Reddit reviews Study Less, Learn More: The Complete Guide for Busy Students

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Less-Learn-More-Complete-ebook/dp/B00EDXKECY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500947502&sr=8-1&keywords=learn+more+study+less
That book is pretty cool, it's on the topic and if you haven't already taken a free kindle unlimited trial you can read it for free. To directly answer your questions, everyone agrees pictures and diagrams are great, but not if just directly copying everything from the book. Most agree verbatim copying of anything is bad, always reword. I found some sections I just don't want to take many notes for, like subnetting. I know I'm just going to have to drill those until I can do them in super short times, therefore taking detailed notes seems pointless. In the book, the author makes the case that questions make some of the best notes. He also goes into some bits of info about the relationship between hindsight bias and short term memory, and how they can lull you into a false sense of security in not taking enough notes. The TLDR of his method in relation to notes though is: ask questions, and answer them. Include anything you think you might not already know. Avoid using the same language as the book, even though that slows you down. Definitely also write down questions even if you don't immediately know the answer.