The dos and don'ts of brilliant note making: everything you need to know.
Terrible note-making is obvious to anyone who sees it, and I’ve seen some terrible notes in my time! The worst type of notes are the non-existent ones, and the second worst type of notes are the partial and fragmented ones that are covered in (often questionable) doodles.
But, I’ve seen some excellent notes too. Notes that are detailed, specific and clear. Notes that give a comprehensive overview of the entire course. Brilliant notes made by brilliant students! Brilliant notes are well worth having - the very act of making them helps you to memorise the material, and they are a fantastic resource when it comes to consolidation and revision. Teachers can make good use of them too - I invariably I attempt to nab the best examples when said students have finished their courses. Most of the time they hand them over so I can refer back to them during my lessons, and dot them around my classroom on open evenings in an attempt to entice people to pick my subject.
So, how can you ensure that your notes are up to scratch? Here are my top six dos and don’ts:
Do… have a note-making plan
Before you make any notes it’s a good idea to have some sort of idea about what you want to achieve from your note-making session. Are you learning the information for the first time? Are you consolidating your learning from last year or last term? Or, are you making revision notes? The answers to these questions will help you to decide what type of notes to make. I think it’s always a good idea to include key words, as well as a way to link the concepts together, so think outside the box. Maybe you want to make a mind map. Or perhaps its better to make your notes in a table with different headings. For some ideas on how to lay out your notes check out this website: https://www.oxfordlearning.com/5-effective-note-taking-methods/
Do… concentrate on what’s key
A good teacher will tell you what the lesson is about and which part of the specification the lesson relates to at the beginning of the lesson. If yours doesn’t do this make sure you ask them. Once you know what the lesson is about and what you are meant to be gaining from it you can concentrate on these things. Make sure to include any subject specific vocabulary, as well as including all the key details such facts and statistics. It’s also a good idea to underline or highlight the information you don’t feel secure in so you can return to it when you are consolidating your learning. Also, don’t feel you need to write down what your teacher or the text you are using says word for word. It’s actually far more effective to put things into your own words as it helps you to process and memorise the information. By the end of the lesson you should be able to look back over your notes and see an excellent summary of the topic. If you are not sure you have done this don’t be afraid to ask your teacher for feedback.
Do… use them
There’s no point in making brilliant notes if the only thing you are going to do with them is file them away and forget about them. Brilliant notes are there to be used. In my teaching I strive to deliver content that goes far beyond the specification. As a subject specialist I point out the nuances and the most important points to my students. I’m sure pretty much every teacher I know does the same. And yet, every year, one or two students per class will tell me that the only thing they are using for revision is the (very brief) textbook that the exam board has issued. It would be fair to say I find this a little bit annoying! If you’re going to bother to make brilliant notes, make sure you put them to good use. Use them to consolidate your learning. Refer back to them often. Revise from them. Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your time!
Don’t… be brief
Students who make brief notes are the bane of my life! I never ask students to make unnecessary notes and you can bet that if your teacher is asking you to make notes it’s because the information is important and you are likely to be examined on it. I like to check up on my students, so I often find myself wandering around the classroom only to be confronted by notes that contain the barest bones of the lesson content.
‘In which general election did the Conservatives win 36.9% of the vote share?’ I find myself asking.
My student will stare down at his notes for what seems like an age. ‘Er…’.
‘Do you think your notes contain everything you need to learn?’ I ask.
‘Er…,’ says the student sheepishly. ‘No.’
(The answer - by the way - is 2015).
Is this you? If so, stop scrimping on your note-taking. Add names, dates, facts, specifics. Try to make your notes so full of information that a stranger could read them and get a comprehensive overview of the topic. You wont regret this when it the time to revise rolls around!
Don’t… be disorganised
Notes should be dated, titled and filed. And yet, for many, this seems to be a controversial suggestion! You’re going to need a folder or two - your bag isn’t a great storage solution! Also try not to use the same exercise book for your History work and your Maths work and your art work and so on as this will be no good to you when it comes to revision. And lastly, please, please don’t lose your A-Level notes the week before you are meant to go on study leave. Back your files up. Remember not to leave your folder on the bus / at your mates house / in the cafe etc.
You need to have a way of keeping your notes organised. Preferably all the notes for one subject or topic will be in the same folder or exercise book. They’ll be in order, too, and it’ll be immediately obvious what the notes are about. I also think it’s a good idea to keep all of your marked work in one place - perhaps at the front of your folder. This way you can refer back to your feedback every time you sit down to complete a new assessment.
The point of being organised is to save you time when exam season rolls around. You won’t want to be wasting your precious time on finding and organising notes when you have revision to do!
Don’t… obsess about how they look
If you think your teacher wants your notes to resemble the work of a calligrapher or a graphic designer then you are wrong. Very, very wrong. I’m always wary of the student who lays out an array of different coloured highlighters and gel pens on their desk as they often spend the lesson obsessing about how to make their work look good instead of thinking about and understanding the information presented. Brilliant note-making is not about having perfect looking notes; it’s about gathering the information you need to understand in order to achieve success. Don’t choose style over substance - it won’t serve you well in the end!
Wishing you all very happy and very brilliant note-making!