While it's important to take good notes, there isn't much sense in doing so
if you don't then use them. One way to make your notes work for you is to review
them on a regular basis.
Reviewing your notes is important for several reasons:
- It helps reinforce what it is that your have learnt through your reading
or during lectures and practicals.
- It enables you to relate your notes to other readings you have done.
- It encourages you to think about how your new knowledge can be linked to
your own experience.
- It highlights if there remain any gaps in your understanding which you can
then work on filling.
- It helps prepare you for the next study module, lecture or practical.
- If helps with exam preparation. If you leave reading over your notes until
just before the exams it is very likely that you would have forgotten much
of what they were about (see Exam preparation).
DO:
- Include reviewing your notes into your
weekly timetable (see Time management).
- Do so either within 48 hours of a lecture
or at the completion of each section within a study module. To assist
you integrate the material contained within a study module it's also
useful to review all of your notes related to that module once you have
completed it.
- Spend time filling in any gaps in your
knowledge, either by further reading (making sure to include any new
information into your notes) or discussing problem areas with fellow
students or your lecturer.
Don't:
- Spend an inordinate amount of time copying
your notes out neatly or doubling up by putting them onto the computer.
This serves only to waste valuable time.
Remember:
The most important criteria by which you can judge your note
taking system is that it is readable and useful.
Useful links in this kit
Exam preparation
Time management
Avoiding plagiarism
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