Note-taking tips for students - Part 2

Note-taking tips for students - Part 2

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Active listening and purposeful note-taking are two activities that should be at the core of your learning.However, there is lots more advice to take on board when attempting to put together quality study notes that will help you absorb, understand and retain information.Part 2 of this slide set covers areas such as reviewing your notes, supporting your learning with visual material, learning from your peers, and staying focused.

1. Review your notes

Unfortunately, the study process doesn’t begin and end with building a set of beautiful study notes.Creating good-quality notes is a great start, but to learn the information, you’ll need to go back and review the material several more times. Schedule an alert to revisit your notes on a weekly or monthly basis to trigger new ideas and find inspiration. Also, don't be afraid to return to your notes and expand on them by linking to useful articles and websites.

• Newton's Three Laws of Motion
• Definitions
• Of Mice and Men Summary Sheet

2. Include visuals

Note-making is more than text. Using visuals such as graphs, diagrams, pictures and mind maps can help you comprehend information easier and recall pieces of the puzzle when you need to. Mind mapping is one good way of storing key points in one place. Create Mind Maps to focus on the main areas of a topic. . Remember, don’t be afraid to unleash your creative side and use lots of color!

• GCSE Revision: Christianity
• Life Of Galileo

3. Learn from your peers

Of course learning needn't be a solitary pastime either. Many education programmes encourage collaborative work as an effective a way to learn from others.Your notes are not set in stone, they can be revised at any time. One way to add depth to your knowledge is by speaking to your classmates and asking what they felt was important - it may be different from what you thought yourself. This should lead to a further discussion about the topic being studied and more learning taking place.

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4. Stay focused

This advice goes hand-in-hand with questioning: are you getting value from your note-making?Active learning means engaging with the study material as the true responsibility to learn lies with the learner (i.e. you!). So instead of mindlessly writing down definitions, formulae and re-writing your teacher’s notes, reinforce your learning by developing mind maps, flashcards and quizzes to really think about what you are learning and engage in every stage of the learning process.

• Theories of Religion
• The Effects of Climate Change