Note taking tips from someone in a high demanding academic course with straight As
●MESSY NOTES
not messy messy, but js a lil bit so when you go through them you put in a lil bit of effort
Mostly you wont really get time to make pretty notes in lectures.
AU CONTRAIRE,
make really neat flashcards. If you want to make aesthetic notes etc, make them in form of flashcards instead of your main notes.
When you revise your flashcards should be really really easy to understand otherwise it defeats the whole point.
●Teacher's points
Usually, teachers give a little extra information/ pointers that is out of your syllabus/ study guides to make you understand the topic.
WRITE IT DOWNNN in maybe a lil box at the end of your page or something, but write it.
This way when youre studying for a chapter long after when it was first taught (for maybe finals or something) you can connect it quickly and understand it better.
● DIFFERENT METHODS OF NOTE TAKING
I've seen everywhere that Cornell is like the most gangsta method of note taking but it had literally never worked for me. My content is WAY too much to fit in those divisions and summaries dont make sense for my topics. Key words would take literally over half the page.
So yeah I avoid it. Instead whenever I write notes i basically skip all of unnecessary grammar and use abbreviations or arrows.
Flowcharts EVERYWHERE.
If a structure had 3 parts, instead of writing 1), 2), 3)
Write it as structure: then three arrows pointing out with the parts (dy get when im saying I feel like im doing a pretty bad job explaing)
Anyway, do this for as many things as you can. It helps you VISUALISE your notes during exams.
If youre using two colors, always write examples with a completely different color, or highlight it with a different color. Make sure examples stand out.
●HOW TO HIGHLIGHT
Highlight whatever is important. But WHAT, pray tell me, is important. The example really be asking anything from anywhere.
Highlight
▪︎examples. Never miss examples. Cannot stress this enough. Write examples on a sheet of paper and paste it on the wall in front of your desk.
▪︎ any nature of exclusivity ( exceptions, any feature present in only that structure, conditions for a formula to work ect) Any sentence with "exclusively xyz", "only if", "always" is likely to be asked
▪︎ difference between to similar principals/ structure.
Certain things may have a lot of similar Features, but only a few points of difference. Highlight those
▪︎ formulas, laws, theories etc.
■ if you make digital notes,
When you make short notes or notes in your own words, pretend youre teaching a class.
Turn on screen recording with audio, and as you make notes teach it to like your soft toys or something as you would teach a class.
For me, this gives guaranteed understanding and maximum retention.
You can also use these recordings for revisions.
■if you take notes with pen and paper,
Do the same but start a video.
I like to take a video of myself instead of an audio because it feels like im actually teaching someone, also it keeps me from going off on a tangent or losing my focus and zoning out.
Thats it booklings, its 3 am and i cant think of anymore byess (-.-)ノ⌒-~
