#effective notes

Prepare before the class

Turn up to your class early (if you can), set out your materials and read through your notes from your previous class so that you are ready for the next lesson and it is easier for you to recall information that you learnt previously.

Write in two columns

This is just a personal preference but I think that this is a really good tip for visual learners. It instantly makes your notes look neater and more organised. Your notes will look structured and be easy to review when you are studying later on.

Colour code

I normally pick one or two colours for my notes. I write the title in the main colour and then I write key terms and important info in coloured pen. This makes it really easy to find the key info when you are preparing for a class or when you are studying. I find that this makes the notes look more interesting and it breaks the notes up as they won’t look so plain.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations are so helpful! Abbreviations are good if you are trying to quickly take notes. I normally use abbreviations in my notes and then I will write down what they all stand for on a post-it note and stick it somewhere on my notes.

Organisation

Organisation is really important. I keep all of my diagrams, graphs and key words to one side of the page so that they are easy to find when I am trying to study. I find that this makes the notes look much neater and they also have a better structure this way.