Studying always feels like a chore. Time is low and pressure is high! Like most things, it helps to break the work down and simplify it. This page on how to write study notes will highlight some useful techniques and awesome links to help you balance the constant juggle of study life.
Making effective study notes is a great time saver, and as they say: time is money, so listen up for a sec and lets break this 'how to write study notes' thing down a bit. The process is logical and straight forward so don't be daunted.
How to write study notes in 6 easy steps
Step 1
Read the table of contents. This may seem obvious but it helps to have a good understanding of what is to come. (Creating a mind map here would be a useful way to visualize the different sections and the relationships between them)
Step 2
Read quickly through the chapter you're working on and write down questions about information you don't understand as well as key concepts and terms. Try to be thorough with your questions.
Step 3
Re-read the chapter with focus on the sections that you don't understand.
Step 4
Now go back and answer your questions, using your own words, in a clear and logical way.
Step 5
Once you have answered all the sections that you battled to understand, try reciting them to a friend, partner, cat, or dog. Teaching someone else is a great way to reinforce your own learning and understanding.
Step 6
Review the work you have done. Expand on explanations and make small notes to link sections and thoughts.
Now you have effectively gone through three forms of information reinforcement. This process will greatly increase your memory retention and give you some quality, summarized, study notes for exam time.
There are tons of methods for 'how to write study notes', most of which can be used in conjunction with one another. For variations on how to write study notes try checking out our Unisa study notes page!
Now that you've made some awesome study notes, how do you get the most out of your hard work?
Since study takes time, and time is money, Stuvia just might change your life. This online platform allows you to sell your study notes for cold hard cash, killing more than a couple birds with one stone. Check out the sell study notes page for all the info you need to know! The costs of studying are simply too high to ignore any possibility for earning extra cash!
Mind maps
Mind maps are an awesome tool to use when creating study notes. Try making small mind maps at the end of each section of your notes. Check out this short video below for simple, effective mind map making.
A great way to practice good study habits and learn different techniques for learning is to join a study group. A study group can give you well needed structure as well as support through the ups and downs of student life. Check out the Together We Pass online study groups and shed some stress. We are all in this together!
And remember, now that we have taught you how to write study notes, make sure you put them on Stuvia so that you can make some bucks - and what could be better than to earn money for studying?!