I think notes are good but don't see them as the end result. The whole time you are writing notes your brain is organizing material so you remember it better, but a good technique is to write really really simple notes. That way when you look at them again you will really have to think about it which again will help you learn, and if you forget it look in the textbook. I don't think there are many revision methods for things like exams but the only effective way to remember things in life is to do stuff like a sport or a language but exams are just so different to real life, so I think anyway.