My post 10 types of planners got way more notes than I expected. So today I will show you how I prepare for my exams. The method I’m going to explain is the one I’ve developed over the years and got me to get all A’s in high school. From taking notes, to nailing your exam.
1.1. Sit in the front of the classroom
Don’t give a f**k if you look like a dork. Make sure you can see the blackboard clearly. You should be able to look at your teacher and the other way round. In case my experience is not enough: Studies show that those who “sit in the front and center (middle) of the classroom tend to achieve higher average exam scores”. Plus, your teacher will know who you are and will be aware that you pay attention in class.
1.2. Ask questions
Don’t be afraid of asking questions. This took me years. Your teacher won’t think your question is stupid - in fact, it is their job to make sure everybody learns whatever they are supposed to teach. AND even if it looks as if the whole class has already understood the lesson, trust me, they haven’t.
1.3. Don’t write every word the teacher says
There’s just no point in doing such thing. Contract words and use symbols and doodles. Once you get home, fair-copy your notes if they are not clear enough (or at least, re-read them). Otherwise, when you try to study with your notes a few weeks/months later, you won’t understand a thing.
1.4. Clarify your notes
What did you just write down? Was it something that didn’t appear on the book? Was it an explaination of what the book says? Some info you should expand? Use a color code or symbols to clarify your notes. It doesn’t take time but will save you time in the future.
1.5. Compact notes
Write with tiny (but legible) handwriting. It is quicker, tidier, and it saves paper. Also, write in two or three columns.
1.6. How to stay motivated to take good notes
Last year I told one of my best friends (who is one grade bellow me) that I would give her all my notes at the end of the year. People normally dream of setting fire to their notes (and at least in Spain, people actually do that). But this other option (giving away my notes) was good for her and for me, since whenever I felt like writing carelessly, I’d think, “she won’t understand these notes, I have to do it better”.
Start pre-studying the very first day of class.
Everytime I see someone whose book is entirely highlighted I’m like “why don’t you just dip it in a bucket of yellow paint?”. Seriously, stop.
Underline only the key words, not the whole sentence.
Use a different color (at least) for each paragraph.
When you read a paragraph, open a key in the margin and summarize what that paragraph is saying. Use between 1 and 10 words. Write as small as you can.
Right after you finish with a page, do an outline of the whole page in order to make sure that you have understood what you’ve just read. How? Scroll down.
Outlines, mindmaps, graphics… it really depends on the subject. All I know is that I just CAN’T study from a block of text.
Separate coordinated sentences and link them with symbols.
Use bullets or numbers and indent.
Color is not decorative. The same color links together different ideas.
Pink highlighters are cute but they don’t highlight at all.
Small handwriting and columns are your friends.
Highlight just the KEYWORDS. About 4-8 words per page.
Don’t use the same template or style on every page, unit or subject.
Here you have a messy and a tidy example:
3.1. When should you start studying?
When I was in high school, I used to start studying one or two weeks before the exam. A few days before when I was too busy. The day before when I was about to jump out the window.
Divide whatever you have to study in equal parts to make it more approachable.
Try to organize yourself so that the day before the exam you don’t have to study because you already know everything (and you just need to revise a little bit).
3.2. Studying (and by studying, I mean memorizing)
Once you have read it and understood it, you have to memorize it. My favourite quote is: “Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.”
These are my methods. I also recommend reading this article for more. Use the method that works best for you or all of them to ensure you’ve got it.
Write your mind-map again and again and again. Don’t change the placement of each concept in your mind-map or you’ll become confused in the end.
Translate words into drawings. Translate your drawings into words. Repeat. Repeat!
Read a little bit, try to explain it out loud as if you were a teacher. Repeat endlessly.
Make a story that helps you fully understand what goes next and WHY.
3.3. Keywords list
This is the spine of my whole studying method. So basically, reduce each sub-topic to ONE word. Then reduce each topic to ONE word. Study those words by heart.
In the exam, just write down your list of keywords and you will easily remember each topic and sub-topic.
4.1. When studying a list of words or names
It is really important to know how many words there are.
Make a sentence with the first letter of each word.
Make a song. You can use a jingle you already know.
Picture a scene which contains all the words.
Highlight, bookmark and make a list of those concepts that you usually forget or make mistakes, so it is the first thing you see (and revise) the next time you study.
The night before the exam, write in a little piece of paper that thing (an important formula, something that you always forget, your keywords list…) and that’s the only thing you should revise the following day.
Talk to older students and ask them for their old exams. Your exams will probably be different, but if the teacher is the same, they’ll be similar.
First of all, you should take a look to the Text Anxiety Booklet. It contains a lot of information for the ones who get really anxious.
5.1. Appearance matters
My teachers always say that when they are correcting our exams, illegible handwriting really pisses them off. Since they are humans, that attitude towards your exam will be unconsciously reflected on your mark. On the other hand, when they get to a visually appealing exam, they are more compassionate. Conclussion: MAKE YOUR TEACHER’S WORK EASIER.
Use your best handwriting.
Write your name on every page (if you are asked to do so).
Separate your paragraphs.
5.2. Don’t ever leave a question in blank
Ever. Every little point adds up to you final mark, and a blank question means 0 points. If you write something and it is wrong, you simply made a mistake. But if you don’t answer, your teacher might think that you didn’t do it because you didn’t study. However, remember that your teacher is older and wiser than you, and will notice if you are trying to fool them.
In some tests, mistakes subtract points. In that case, you’d better leave the questions you don’t know in blank unless you like taking risks.
5.3. What if you go blank
First of all, wait a minute and take a deep breath. This is not a waste of time because it will actually help you do better. Now, do the rest of the exam and come back later. Then, if you still can’t remember, try retracing not what you studied but what you were doing while you were studying. Maybe you were drinking tea, maybe your father came into your room or maybe you heard something on the street. And remember that you control your breathing, and your breathing controls your feelings.
5.4. An exam is not a race
I guess some people believe they’ll receive a prize if they are the first one to hand in their exam. Those people have all of my disapproval. Use all the time your teacher gives you and always, I mean ALWAYS, revise your exam before handing in it. Revise. Your. Exam. Did you follow the instructions correctly? Did you answered all the questions? Are there spelling mistakes?
That’s it. I hope you found it helpful.
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