Study Notes - 9 Actions to a Much better Way
So frequently note taking by students involves highlighting or underlining huge chunks of their text, or transcribing definitions, text and diagrams to such an extent that they practically rewrite the book they are studying! Are you guilty of this? Don't worry, you are not alone, particularly if no one has ever showed you a much better way.
This common, but mistaken way of taking notes, generally stems from an anxiousness about leaving some thing out, or a require to be writing to really feel like you are working and learning. Unfortunately, this is not the way to learn, and can even be a subtle form of procrastination.
If you haven't already then, attempt this easy technique for note taking from a text book:
- Draw a wide margin down the side of your page - Read your chosen amount of material (see beneath for much more on effective reading) - Brainstorm to try and recall the main points from what you have read. Write key phrases and phrases on the correct hand side of the web page. No sentences or diagrams. Leave plenty of space between each line. - You will be aware of sections you can't remember at all. Don't be concerned, this will make you much more receptive to absorb this information when you reread. - Check via the text once more, noting points you missed. - Brainstorm once more. See if you can fill in the gaps. - Tidy up the notes then. Number the main points - it's easier to keep in mind numbered lists. Add in any points that are nonetheless absent. Don't get carried away with polishing up your notes though - beware of procrastination. You require to learn fast and move on to the next job. - Write any page references for definitions or diagrams alongside the keywords in the margin. Don't copy diagrams for instance - you can practice them later and refer to them utilizing the page reference any time you require to. - Rapidly review your keywords, and see if every one sparks off the points you wanted to keep in mind. If it doesn't, perhaps add another keyword for clarification.
Now you have a page of good notes to function from. Test yourself to see how many key phrases you can remember on a separate web page and circle any you couldn't recall so that you will spend much more interest to them throughout future revision sessions. You will need to revise these inside a day, or you will neglect what you discovered, and then once more inside a week, a fortnight, and then a month. But when you revise, it should only take 5 minutes, so it should be simple to incorporate this revision into your study sessions.
