9 replies to this topic

[sarahlouise]

Hey so I think the title is pretty self-explanatory.

I'm just really curious to know how you guys make your notes, and remember information? Do you type them up or hand-write them? And how do you group information?

So yeah

[Rhea Eve D'souza]

This doesn't just apply to history but it really helps when there's a lot of content to remember.
The lesser it looks, the easier it is for me to study.
I make mindmaps and write with really teeny handwriting but it just works for me!

While I'm mindmapping, I'm revising and then later I read through everything again.

[Award Winning Boss]

I burn them so that when I take in the smoke I don't die... all the information just stays in my brain since they're officially part of me.

My more successful methods include:

1. Splitting everything into sub sections like themes or important people

2. highlight important parts ... cover up the page of notes and try to right down all I remember. Rinse and repeat until successful

3. Turn a timeline into a funny comic strip because learning stories is easier than learning a study guide. Especially when Hitlers head is out of proportion to his body.

4. create lists (or mind maps, whichever works) with important information almost like mini essay plans.

5. Make it interesting. Reading through books like a robot should be banned.

[El Che]

It depends on my mood but I prefer to type. In both cases, when I write or type, I use Cornell notes method, which I find very helpful for studying and remembering stuff, especially in history. I suggest you also try it.

Cornell notes method: http://coe.jmu.edu/L...rnellnotes.html

[Ishaan]

Taking notes in class? too hard.

I just turn my laptop around, switch on the mic and webcam and let the comp do the work. Then go back home and make the relevant notes.

Sometimes my classmates copy the video's onto their pendrives. Everybody wins.

[Gaby]

I take notes in class but they are really messy (as are class-taken notes by definition) so I couldn't study straight from them (though, I still put them in the binder). Before the test comes, so some time after covering the material, I type this notes into the computer in a very structured, organised way. I use bullet point, bold font, tables (A LOT of tables) with things like date/name/cause/what happened/what was the effect etc. It makes my notes very organised, structured and chronological and extremely easy to use. I NEVER  write in plain text - it's ever table or bullet points (and I highlight/bold names and words that are the key ones). It's the best method I've used so far because it's dead easy to revise from them - you can find the thing you're looking for in a second.

When I was in middle school, I used to do it all in hand, using various coloured pens and highlighters. It can also be a good idea, really, if you're this type of person who likes to have everything easily distinguishable through using colours.

Also, when I revise, I walk around a room, waving my notes in my hand (I have a tendency to over-gesticulate) and tell myself a story. I just tell history as if I was telling someone about the plot from a book I've read. It all becomes a lot more interesting if you put it this way - and it's not that time consuming. It would work if you're more of this person who has to hear rather than see.

[Arrowhead]

I make timelines for all the big, important events that I needed to cover for the exam.

[Trojan Mule]

I find that different styles of 'notes' work better for certain tasks. For internal assessments, like essays, I usually compile a chart based on 'themes', while to study for the exam I organize the information in a list based on time, location, and importance/impact. Usually, I type my notes while my teacher is teaching us. I tried recording audio notes once or twice, but it turned out that I couldn't retain as much information that way.

[flinquinnster]

Well, I have appalling hand-writing so I avoid handwritten notes. This is especially true in class, where I pretty much give up taking coherent notes, and instead take "minutes" of our lesson, and then rewrite them when I'm back at home. I'm pretty much dependent on my laptop, but I like to write my essays and summaries by hand (where I have time to make my writing legible). In my notes, I abuse the underline, bolding and italics on Word, and try to enjoy making timelines, and bullet-point summaries. When all that is done, I enjoy pretty much rewriting and rehashing my textbook in a much more interesting way. Oh, how I wish my history textbook had an electronic copy...

[Stereoisomer]

I usually write my notes down on refill in class. When I go home, I always retype my notes and incorporate any other bits of information from extra reading. (For history, historiography). My brain works well with listing not mind maps so do whatever fits your learning style