ATAR Notes: Forum
HSC Stuff => HSC Subjects + Help => Topic started by: tloos1999 on July 08, 2017, 10:19:38 pm
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For maximum hsc marks what is more effective, writing or typing notes? I understand everyone works different ways and pick a method suitable to your style of learning but I want a definite answer with examples of success with either. I am undertaking my HSC and am finding whilst writing notes are excellent for retaining information, it is difficult and time consuming to write for content heavy subjects like the courses I am doing such as Biology, PDHPE and Physics. Even typing this up took literally 30 seconds whereas if I was writing I would still be halfway lolololol. No honestly tho, what method is ideal.
Mod edit: Changed the title from full capslock.
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For maximum hsc marks what is more effective, writing or typing notes? I understand everyone works different ways and pick a method suitable to your style of learning but I want a definite answer with examples of success with either. I am undertaking my HSC and am finding whilst writing notes are excellent for retaining information, it is difficult and time consuming to write for content heavy subjects like the courses I am doing such as Biology, PDHPE and Physics. Even typing this up took literally 30 seconds whereas if I was writing I would still be halfway lolololol. No honestly tho, what method is ideal.
They both serve 2 different functions. One is a concise set of notes that can be easily searchable and one is better for retention.
Why not the best of both worlds?
1. Type out your notes.
2. Spend the saved time summarising the notes in an A4 booklet.
This is what I did with great results =)
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For maximum hsc marks what is more effective, writing or typing notes? I understand everyone works different ways and pick a method suitable to your style of learning but I want a definite answer with examples of success with either.
I am not sure if you realise this, but you are asking for a definite answer to a question that does not even have a definite answer.
For me, I used hand written notes for physics, and printed notes for chemistry. My external mark in both courses ended up being the exact same. (My internals was lower for physics because idk how to build motors.)
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I type full size notes throughout the term and summarise the notes in handwritten form.
This is just so I have an organised and coherent set of full notes I can refer to while I'm studying, but retain information as I summarise each topic.
I found it to be extremely helpful with content-heavy subjects such as Biology and Business Studies, but not so much with applied subjects such as Mathematics and Extension 1.
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I typed all my notes for every subject - My handwritten stuff was all either practice exams, practice essays/paragraphs, brainstorms - And I did palm cards for Legal right at the end. For me personally, I like things to be neat and super organised, and having an awesome set of notes gives me confidence that I've covered the content properly. That said, important to know that notes are a means to an end - You don't even need to write notes if you don't want to, even though most people do. And if you do, there are heaps of ways to do it, it's just about picking what works best for you ;D
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There is NO definite answer. It's just a matter of personal preference.
Typing
Pros- Easily changeable, can find things quickly, shareable
Cons-You'll probably get distracted and go watch some Youtube, Can't view multiple notes at once nicely
Writing
Pros- Can view everything at once by laying it all out, Flexible with drawing diagrams and anything u want to do, practice writing that you will do in exams
Cons- Can be slower(but i find its harder to procrastinate than on a computer so i actually do it quicker), Lose them easily and susceptible to damage
I personally write all my notes unless it's more efficient to type such as copying multiple components, making tables etc.
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I type, and the primary reason for typing is the fact that given it's on a PC I can upload to a cloud service (e.g. Google Drive) and have it whereever I go and whatever device I choose. With a book (for example), if you leave it at home by accident.... you don't have much.
This is why I prefer to type/do things electronically. But I can see the argument for handwriting to draw stuff etc.
(In fact, you could probably combine the best of both and use something like OneNote to draw/handwrite and then save it digitally).
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(In fact, you could probably combine the best of both and use something like OneNote to draw/handwrite and then save it digitally).
Yep, this is my approach at university - I use an app to handwrite and store it in the cloud ;D
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i handwrote all my bio notes last year, just squeezed them into one of those five-subject notebooks, then managed to leave them on a train a week or so before the exam.
#teamtype #trainswillnevereatthecloud
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i handwrote all my bio notes last year, just squeezed them into one of those five-subject notebooks, then managed to leave them on a train a week or so before the exam.
#teamtype #trainswillnevereatthecloud
Oh, unlucky :(
Based on your signature, sounds like you still scored pretty well
Yeah, that's why I tend to type my notes. It's organised in a way that I won't be able to if I write them, and it's portable.
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For me hand writing 12k words for each major MH topic would have literally taken a decade. Plus MS Word allows CTRL+F functionality plus adding pictures (useful for maths as I can't draw, although my maths notes are very brief). So I'm typing mine.
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My 2 cents ;D
Personally I wrote almost all my notes out by hand - but then I made sure to back them up by using an app such as Evernote. Best of both worlds for me, as I used diagrams for Science and mind maps for English and Religion.
It is up to you - I now type my notes at Uni and it is serving me well. Although I do make sure to handwrite summaries each week.
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Never done notes partially cuz i'm too lazy and partially because been told their not the most effective way to utilise my time. So i just use the textbook as my notes, however some of my peers hate this method and are just too in love with their notes.
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Never done notes partially cuz i'm too lazy and partially because been told their not the most effective way to utilise my time. So i just use the textbook as my notes, however some of my peers hate this method and are just too in love with their notes.
Never done notes... my peers are just too in love with their notes... I just use the textbook.
Sorry for emphasising that but I don't know how to say this lightly, so I'll be blunt.
You need notes. There is a reason everyone has notes - it is because they have been proven to work. I don't particularly care whose notes you use - the ones AN sells are awesome value and have even more amazing content, from personal experience - and they are essentially a summarised textbook then.
Let me try and shed some light on why memorising slabs of textbook won't work. Read a random chapter of your novel/nonfiction prescribed text. Now try and recite that whole chapter out loud as well as find and say techniques while you are reciting the chapter. Its hard enough to do it straight after reading. How about 2 weeks later? A month later?
Now pick out nice, rich, juicy quotes and the techniques they have. Recite the quote and know the technique. I can guarantee you this is a lot easier and will save you a lot of stress! This can be applied easily to any textbook.
Sorry if that was harsh but you need notes.
Hope I helped!
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Really depends on how organised you are. Personally, I recall information better if I actually handwrite it but I am crap with organising papers so I prefer to type up my notes at first and then do practice responses and essays handwritten from there.
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i type most of my notes, because first, effort, and second, it's a lot quicker. even then, that depends on the subject. pretty much all my subjects are humanities so i prefer typing those out, but something like maths i just have a ton of sticky notes with concepts i don't understand as much when i come across them in past papers. for english, i like to have palm cards. at the end of the day it depends on your own personal preference but typing is a lot easier for me as i can write extra notes around the stuff i've printed. :-)
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HELLOO
(my subjects are phys chem maths + advanced)
For physics and chemistry, on the day we learn content in class, I go home and spend about an hour each to make notes for the 2/3 mini-dotpoints that we have gone through, this is ESPECIALLY useful approaching exams .. often many of my friends are rushing and making notes a few weeks before, leaving them little time to actually do past papers :(
I find typing notes as the most efficient way to make notes - i like having extensive notes (my physics for first 3 modules are 30,000 in total rip) because it just gives me the security of having covered every possible nook and cranny (even tho i like dont remember a lot of it lol)
I also remake mini-notes on google doc when doing past papers - i have a list of silly mistakes that I frequently make, as well as reminders of things and things exam questions often trip up students on e.g. ( - question is asking for volume of water ADDED'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not just the full volume after dilution!!!!!). I also re-type up content that I am not that familiar with in a summarised version in these notes as well as scaffold answers to extended response questions, combining solutions from many sources to familiarise myself with what teachers/nesa/bostes require for full marks :)
if you are approaching your exams and have not completed your notes, i suggest that you make notes WHILST doing past papers - a common mistake amongst students that I see and have heard teachers talking about, is that they are often paranoid with completing notes first to ensure they've covered EVERY dotpoint prior to actually applying all that knowledge. often when you make notes - yes you do retain some info, but the real deal in science exams is knowing how to actually answer the question and presenting every detail required.. you need practice for that!
For maths, I handwrite my notes as I go, so approaching yearly. for each topic, i write a summary of definitions, write steps on how to approach specific types of questions, followed up with difficult questions that had interesting tricks or were ones that I couldn't do just to remind me through the year :)
and english is just a lost cause lol
that being said, it really really really depends on who you are!
the dux at our school doesn't really make syllabus notes for their subjects and does amazingly at every exam HAHA they just do lots and lots of practice, but they also make sure that they completely understand something before moving on. a lot of students like me usually go 'oh i'll look at it at home later and try to understand it then'.
hope this helped! :)
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When it comes to content-heavy subjects like Legal Studies, Business Studies + Biology, I type all my notes just because it's quicker + easier than writing it out. I also added onto my notes throughout the year when I stumbled upon new textbooks or handouts in class, so it's definitely easier to just slot it into your typing than squeezing it into already written paragraphs.
I also think writing notes is beneficial too! IMO it's definitely easier to retain the information since you'll be writing it out and all
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and english is just a lost cause lol
That is so relatable :D
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Hi, as Bimberfairy said it really does depend on what kind of subjects you do. Most of my subjects are content-heavy humanities subjects which require a lot of effort to hand write notes and therefore I usually start out by typing up notes. Depending on how well I've organised my time, if I can I'll then hand write summaries, mind maps and palm cards for some subjects. For subjects like English, I find that it really helps to hand write out quotes multiple times as that can really help to ingrain them into your mind. Good luck!
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Hi, as Bimberfairy said it really does depend on what kind of subjects you do. Most of my subjects are content-heavy humanities subjects which require a lot of effort to hand write notes and therefore I usually start out by typing up notes. Depending on how well I've organised my time, if I can I'll then hand write summaries, mind maps and palm cards for some subjects. For subjects like English, I find that it really helps to hand write out quotes multiple times as that can really help to ingrain them into your mind. Good luck!
Welcome to the forums!! Keen to see you get involved in more discussions - Sounds like you are doing exactly as I did in my HSC ;D
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I know I have already given my opinion on this matter but just remember you have to write in the trials and HSC! You have to write a lot and fast (at least for the Humanities including SOR and English) so train up your hand now, tie a battery to your pen while you have time to write so you can fly through the paper with ease on the day :)
Also, welcome to the forums freya99!! Good to see some new names around here :)
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Handwriting makes me feel like I made effort ;D
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I type majority of my notes because its nice and neat and its really quick. It's also really easy to find diagrams and access.
Usually handwriting helps you retain information more easily so what I did was print out my notes (typed) and then go through them and highlight the important parts and any headings. This way I'm still actively contributing to my notes whilst reviewing them.
But since I feel bad for not handwriting (because the exams are written), I write all of my stuff in class and any practice papers, essays, etc so I can practice my handwriting.
Typing just has too many benefits over handwriting, in my opinion, to not type.
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I will admit in the past week of typing notes, I almost forgot how to write LOL. It was yesterday in class, I was writing a response for biology and i felt as if my hand wasn't working. It was so slow and slower than usual by a long shot. I think It will be better when I summarise my notes and write some essays this week in prep for trials. I have to mix it up I guess...