Have you all had some random thoughts coming in the minute you crammed yourself with all the information about how can you actually remember all this within only like three – to- two days before the exam?
Aye me!!! With my packed schedule, I found myself struggling with this a lot. So, here comes the urge I sought for note-making tips, effectively notes ideas, and so forth on YouTube and other sources. And finally, I came up with a great list of note making tips which bound to be so helpful for me🤗
1. Outline method
This can be done prior to systematically combine all the important keywords and at the same time, you want it to be purr-fect ly organized.
- This turned out a holy grail to me with studying dry subjects like I can’t even relate to it in the first place oops
- This outline can be organized with several indentations per paragraph
- And also with simple bullet points
- Mind map or flow charts are also included
This approach is to allow and create fun learning ambiance which is crucial to especially visual learners. Visual learners are able to grasp more information in images, shapes, and colors than only full text-contents. As described in Fleming VAK/VARK model, visualization of information thru images, charts, and mind maps confer lots of benefits to visual learners.
Learn more about other different learning styles in Fleming VAK/VARK model like tactile and auditory learners through this site!
2. Spit out notes
This one I love the most that when I try to reckon what I have currently studied. It’s like a simple mock test but without a single structured question. It’s totally a battlefield of words and bullet points coming in sort of different order which I don’t care what it will turn up soon or look like.
- It applies 5W1H concept; WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, WHO, and HOW.
- Not structured; can be simple bullet, arrows, chart, or long paragraph
This method is really effective for rich-concept subjects like history, or anatomy, physiology, and my fav; pathology. The concept is an information retrieval process. It enables you to retrieve the information which you had to burn all the midnight oils to keep the memory fresh just as the first day you learned it. It also calls for memory encoding which the notes you made shape or encode the way of information is stored in especially the temporal lobe regions.
Check this blog out for further details on memory encoding and retrieving processes.
3. Different pen/highlighter colors
This method is a little bit different from the previous since I am extremely excited to share that using pen colors can really play a role in a note-taking process. In the first place, I have only used one pen color (e.g. black my favorite) to jot down the very first moment I start to read the content. I can easily focus right away since I don’t have to think about how many pens I want to use or getting distracted by which color next within the process. The learning process can become smooth as long as the distraction is kept to a minimum.
Then, when shud I put the different one? In the second process of note-taking. I used then a blue color or sometimes a purple to fill some blanks which I think shud add on while I browse through the notes.
This systematic array of information helps me to juggle my time for revising and recollecting my memory fresh to the content I had it written in the first process. I take it as two actions of note-taking plus revision at one time. Isn’t it worth it and time-saving? Yessssss
4. Wordy Method
The original idea credits to Mariana (subscribe to her Youtube; Mariana's StudyCorner; https://www.youtube.com/c/MarianasStudyCorner).
You can find a lot more study tips there.
Anyway, I call it "wordy" because it turned out crammed with words when I used this kind of method for my notes.
- This method is suitable for rich-text content, with many keywords to be highlighted.
- And so is the rich content, I don’t want to trouble myself with mind mapping or points because I can’t afford to miss any important ones. (Especially during peak hours~ exam)
- You can chunk into separate para or subpoints for smooth reading.
- I would ultimately turn up to this when I had a mock quiz the next morning because this tip really an expressway for me to capture all the important information.
So that's all from me. Really a brief one but a fine list for me and
I hope it does to you as well !!