Know the Effective Ways to Make Class Notes Worthy for Exam Preparation

Post in Homework Help

You can find information about terms, concepts, and equations from your academic books which can help you to fetch good marks in your exam. Apart from these sources, different educational websites are also available which can provide you with shortcuts for afaring excellent score in tests. But notes provided by teachers can be a much better option when it is about exam preparation. The information and suggestions provided by teachers are closely linked to what comes during exams.

When you read from your academic books, you are able to grasp what you understand at that moment. But during lectures, you are able to get the gist of the entire topic curbed in the confines of few pages. Well-prepared notes make a student feel more organised with their work which has quality as well as can boost their performance on their exam day.

Through certain studies, it has been found out that 47% of students forget the studied facts within the initial 20 minutes of self-study. From the rest percentage of the students, nearly 62% of them do not remember what they have studied in the very next day. If you feel that you are among one of these percentages of students, you can read on to know how you can sum up your notes to prepare for exams.

8 Ways to Make Class Notes better for Examination

  1. Be prepared before you come

Preparation doesn’t mean that you have just to remember about carrying notebooks, extra pens or pencils, or any other binders and organisers. Although these things are necessary to be taken before a lecture, you also need to be prepared in terms of studying. Instead of sitting with a blank mind and wondering about what the topic is about, it is better to have a prior study of the would be a topic.

If you read a topic and then go for a lecture, not only you will be able to understand the topic better but also it will help you to take better notes. If you find any relevant information confusing, you can also consult your teachers to add it in your notes.

  1. Active listening is very important

If you do not concentrate on what you are being taught, you cannot expect to make productive notes which can help you in your exam. For creating marks scoring notes, you need to be an active listener and discern which information is important and worth taking down.

It is necessary to completely focus on what your teacher is teaching rather than getting distracted by other interruptions. If you do not listen carefully, you will note down wrong information which can be extremely harmful to the health of your examination report card. It is always beneficial to open your ears as you may come face to face with some unknown term of your subject.

  1. Use pen and paper instead of gadget

There are various shortcut methods which might be helpful for you to take class notes. You may find recording the entire lecture in your cell phone or in a mini recorder will behandier.

If you have a faster typing speed, you can also take the help of your memo sheets in your cell phone or notepad in your laptop. Although these methods are extremely convenient, you won’t remember what you have written or heard, later.

It is better to take the help of pen and paper to make notes. When you write by yourself, a part of your mind registers the information of that moment. Apart from this point, it is faster to write on paper than writing in a gadget.

  1. Understand the concept and identify which is vital

A class note can be improved when you understand the concept of the subject in a better way. Aside from jotting down important phrases and theories, you can write about different incidences arranged according to their dates.

Try to make notes on those information which is unknown to you or which you have little knowledge. Do not waste time on those details which you already know beforehand.

  1. Ask if you have doubt

If you want your class notes to be of excellent quality, you need to get all your doubts cleared. When your doubts are clarified, you will be able to create notes in a better way.

Asking about confusions in topics to your teachers will help you to get a good grasp of it. When they are explaining you about your inquired question, chances are there that you may get additional suggestion questions regarding your subject.

  1. Make your Notes Scannable

A clear and organised note copy is easier to read and comprehend. Even if you have written the class notes by yourself that is illegible and messy, you will not feel to read it when your exams are near. It is always advisable to start your notes on a fresh page with a clear and intelligible handwriting.

You can use headings, subheads and bullet points to make your notes more scannable. Use wide margins and multiple paragraphs so that your copy doesn’t look like an overcrowded, disorganised brochure.

  1. Highlight if you need

Adding a splash of colour in your class notes copy can help you remember which point is more important than others. From a scientific research, it has been found out that colour coding a readable area triggers the creative side of the brain. It assists you by linking the colour with the information on which it is applied.

Use different coloured highlighters to mark relevant information like definitions, dates, names of famous people. But do not make your class notes copy like a colourful bouquet of different colours. This will only hinder you to comprehend your marked notes during exams.

  1. Create a study journal

It is a better to make a study journal where you can combine your lecture notes with your self-created notes. This journal making habit helps you to make a summarised version of your entire subject which reduces your information searching time during the examination.

Here are times when you struggle to get good marks in exam just because you didn’t get enough time to complete your revision.

You can try these note making steps to improve your exam preparation. There certain professional academic websites through which you can get more ways for better preparation. Remember, making notes is necessary but utilising it is of greater importance.