Here I was just digging around how to make my study more effective.

The main think is that I need a new way of organizing my life and study process so I loose less time, remember more and can do better.

I am writing this post just to recome after and read again what i found

Cornell Notes

Cornell Notes is a system of making and using notes that promotes active learning. Before the lecture (or reading) you set up your notebook pages with a vertical line dividing the page roughly 1/4 (left) and 3/4 (right). The wider right side is used to make notes, draw graphs and record the important information from the lecture or reading. It is a good idea to leave a line or two between each major note or piece of information. The left column is used to write questions and keywords that relate to the information recorded on the right. Each major point on the right ought to have a question or keyword on the left.

If you use your laptop to make notes, check out this Word template for Cornell Notes.

Depending on the speed of the professor and the amount of information that needs recording in the right column, you may or may not have time to write the questions and keywords in the left column. If you do, that’s great. If you don’t, then you should fill in the left column as soon as possible, and for sure before the end of the day. The questions and keywords serve an important function. You will be using these to remember the key points in the right column during several practice sessions.

Most Important Part
Once you have the questions and keywords in the left column, you are ready to do a practice session. Use a blank sheet of paper to cover the right column. Now, without peeking, look at the questions and keywords on the left and try to remember the information on the right. Say the answers to yourself, or write them down on the blank sheet. Don’t just say to yourself, “Yeah, I know that…” You want to be able to repeat or paraphrase the information on the right with good accuracy. If it is information that needs to be “exactly right” (e.g., a formula), then that is what you want. However, if it is information that is more general, then an accurate paraphrase is usually better. Your first practice session should be as soon as possible, ideally right after class if you have a spare period, or in your first break. If you wait too long, you will find that you can’t remember much of the information in the right column. If that’s the case, then you waited too long. As you practice, Keep Score. If you remembered the information accurately and without peeking, then give yourself a tick (check mark) under the question or keyword on the left. If you had to peek or didn’t remember the information very well, give yourself an “X.”

Learning the information requires a bit of practice. Soon you will discover the best way to distribute your practice, but here is a schedule that you might try as a starting point:

1. As soon as possible, do your first practice. This is best right after class.
2. Before the day is done, do another practice. Remember to Keep Score.
3. After a few days, do your third practice. At this practice you might be going over the whole week’s lectures for the course.
4. Stretch out your practice sessions as you go, forcing yourself to remember the key points for longer and longer periods.
5. Soon you will note that you have several consecutive ticks beside many items, and there may be some that you are finding hard to remember. These problem items probably are unclear to you, and you should do what you need to clarify the information. Perhaps you can consult the text or ask your professor for more memorable information or clarification.
6. Once you have several consecutive ticks for each item, you have it all learned! One more review before the exam will probably be sufficient.

Student Academic Services > ASC > Study Skills Library > Notetaking Tips

Study Skills Library

Notetaking Tips

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As you get involved with the complexities of notetaking, you may tend to forget the simple things that can make life a lot easier. These tips are little hints that we all know but forget sometimes. They can be summarized by four directives:

1. BE ALERT – so you are aware of and prepared for the lecture content and situation.
2. BE ORDERLY – so you can process the lecture now and for review later.
3. BE SYSTEMATIC – so you can establish a habit pattern and won’t miss anything important.
4. BE UP TO DATE – so that your well designed notetaking system gets done.

Below is a list of tips which may help you to be alert, orderly, systematic, and up to date.

• Attend lectures regularly. Once you miss one, it will be easier to miss more.
• Use a standard 8 1/2″ x 11″ loose leaf notebook, for continued organization and review. Spiral notebooks do not allow reshuffling your notes for review.
• Keep the notes for one class separate from other classes. Best yet, keep each class in a separate binder.
• Write on one side of the paper for easier organization. It’s possible to overlook material written on the back of a sheet.
• Leave your notebook at home and carry with you only enough pages to keep track of the lecture. This way you won’t lose your entire set of notes should you misplace them.
• Carry extra pens and pencils for editing and unforeseen obstacles (UFO’s).
• Don’t doodle because it distracts. Keep eye contact when not writing.
• Make notes as complete as needed and as clear as possible so they can be used meaningfully later.
• Leave blanks where information is missed or misunderstood. Fill in gaps after lecture or as soon after as possible when the aid of the instructor or classmates.
• Develop your own system of enumerating and indenting.
• Use symbols such as asterisks for emphasis.
• Mark or separate assignments given in class in a space apart from the lecture notes.
• Separate your thoughts from those of the lecture; record your own items after the lecture.
• Be alert for cues, postural, visual, etc.
• Record examples where helpful.
• Listen especially at the end of the lecture. If the instructor has not paced his lecture well, he may cram half of the content into the last 5-10 minutes.
• Get into the five-minute technique and review your notes right after class. At this time you can change, organize, add, delete, summarize, or clarify misunderstandings.
• Recopying by itself is a debatable advantage but the five-minute technique is not.
• Have study sessions once or twice a week to learn omissions, clear up misinterpretations and get other students opinions about interpretations.

Bibliography

Deese, James and Ellin K. Deese. How To Study (3rd ed). New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1979.

Johnson, Sue. The 4 T’s: Teacher/You, Text, Talk, Test – A Systematic Approach To Learning Success. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Pauk, Walter. How To Study In College (2nd Ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.

Raygor, Alton L. and David Wark. Systems For Study. New York: McGraw- Hill, Inc, 1970.