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How can I take notes effectively?

I'm starting year 12 and I never really took notes for GCSEs - just read and re-read the textbooks, and I turned out fine.
However, my teachers are telling me to take noes for all of my subjects, and I can't get the hang of it - I end up copying most of the textbook down - if I revise from my notes, I'll need most of the details, and if I don't, what's the point of making notes?!!

So... can someone maybe summarise this, just as an example? even if you just summarise a couple of lines, it will be helpful.


I realise that this is a lot to ask for, but I genuinely have no idea how to make notes and how to figure out what is important :frown:
Reply 1
Original post by MudbloodPrincess
I'm starting year 12 and I never really took notes for GCSEs - just read and re-read the textbooks, and I turned out fine.
However, my teachers are telling me to take noes for all of my subjects, and I can't get the hang of it - I end up copying most of the textbook down - if I revise from my notes, I'll need most of the details, and if I don't, what's the point of making notes?!!

So... can someone maybe summarise this, just as an example? even if you just summarise a couple of lines, it will be helpful.


I realise that this is a lot to ask for, but I genuinely have no idea how to make notes and how to figure out what is important :frown:



Hi, I've had a go:

- Bad harvest of 1788; prices increased
- Intendants tried to maintain supplies but were unsuccessful
- Had a knock-on effect on industry; textile production was cut by 50% in 1789
- Protest - Reveillon Riots
- First great popular demonstration of revolution
- Remarks about high cost of wages
- Large scale and fatalities -> desperation
- Aware EG would meet; thought they had supporter of King and Necker

However, notetaking depends on your aim. In this case, you should look at the sort of things you'll need for your AS exam, for example, you may need to focus on facts/historiography and should edit as appropriate.

I've included a subheading for the Reveillon Riots as they seem pretty important, and I'd use this sort of format to highlight important events. You may even want to write a shorter summary depending on what works best for you e.g. Bad harvests; Industry decline; Reveillon Riots. I'm quite familiar with French history, but since you've just started the course, it would probably be worth writing down a page of definitions as you go e.g. Estates- General (also include variations e.g. in this case States General); 3rd Estate; Intendants etc.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by smile:D
Hi, I've had a go:

- Bad harvest of 1788; prices increased
- Intendants tried to maintain supplies but were unsuccessful
- Had a knock-on effect on industry; textile production was cut by 50% in 1789
- Protest - Reveillon Riots
- First great popular demonstration of revolution
- Remarks about high cost of wages
- Large scale and fatalities -> desperation
- Aware EG would meet; thought they had supporter of King and Necker

However, notetaking depends on your aim. In this case, you should look at the sort of things you'll need for your AS exam, for example, you may need to focus on facts/historiography and should edit as appropriate.

I've included a subheading for the Reveillon Riots as they seem pretty important, and I'd use this sort of format to highlight important events. You may even want to write a shorter summary depending on what works best for you e.g. Bad harvests; Industry decline; Reveillon Riots. I'm quite familiar with French history, but since you've just started the course, it would probably be worth writing down a page of definitions as you go e.g. Estates- General (also include variations e.g. in this case States General); 3rd Estate; Intendants etc.

Thanks!! Just wondering - would you (if you were doing this course) revise from just your notes or a combination of both? Obviously you've noted down all the important points, but some facts like '88% of wage spent on grain' were not. Is the point of note to write the bare skeletal information?
Reply 3
Original post by MudbloodPrincess
Thanks!! Just wondering - would you (if you were doing this course) revise from just your notes or a combination of both? Obviously you've noted down all the important points, but some facts like '88% of wage spent on grain' were not. Is the point of note to write the bare skeletal information?


Personally, I'd use a combination of both. Also using past papers, examiners' reports etc.

I thought that the one fact I noted down was more transferable. When I was doing A-levels, it was much easier to learn facts if you learnt say 1 that could be also be used to back up another couple of points. You could use it to discuss it as a reason for the protest, or equally to discuss the economy.

It's really up to you how many facts you want to include. I'd pick a couple because they give your arguments gravitas, but again, try to find the most transferable ones. But make sure you learn the main arguments first so you understand the content and can use the facts to your advantage to reinforce it.

Personally, I think the key focus of your notes should be the exam. Therefore you should write your notes with the demands of the exam in mind; if the exam requires knowledge of a broader period, then briefer notes will probably suffice. If it's more geared towards detail then I would include facts, figures etc.

Once you've got an outline and a good understanding, then you can summarise your notes into even briefer notes to get the key points of an argument.

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