How do you create good study notes

[sweetiepi]

Firstly i ditto what Jamon says about getting the notes, they are superb value at just $25. However, these should not be the only notes you use. Also, notes should not just be page after page on paper- you will not remember slabs of information as well as key dot points and words (its scientifically proven ) Consider some of these ways if you just want to use paper:

-Diagrams
-Pictures
-Flow Charts
-Colour Code

However, you may be like me and simply cannot stare at a wad of paper all day and expect to learn something from it. Try these creative ideas and see if one works for you

• -challenge friends via kahoot or have some sort of competition- really fun way to learn as noone wants to come last! Jeopardy, fill in the blank, 60 seconds are all great games to play!
• -flash/palm cards (these are great for definitions or terminology)
• -mnemonics(my personal favourite- just make sure you can remember them- it could be about a teacher you dont like, a friend you make fun of or something just so absurd it sticks in your head) Consider this: I am in Year 3 learning my colours of the rainbow and a way to remember it that I've never forgotten is Ran Over Your Garbage Bin In Vegas (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Needless to say 9 years later I can still remember it with pin point accuracy
• -Don't want to study? Don't then! Just stick post it notes all around the house, on your door, your desk, your phone cover, the shower, your mirror anywhere that you can think of! Youll be surprised how much you can recall from this. I'll use another example (oh here you go you're thinking but ill promise itll relate eventually :p). There is only one way to get to the bathroom from my room and thats down a long corridor/hallway. I tend to read things and like 99% of the population, don't get up until the sun is well and truly up so it is light. I put each paragraph of my essay on that wall leading down the hallway, and my exam was 3 weeks away. I only wrote it out once to see if I could in the time limit and hey presto! I get in the exam and remember it word for word.
• -My final one ( yes, last one I promise) is not to have any notes at all but key terms and a container/hat. Negotiate with yourself how many you will pull out of a hat (one at a time and make it more than 3 ) and spend 3 or so minutes writing down everything you know that will relate to this. This is actually a really effective way to study as you don't know what will be asked next, and you will know immediately if you dont know something. I also kept a tally on how many times a card got drawn out so I knew if it was higher than the rest its time for a good shuffle but you dont have to do that

Finally rant over! Thank goodness I wasn't writing this out on paper otherwise half of NSW's koalas wouldve had to migrate . There is just a few options up there for studying so try and think of some more. Sure everyone has to study but why not make it fun? Anyway, just my input. Take it or leave it

I agree with this, 100%.
I also HIGHLY recommend explaining concepts randomly to your friends! (my friends usually appreciate these moments, because apparently I don't talk much )

[RuiAce]

Firstly i ditto what Jamon says about getting the notes, they are superb value at just $25. However, these should not be the only notes you use. Also, notes should not just be page after page on paper- you will not remember slabs of information as well as key dot points and words (its scientifically proven ) Consider some of these ways if you just want to use paper:

-Diagrams
-Pictures
-Flow Charts
-Colour Code

However, you may be like me and simply cannot stare at a wad of paper all day and expect to learn something from it. Try these creative ideas and see if one works for you

• -challenge friends via kahoot or have some sort of competition- really fun way to learn as noone wants to come last! Jeopardy, fill in the blank, 60 seconds are all great games to play!
• -flash/palm cards (these are great for definitions or terminology)
• -mnemonics(my personal favourite- just make sure you can remember them- it could be about a teacher you dont like, a friend you make fun of or something just so absurd it sticks in your head) Consider this: I am in Year 3 learning my colours of the rainbow and a way to remember it that I've never forgotten is Ran Over Your Garbage Bin In Vegas (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Needless to say 9 years later I can still remember it with pin point accuracy
• -Don't want to study? Don't then! Just stick post it notes all around the house, on your door, your desk, your phone cover, the shower, your mirror anywhere that you can think of! Youll be surprised how much you can recall from this. I'll use another example (oh here you go you're thinking but ill promise itll relate eventually :p). There is only one way to get to the bathroom from my room and thats down a long corridor/hallway. I tend to read things and like 99% of the population, don't get up until the sun is well and truly up so it is light. I put each paragraph of my essay on that wall leading down the hallway, and my exam was 3 weeks away. I only wrote it out once to see if I could in the time limit and hey presto! I get in the exam and remember it word for word.
• -My final one ( yes, last one I promise) is not to have any notes at all but key terms and a container/hat. Negotiate with yourself how many you will pull out of a hat (one at a time and make it more than 3 ) and spend 3 or so minutes writing down everything you know that will relate to this. This is actually a really effective way to study as you don't know what will be asked next, and you will know immediately if you dont know something. I also kept a tally on how many times a card got drawn out so I knew if it was higher than the rest its time for a good shuffle but you dont have to do that

Finally rant over! Thank goodness I wasn't writing this out on paper otherwise half of NSW's koalas wouldve had to migrate . There is just a few options up there for studying so try and think of some more. Sure everyone has to study but why not make it fun? Anyway, just my input. Take it or leave it

Good stuff mate. Keep it up.

[studybuddy7777]

woaaah this is so good! I might finally try some of these out. thankyou and good luck!

Thanks it means a lot and good luck to you too! If I think of any more ill be sure to add them, but I definitely think there is more to study than looking at a book!

One more thing: Record yourself doing hilarious impersenations of voices or get an app that changes your voice into a chipmunk or something and play it over and over. Better yet, use ditty (80 character limit however) and ditty (Available on the App Store and google play i think?) and she will convert it into a song for you! Otherwise just make your own parodies/search for cheesy cringing videos on youtube you know you secretly love em, and they stay in your head

[studybuddy7777]

Good stuff mate. Keep it up.

I agree with this, 100%.
I also HIGHLY recommend explaining concepts randomly to your friends! (my friends usually appreciate these moments, because apparently I don't talk much )

Thanks all! Geez its hard keeping up with my fan mail . I agree with sweetiepi. Explain random concepts/dot points to people that do not know the topic (or even those that do), they will ask you questions and you'll be able to (hopefully) answer them. This furthers not only your understanding of the topic but increases their knowledge bank too!
Thanks for all the feedback and amazing strategies you guys are posting 👍🏼

[jamonwindeyer]

Firstly i ditto what Jamon says about getting the notes, they are superb value at just $25. However, these should not be the only notes you use. Also, notes should not just be page after page on paper- you will not remember slabs of information as well as key dot points and words (its scientifically proven ) Consider some of these ways if you just want to use paper:

-Diagrams
-Pictures
-Flow Charts
-Colour Code

However, you may be like me and simply cannot stare at a wad of paper all day and expect to learn something from it. Try these creative ideas and see if one works for you

• -challenge friends via kahoot or have some sort of competition- really fun way to learn as noone wants to come last! Jeopardy, fill in the blank, 60 seconds are all great games to play!
• -flash/palm cards (these are great for definitions or terminology)
• -mnemonics(my personal favourite- just make sure you can remember them- it could be about a teacher you dont like, a friend you make fun of or something just so absurd it sticks in your head) Consider this: I am in Year 3 learning my colours of the rainbow and a way to remember it that I've never forgotten is Ran Over Your Garbage Bin In Vegas (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Needless to say 9 years later I can still remember it with pin point accuracy
• -Don't want to study? Don't then! Just stick post it notes all around the house, on your door, your desk, your phone cover, the shower, your mirror anywhere that you can think of! Youll be surprised how much you can recall from this. I'll use another example (oh here you go you're thinking but ill promise itll relate eventually :p). There is only one way to get to the bathroom from my room and thats down a long corridor/hallway. I tend to read things and like 99% of the population, don't get up until the sun is well and truly up so it is light. I put each paragraph of my essay on that wall leading down the hallway, and my exam was 3 weeks away. I only wrote it out once to see if I could in the time limit and hey presto! I get in the exam and remember it word for word.
• -My final one ( yes, last one I promise) is not to have any notes at all but key terms and a container/hat. Negotiate with yourself how many you will pull out of a hat (one at a time and make it more than 3 ) and spend 3 or so minutes writing down everything you know that will relate to this. This is actually a really effective way to study as you don't know what will be asked next, and you will know immediately if you dont know something. I also kept a tally on how many times a card got drawn out so I knew if it was higher than the rest its time for a good shuffle but you dont have to do that

Finally rant over! Thank goodness I wasn't writing this out on paper otherwise half of NSW's koalas wouldve had to migrate . There is just a few options up there for studying so try and think of some more. Sure everyone has to study but why not make it fun? Anyway, just my input. Take it or leave it

I love some of these ideas!! Can definitely vouch for the sticky notes/posters everywhere. I had math formulas on the back of the bathroom door throughout September and October of 2014  it is an amazing way to remember stuff without realising you are remembering stuff 

[RuiAce]

I love some of these ideas!! Can definitely vouch for the sticky notes/posters everywhere. I had math formulas on the back of the bathroom door throughout September and October of 2014  it is an amazing way to remember stuff without realising you are remembering stuff 

Suddenly I remember back in 2014 when my wall was full of MX1.

[jamonwindeyer]

Suddenly I remember back in 2014 when my wall was full of MX1.

Try waking up to the binomial theorem taped to the top of your mirror, it was fun times 

[studybuddy7777]

Try waking up to the binomial theorem taped to the top of your mirror, it was fun times 

Try waking up to see Mod A- Looking For Richard and Richard III staring you in the face as soon as you opened your eyes. I promise you it was not fun being constantly reminded that I had a Shakespeare essay due in a few weeks 

[elysepopplewell]

Try waking up to see Mod A- Looking For Richard and Richard III staring you in the face as soon as you opened your eyes. I promise you it was not fun being constantly reminded that I had a Shakespeare essay due in a few weeks 

My best friend stuck things to her bedroom ceiling! She'd wake up staring at them, and fall to sleep dreaming about them. #intense

[Swagadaktal]

Do you guys recommend posting stuff up on the wall?

I leave my wall blank so when I look at it it reminds me of the empty void created by year 12 and the emptiness that follows doesn't interrupt my chain of thought if I'm thinking and happen to look up at the wall

[jamonwindeyer]

Do you guys recommend posting stuff up on the wall?

I leave my wall blank so when I look at it it reminds me of the empty void created by year 12 and the emptiness that follows doesn't interrupt my chain of thought if I'm thinking and happen to look up at the wall

I like the wall approach!! Away from where you do your study and homework, in places where it will just sink in subconsciously while you are say, brushing your teeth, or eating dinner. Definitely keep it away from places where it might interrupt your regular workflow 

[MightyBeh]

Do you guys recommend posting stuff up on the wall?

I leave my wall blank so when I look at it it reminds me of the empty void created by year 12 and the emptiness that follows doesn't interrupt my chain of thought if I'm thinking and happen to look up at the wall

I don't generally use the wall approach much, but it's probably a matter of taste. I put some reference materials up on the wall beside my desk, but never full-text because I find it's really cluttered and tbh I can't read it anywhere else unless I wear my glasses anyway so it just becomes more of a hinder than a help. I have a few picture-y things around (maps, diagrams, mind-maps/brainstorms, etc.) but for how I use them it's just as efficient to just use a notebook.

[studybuddy7777]

My best friend stuck things to her bedroom ceiling! She'd wake up staring at them, and fall to sleep dreaming about them. #intense

#intense indeed! I never have known someone so devoteddesperate to getting great marks!! That would drive me crazy and I would not be able to sleep at night with my study notes and essays to remember always above me when I sleep and wake! But would be a good thing to do if you can

[Hopelesshopefull]

Do you guys recommend posting stuff up on the wall?

I leave my wall blank so when I look at it it reminds me of the empty void created by year 12 and the emptiness that follows doesn't interrupt my chain of thought if I'm thinking and happen to look up at the wall

I only do it for things that I know I will need for like ever and things that I constantly forget. For e.g. , I always forget what nano and mega and giga stand for so I stuck it on my laptop. Now I know that nano= 10^-9 , M= 10^6 and G= 10^9
( i hope I actually got those correct... )

[HopefulLawStudent]

Do you guys recommend posting stuff up on the wall?

I leave my wall blank so when I look at it it reminds me of the empty void created by year 12 and the emptiness that follows doesn't interrupt my chain of thought if I'm thinking and happen to look up at the wall

Why restrict yourself to the walls in your study?

I stuck a bunch of Medea quotes all around the house when I did it at the start of this year and I'm still finding quotes in random places when I least expect it. I'd say that it's a nice surprise but I hated Medea so much I can't even. In addition to that, got Legal notes scattered everywhere and bits and pieces from my other subjects that I've stuck onto the walls of my study, bedroom, living room, dining room and my brothers' and parents' bedroom doors. I've even got some random idea I wanted to use for some Literature essay scribbled in lipstick on my bathroom mirror...

There's a system to my madness tho, I promise.

At this stage, I think the only place that hasn't been covered at some point with notes is the ceiling and that's cuz our ceilings are too high and I'm too short...