Students are exposed to an abundance of knowledge in the classroom. It is humanly impossible to retain every information directed at them at least until the exam. Then how do they retain every classroom learning? By making notes! There’s a reason why teachers encourage students to make notes of the learning imparted to them.
Note-making is a skill in itself. If done the right way, notes can play a key role in ensuring that students retain every piece of knowledge from the classroom. However, note-making is not merely jotting down everything the teacher speaks in the classroom. It entails recording things that are important in a very concise manner. Here are 5 such amazing tips that shall help students make beneficial study notes.
Use Mind Maps
A mind map is an exceptional way of noting down information for specific subjects. Subjects like history and chemistry that have well-connected topics or complex ideas are perfectly suited for this method.
For instance, if the teacher is explaining the reasons for the fall of the Roman empire, then start with the concept in the center. Now, draw nodes around the center, concisely highlighting the reasons for the fall of the empire. That’s precisely how a mindmap starts at the center and the moves out with branches on all sides.
How About the Cornell Method?
The Cornell method is a technique that helps organize the class notes into easily understandable summaries. This method is largely effective because the key points, details, study cues and summary is written all in one place.
Such notes can be divided into three sections – notes, cues, and summary. The notes section should be filled during the class. The cues section should be filled after the classroom and should include the main ideas, prompts, and questions. The summary section should highlight the key points and the crux of the entire topic.
Visualize it Through Mapping
The mapping method is a visual way to organize class notes. This technique is useful when establishing relationships between two or more topics. When in the classroom, students should begin the map with the main topic. They can then branch off from the main topic through subtopics. All important details or facts can be included beneath the respective subtopics.
The mapping method is useful for visual learners who struggle with studying from notes. It also helps the students in remembering and establishing relationships between topics without any hassle.
Incorporate the Outlining Method
The outlining note method makes use of headings and bullets to organize topics in a better manner. This method is specifically effective when the topic has too much detail. During a lesson, students should begin their notes with the name of the title followed by the first topic that’s up for discussion.
They should then note down the important facts in bullet format under the subtopic. This method ensures that the notes are neatly organized and readable.
Chart it Through Charting Method
The charting method of note-making makes use of columns to organize the information presented in the classroom. This method is particularly useful for lessons that have ample facts or relationships between topics.
In simpler terms, the page is divided into 2 or 3 columns. Every column caters to one subtopic each and includes all relevant information. This ensures that facts are organized easily, while also highlighting key information from each subtopic.
Making organized and thoughtful notes can help in ensuring that students do not miss out on crucial information. It further ensures that they have a source of reference during quick revision right before the exams. To sum it up, effective notes can go a long way in benefiting the students to retain the knowledge for an extended period of time.
