10 Ways to Make Best Notes for Exam Revision

Sometimes students will read the entire page without comprehending a single word. Making notes forces students to interpret everything they read into their own words to grasp better what they are reading. Study notes help students keep track of all they’ve learnt. It serves as a handy reference to consult when studying for exams. Writing notes while studying saves students’ energy and time during the exam, but it also allows them to recall information more quickly. 

The importance of revision notes cannot be overstated. They distil a year’s worth of research into compact, information-packed revision aids that can be used for a quick review, although poor study notes, on the other hand, waste time and make studying more difficult. Writing down precise, organised, and concise notes can be tough. Making notes is a difficult task for many students. With correct study notes, studying and passing exams becomes much simpler and with high results. 

You can use various note-taking techniques and tactics to keep your notes as organised and efficient as possible to refer to during last-minute revisions. Here are 10 Tips for Writing the Best Exam Notes:

Use a Variety of Effective Approaches

According to the reader’s ease of writing and comprehending, different approaches to the representation of notes are important. The reader should be able to skim over the notes quickly and efficiently.

Here are some approaches normally used:

• The Outline Approach: This approach is generally used to acquire fresh and unfamiliar information, but many people find it beneficial for other purposes. It’s common to organise notes linearly, with headers and bullet points running straight down the page. The notes are concise, with only the most significant elements set down, eliminating instances and exceptions that aren’t as crucial.

• The Chart Approach: This approach is usually used when the reader has been acquainted with the topic beforehand. This approach organises the points of the topic into various groups and divisions. Rather than using an outline, this approach utilises dividing the page into columns and lists the key points in each column, with sub-points beneath.
• The Mapping Approach: More perceptive People may benefit from this approach. This approach, as the name implies, involves mapping the topics. It begins with one centre, which is the primary topic, and then has significant points stretching out with smaller sub-points beneath.

Learn what to include in your notes

Notes are intended to provide a rapid summary; thus, only the most important information should be included when writing them. Unless necessary, irrelevant topics, unnecessary examples, or exceptions should be avoided. Adding unneeded knowledge wastes time and causes confusion and frustration, which are the last things a person needs before an exam. 

Don’t attempt to jot down everything. Inundated with information will not bring anything. It’s preferable to be active and has a proper approach to follow, including only the key phrases and points that a person is struggling to remember

Repetition and Consistency

It’s crucial to keep the topics consistent and repeat them throughout the notes. As notes are created for constantly reviewing and recalling the study material before exams, constant repetition will aid in memorising the topic. The constant mention of the topic will aid in grasping and mapping the topic across the subpoints.

Notes should be written yourself

It is critical to take notes and write them down yourself. If a student copies the material at hand, the objective of taking notes is defeated. Since notes should be intelligible and easy to read, they should be written in your own words. This also aids in the comprehensive recall of the topic. Copying the study material without writing it in your own words will not satisfy the student’s objectives and doubts.

Write Concisely

Learning through writing has several advantages, including improving cognitive and critical thinking abilities and increasing attention span. The simplest method to keep your notes brief is writing them in bullet points, using simple language and short sentences to help you quickly connect to the subject. The idea is that you should be able to recall what you were taught when you refer to them later. The essential elements can be highlighted. 

This will save you time while writing the notes and when revising them. Try to trim the study material into as many shortcuts as you can. Add only the relevant information and do it so that you cover all of the necessary details in the fewest possible words.

It can be difficult to take notes during some lectures because the speaker speaks quickly, making it tough to write down all crucial topics. Writing just one word followed by remarks later on can assist here. You can quickly comprehend the topic and the notes by reading one relevant word about it while revising these study notes again.

Diagrams or Illustrations

Visualising information speeds up the process and saves you time when you need to revise quickly. Charts, tables, figures, and other visual aids can help you gather information quickly. Visuals are more likely to linger in your mind, and the process of making them nearly guarantees it. You will enjoy this approach to learning, but you will also have a better understanding of the topic because images are easier to remember than words and far more enjoyable than writing.

Using Multiple Sources

Take notes from a variety of sources. Different sources have different perspectives on the subject. You can add references from other books by jotting down the sourcebook or page numbers when the teacher is referring to them. Then you’ll know where to search for it later when you’re looking over your notes and come across a topic that requires clarification. You can also write down formulae or theories. This will save you the time you would normally spend scrolling through the books looking for a certain formula or study that your teacher mentioned in class.

Detailing and Organising

Although accuracy isn’t crucial while taking notes, that doesn’t imply your notes should be illegible. Since notes are intended to be viewed quickly and effectively, they must be organised. Separating your notes or properly stacking them can save you time. 

Choose the method that best fits you

After all, everyone has their preferences, and what works for one person may not work for another. There is no one-size-fits-all method for taking notes since everyone learns differently. There is no need for students to limit themselves because there is more than one technique to take notes. If it helps you recall or comprehend the content better, it’s ok to include silly doodles, mnemonics, or an odd statement. Though cramming does not benefit many students, it does aid some. Finally, the learner must determine what best suits them.

Digital Note Making

One of the major benefits of taking notes digitally is that a student can easily access them from anywhere. Apart from being convenient, digital note-taking allows displaying information in a more structured manner by using various fonts, sizes, colours and other formatting options. They are not only simple to use but are also highly convenient, and there are several effective online and offline programmes for taking notes on our digital devices these days.

Note-taking should be studying 101 as it is what majorly engages a student with studies. It aids in keeping track of what a student has learned so far. Actively interacting with the contents by listening and summarising with notes aids in long-term memory retention. Making notes intends to assist students in focusing on the most significant aspects of whatever they are studying. It assists in comprehending and memorising stuff and relating to it all. It gives the fundamental framework and a personal record of everything a student has learned thus far.

Notes are also useful before an exam since they quickly summarise the study material.

FAQs