aspect of this job is the ability to understand a subject matter, analyze needs, and write clearly and accurately. This course may help you enter or advance in this field by providing instruction in note-taking, organization, and writing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Training and Development Manager

Training and Development Managers create and deliver training programs, which often involves writing and revising course materials. This course may help you gain a strong foundation in these skills. It teaches you how to organize and present information in a clear and concise manner.

See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Manager