Syllabus Notes - Format (2 Viewers)

[jdcb4]

I've done most of my syllabus summaries for Legal, SoR, and Modern. I was just wondering If anyone has a particular format or trick that they find particularly useful.
My notes started of really basic but I kept thinking of different stuff to put in, for example:
Text box around syllabus point
Numbers next to syllabus points
Referenbces to pages in my text books
In Modern I introduced a quote box with relevant quotes with author, date, quote etc.
Then other things like having a page of definitions at start or end of summaries.

I was just wondering if anyone else had some formating tricks that help them with their notes, Some of the stuff I've done I've found really useful, 'cause it would be great if I could incorporate all of anyone elses ideas

My, now slightly dated, notes should be here:
http://community.boredofstudies.org/671/general-discussion-2007-hsc/131952/summer-progress/9.html#post2719403
(Hope that link works)

If anyone's got any suggestions thatm would be really helpful. Thx

 

[-pari-]

well i handwrite my notes i find it sinks in much better [for me]
and yeah i divide it up by syllabus dot points...

there's no strict guidlines as to what works better. if it works for you then thats great...

though i would suggest try not to have "references to textbook pages"
whatever you need - from ur textbook, internet etc - include it all in your notes. during exam time it'll be easier to study just from the one source

 

[yoakim]

I've done most of my syllabus summaries for Legal, SoR, and Modern. I was just wondering If anyone has a particular format or trick that they find particularly useful.
My notes started of really basic but I kept thinking of different stuff to put in, for example:
Text box around syllabus point
Numbers next to syllabus points
Referenbces to pages in my text books
In Modern I introduced a quote box with relevant quotes with author, date, quote etc.
Then other things like having a page of definitions at start or end of summaries.

I was just wondering if anyone else had some formating tricks that help them with their notes, Some of the stuff I've done I've found really useful, 'cause it would be great if I could incorporate all of anyone elses ideas

My, now slightly dated, notes should be here:
http://community.boredofstudies.org/671/general-discussion-2007-hsc/131952/summer-progress/9.html#post2719403
(Hope that link works)

If anyone's got any suggestions thatm would be really helpful. Thx

Yeah I've got a few "study note tricks" .
- I always have big RED headings for things, and I double underline it.
- I use different colour pens: Blue, Red, Black, and Green
Blue = normal study notes, Red = key terms, Black = key Statements/quotes, Green = Most important Points that can't be forgotten.
- Once I've created my study notes in dot point, I read over it and circle the dot point "circle" red, which shows that it's a really important note.
- I always use arrows to show where things go, eg: "*Up arrow* increased temperature", or "Sugar source --> sugar sink" etc.
- one sentence per dot point

They're just a few that I can think of at the moment

 

[2opinion8d]

though i would suggest try not to have "references to textbook pages"
whatever you need - from ur textbook, internet etc - include it all in your notes. during exam time it'll be easier to study just from the one source

totally agree! Save time by incorporating everything in ur notes... like pari said its much easier.

 

[IceOnFire]

I think I am the only one here who actually types my study notes up.

 

[2opinion8d]

I think I am the only one here who actually types my study notes up.

ur not alone i type mine too! I was agreeing to pari's suggestion of incorporating everything into ur notes becuz i hate page references and like studying everything from 1 source.

I used to handwrite my notes all the way to the end of prelim. I admit the theory really does sink into your head that way. However, handwriting notes are risky if say ur a forgetful person (in the sense of leaving ur possessions all over the place) I lost my HSC module 1 chem notes!!! I searched the entire house and went back to the skool in december and searched everwhere there as well. I finally found them in the secretary's office but hey i was lucky. I've been typing my notes ever since and i find it MUCH faster and convienient. I can always go back to add and modify them without making a mess as in handwritten notes. I scan stuff in as well, saves me from drawing complicated diagrams. The final product is neat and motivating. The only negative thing about typing notes is that at times i find my mind starts wondering and i'm not 100% as focused as i would be if handwriting them. Anyway in you study and memorise them in the end so it doesnt make a major difference.

anyway enough about me here are some tips
1 - If typing ur notes make sure u save them to the hard drive as well a removable storage device. Always hit the save key!
2 - Having the syllabus dot points physically in ur notes is good as u get used to seeing them and will be more likely to recognise them in the disguise of a question..
3 - I like to scan in diagrams... a picture is worth a thousand words... they stick in my mind.
4 - When you have to support certain things with examples choose examples that you find interesting easy to remember.... you don't always have to do the one the teacher taught in class.
5 - underlining, circling, textboxes : experiment and see what u like and what helps u remember : my syllabus dot points are in a separate font from my actual notes... i use underlining for main titles and italics for sub titles. All my notes are bulleted.
6- make sure your familiar with exam vocab: describe, justify, define, evaluate etc. Tailor ur notes around the key words in the dot points.

thats all i can think of rite now... i'm typing this in a bit of a hurry

hope i could help and good luck i'm sure u'll do fine!

 

[SoulSearcher]

I think I am the only one here who actually types my study notes up.

You're not alone

 

[yoakim]

Hah, I never type my notes up - doesn't get into my head.

 

[~shinigami~]

I like hand writing my notes mainly because I really like underlining stuff with my red gel pen.

 

[jdcb4]

I type mine! (Can barely read my writing so kinda necesary)
I see where you're coming from saying include everything in your notes but I don't really agree. My notes are pretty detailed but if they were going to have everything it would just get ridiculous, Modern for example i used 3 text books, someone elses notes and some stuff off the net, my notes are detailed enough to study off but its so that if in 6 months time I read through them and if I think "What exactly led to Verdun?" I can quickly check the textbook, often for opinions rather than events.
Might incorpoate colours for different things.
Thx for all suggestions! (P.S. don't stop)

Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, English Adv., 4U Maths and Physics

Shit, look, the subjects I should have done!

 

[~shinigami~]

Shit, look, the subjects I should have done!

What do you mean the subject you "should" have done?

You really like science and maths?

 

[pritnep]

Writing notes at least for me was the best way to get it to sink in and since the notes were for me only I could basically write whatever I liked and however I could remember things.

As for the OP question there is no set way. Just make it look neat presentable and make sure that you have covered everything you need too.

 

[kloudsurfer]

I think I am the only one here who actually types my study notes up.

Nope, I do to.

Not only is my writing is illegible, but I practically live on my laptop anyway so it is a lot easier.

Anyway, it works for me, I think I actually rememeber stuff better when I type it.

Whatever works for you.

Anyway, the main things I use are colour font (but nothing too crazy, ie arial and arial black) and bold/italics.

And i have recently started using dot points within syllabus points rather than just having a big slab of writing for each syllabus point.

And I my modern history notes are basically made of tables. It seems so much easier, because there are always lots of 'factors' and their 'effects'.

So yeah, thats my study notes. Just look at some of the study notes in the resources section, that where I stole most of my formatting ideas.

 

[chocolate_lover]

I'm writing mine, because it'll give me practise writing fast and NEATLY.

I'm not sure about it sinking in better though... I'm not sure whether I'm remembering what I've written or not, but time will tell.

 

[shinji]

eh,

writing > typing.

typing may be faster, but in teh longterm, u'll be too distracted by other stuff on teh comp such as msn and stuff. not to mention you'll most likely grow tired of it and not finish it (happened to me with business notes. was soooo borin)

in teh end, i didn't use any notes. lol.
i wrote up a few, but the rest i just looked over in teh textbooks and work i did from class.


notE: writing notes for maths is useless =p
only write down the formulaes that u probably won't remember/won't remember how to use after a while

 

[syera]

I type mine up too...
just wondering though... do people find it more effective to type their syllabus notes up using one source (for e.g. modern history excel study guide)? or is it more effective to incorporate ALL the sheets, notes etc we get?

I've been using my study guides to type up all my study notes - i find it's efficient, as the headings are already there. I make the notes shorter (as the study guides are quite detailed) and make sure everything there makes sense to me, so its not a bunch of random notes picked from each chapter. For the extra sheets etc i have, i make sure i read each one as part of "extra reading" and in the end it all works out fine. Just wondering what u guys think though =)

 

[SoulSearcher]

typing may be faster, but in teh longterm, u'll be too distracted by other stuff on teh comp such as msn and stuff. not to mention you'll most likely grow tired of it and not finish it (happened to me with business notes. was soooo borin)

I'm able to work around distractions quite effectively, so that really doesn't worry me.

 

[o.bi.sess]

I type mine up too...
just wondering though... do people find it more effective to type their syllabus notes up using one source (for e.g. modern history excel study guide)? or is it more effective to incorporate ALL the sheets, notes etc we get?

Personally, I incorporate EVERYTHING I have into notes, so my notes end being... *stretches arms really, really wide*

But, when test times come, I only study from one source because I hate studying from textbooks at the same time as I am from notes. The good thing is I know that I have everything I could possibly need.

And I type my notes up too! I tried the writing thing, but it took too long and I often found things I have to go back to add into a previous section and I couldn't do that with written notes.

To the OP:

I have a very categorical organisation to my notes. Everything is under syllabus headings and then under a subheading of the syllabus dot point. It helps me focus on what I need to write and the question I need to answer.

I also space my notes out a lot because a whole page of writing is often hard to concentrate on and get through without my mind wondering. So everything is broken up into sections and headings and stuff.

I suppose the most important thing with notes is to make sure they're to the point and readable. Different things work for different people, so when you find your thing, stick with it.

 

[jdcb4]

What do you mean the subject you "should" have done?

You really like science and maths?

Should have done as in:
Did chemat start of preliminary, was goinw well but got bored so dropped it... 5 weeks before end of preilm and picked up physics. Afeter 5 weeks of physics came 6th out of 30 in physics. After not doing chem for 5 weeks randomly turned up to the exam and got 2nd in it by 1 mark.
So decided not to do physics 'cause I was good at it but felt there would be too much to catch up on and didn' do chem 'cause I'd already dropped it and although i could have done well in it I found it dead boring.
So I do 4U maths and the rest humanities. Makes very little sense.
Realised in the last week of term 4 that I really should have kept sciences.
So I don't 'really like' maths and science (although I did enjoy physics) but I was good at them. And they're more gauanteed marks, put in the work get the marks, rather than subjective humanities.
Alas

 

[~shinigami~]

Should have done as in:
Did chemat start of preliminary, was goinw well but got bored so dropped it... 5 weeks before end of preilm and picked up physics. Afeter 5 weeks of physics came 6th out of 30 in physics. After not doing chem for 5 weeks randomly turned up to the exam and got 2nd in it by 1 mark.
So decided not to do physics 'cause I was good at it but felt there would be too much to catch up on and didn' do chem 'cause I'd already dropped it and although i could have done well in it I found it dead boring.
So I do 4U maths and the rest humanities. Makes very little sense.
Realised in the last week of term 4 that I really should have kept sciences.
So I don't 'really like' maths and science (although I did enjoy physics) but I was good at them. And they're more gauanteed marks, put in the work get the marks, rather than subjective humanities.
Alas

BUt if you like humanities then it's good, right?