I can't tell you how many times I've labored away at pages of notes, only to find them disorganized and illegible. It's important that one's notes are easy to review, both for upcoming tests and for cumulative exams. I'm still working on making my notes easy to read, but I've come up with strategies that have made note taking faster and more efficient.
First off, outlining. The outline's structure will vary from book to book, but most have headings, sub-headings, main points, and supporting details. I like to use colorful highlighter for distinguish different sections. I find that this breaks up the page, making it easier to read. I also find it easier to find and review specific sections. Within each section, I summarize a paragraph or so into a main idea such as "Mexica society was rigidly hierarchical and exalted warrior class." Don't worry about complete sentences. Instead, summarize ideas in a way that makes sense to you. Finally, details should support the main idea and be more factual in nature, such as statistics, definitions, and names. Underlining names and places helps me find information on a specific person much quicker. One of the most helpful tips I've been given is "You aren't rewriting the textbook." Remember, notes distill information as much as possible. Keep this in mind while note-taking. Notes should jog your memory and provide you with essential facts. You can use them to create a study guide or questions. For example, say there are three paragraphs describing the mechanics of the Byzantine "theme" system. Try cutting it down to the basics: - theme = imperial province - run by general who recruited army from peasant class - peasants recieved land in return ---> strengthened economy It takes time to strike a balance between brevity and comprehensiveness. I'm still working on it myself! However, I hope this gave you some tips on good notes. Next time, I'll discuss creating a productive study environment. Bye!
4 Comments
Kenzie
11/30/2014 07:10:15 am
Megan,
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Fiona
11/30/2014 07:10:41 am
Megan,
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Megan
12/2/2014 05:58:52 am
Fiona,
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Megan
12/2/2014 06:00:40 am
Kenzie,
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AuthorMegan. Student. I wrote this. Archives
April 2015
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