How taking better revision notes can boost your marks in exams?

Taking notes is an imperative practice in a student life. Notes that are written properly can go a long way.

In fact, all you need to refer to are those revision notes and nothing else. But taking notes is also nothing less than art. You must understand what to include and what to let go of, and it is only possible after you go through your textbooks, listen to the lectures, and glance at the NCERT solutions. Then, you will have an idea of what’s important and what’s not. Also, writing notes is a great way of remembering things as writing helps a topic reside in your mind for longer.

How To Take Better Notes

Be Organized

When it comes to writing notes, it is necessary that you are organized. You cannot simply scribble here and there. Have a separate notebook for each subject and write neatly. When it comes to Maths and Science, have extra books for formulas, theorems, and diagrams. This makes it easier for you to refer to them just before your exam.

Number Your Pages

Now, your notebook should be easy to navigate. Therefore, have an index column and number your pages so you don’t waste time trying to find the chapters of your choice.

Handwriting

Whatever you write, it is important that you later understand. That’s the whole purpose of it. Hence, your handwriting must be legible. Now, no one is asking you to write as you would for a handwriting competition, just enough to understand, which follows neatness. If you think your handwriting isn’t too good, you can always take a printout of your notes and keep it in a file.

Add Details Wherever Necessary

Your notes should be simple to read. It means, write in short and crisp sentences. Avoid adding too many unnecessary details, but only keep the ones that are required. Let’s say, you are writing down a theorem, you cannot opt for shortcuts here. You need to write down all the minute details too.

Add Abbreviations Wherever Possible

Instead of writing long sentences, try to fit in abbreviations wherever possible. For instance, even try to save time by abbreviating words like without with w/o, example with ex, and between with btw. You can also use symbols to content the sentences. For instance, Chandragupta Maurya – Born – after 350 BC.

Pay Attention To The Lectures

The main aim of your notes is to compile everything and put it in one place. And, lectures from your teachers hold a lot of important information. Therefore, pay attention to whatever is being said in class. Now, it gets difficult to make clean notes during a lecture. So, have a separate notebook for notes taking in the class. One notebook is sufficient for all the subjects because you will have to go home and rewrite it in your other book.

Now that you have understood how to take better revision notes, it’s time to move on to other strategies that can help you score high marks in the exam.

Strategies To Boost Your Marks In Exams

Learn To Pay Attention In Class

Just listening to what your teacher is talking about doesn’t mean you are paying attention in class. There are ways to help you pay better attention, which means, you will grasp more and make better notes.

Motivate yourself to pay attention by bribing yourself with treats. Let’s say, your canteen has some good food that you love. You can eat something nice if you pay proper attention.
Create a positive mindset and sit in the first row.
Write legibly even in classwork and homework books.

Don’t Memorize The Information

One of the grave mistakes a student can make is to memorize their portions. When you memorize, the chances of you forgetting them also go up. But when you understand it, you will remember it even after you are done with your schooling.

Sleep And Rest

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You must have probably heard of this proverb. So, don’t only keep your studies. Partake in other extracurricular activities too. They not only stimulate your brain but also provide a much-needed break. If you are someone who is good at sports, don’t let it go for the sake of your studies. In fact, put the effort into the choice of your activity too. Also, remember to sleep and eat well. It is incredibly important.

Keep Things Organized

Next is to keep all your stuff organized because you don’t want to keep searching for things before you get started with your studies. So, have an allotted area for your studies.

Keep A Check On Your Weak Areas

As you progress with your studies, make sure you keep an eye on your weaker areas. Why? So that you can keep practising them and strengthen each topic. This is one of the important things you must do to ensure you score high marks. All topics are important from an exam point of view. Just make sure you concentrate more on topics in which you are weak.

Don’t Copy Learning Style

Everyone has a different style of learning. While some can learn well in the morning, others prefer the evening. Each of us has our own unique way of learning. For instance, some students can just go through the chapter once and they become well-versed with the same while some need to write things down to remember. Therefore, understand what truly works for you and only then proceed. Just because a method works for your friend, doesn’t mean it will work for you too!

These are a few things you must keep in mind to ensure you score well in your examinations. All the best!