For anyone that attends post-secondary institution knows that there is a truck load of information that they are given to keep straight. Between attending classes and participating in extracurriculars, students make the mistake not organizing their notes effectively and efficiently. It is extremely important for students to take excellent notes and organize them as they help you focus on learning the important materials you need to know for the test. Here are some tips for you to make some great notes during the school year!
Take the notes from the presenter not the PowerPoint
Many students scramble to copy down everything that is present on the PowerPoint rather than listening to the presenter. Most of the time, the most important points to take down are often from what the speaker says aloud. You may feel that you are missing a lot of important points from the PowerPoint by not writing it down but don’t worry your instructor/professor will definitely put them up for you if they ask!
Highlight key points
When most student take notes they often write notes in long sentences and paragraphs and later when they come back to review their notes they cannot find what they need in the mass amount of information that is written. It is important to keep notes short and sweet – this helps key points stand out and to allow for you to find the material that you need when you want it.,
Write them by hand
This sounds like a lot of work, and to be honest, it is; however, writing you notes by hand definitely helps to remember material more effectively for a longer period of time. The act of writing down notes provides a visual picture of your notes for your brain while doing the action itself making the material easier to remember and understand.
Make diagrams and visuals to aid your studying
If you are having trouble understanding or remembering a concept, it is always a good idea to draw out diagrams, pictures or flow charts to aid your memory. By adding visual components to your notes you can create a memory aid that can jog your memory from when you took the notes helping you emphasize what is important to remember.
Write them in your own words
It is really important you always write your notes in your own words. Many student feel as if it is necessary to copy notes from a textbook or a PowerPoint word for word, but it not. It is actual more effective to write your notes in your own words so that you can understand them when you go back to review them in the future. If you do not write the notes in your own words there is a chance that you will not remember the important points of what you written down.
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