A level stationery - excercise books or file paper?

Hi! I'm starting my A levels in September. I'm taking biology, chemistry, geography and maths. I was wondering, is it better to write in excercise books for these lessons or to write on file paper and file away the notes into the subjects folder at home? Which method is easier for transporting notes and revsing from the notes? Also, if you have taken these subjects which method worked the best for you? Thanks! :smile:

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Reply 1

3121

Excercise books! I always had an excercise book and plastic folder found it really nice and easy except towards the end of the year when I couldn't close it, although next year I might try out a ring binder but I'd recommend a plastic folder and excercise book. tried, tested and loved!

Reply 2

username2088165

I would suggest taking one ring binder to college with you every day, and keeping one lever arch file at home. When I was in college, I took one ring binder with me each day, with file dividers separating my work for each subject. I also kept between 5 and 10 clean pages of lined paper to use, which I topped up daily (rather than taking a bulky refill pad with me) in the folder, along with a few plastic wallets to keep any loose sheets in. When the ring binder was full, I transferred the work to a lever arch file I kept at home, again with file dividers separating each subject.

I found that this system worked well (however the only subject I took that you mentioned was geography) :smile:

Reply 3

Lauren2812

I wrote on file paper for biology and chemistry (and economics). I found this easier than having a exercise book per subject. My friends always seemed to be bringing the wrong book or something to lesson. If you write on paper then you don't have that problem. And you will only have to carry one notebook around and not 4 exercise books (plus spares in case you run out of room). I never took my arch lever files into college but had one per subject at home and filed away my notes into these (I copied up my notes at home as this was my first step of revision - written in AS and typed in A2, purely because typing up notes is faster and means I have my notes with me on a memory stick wherever I go).

However, for maths I used a square-paper exercise book (my college provided these however you can buy them online). Just find square paper easier for maths, especially if you have to draw some sort of graph or diagram.

Reply 4

Welshgirl20

Exercise books are the best! I buy separate note books for my revision notes and my class notes. Having random bits of paper can be very disorganised, especially with the amount you'll have do at A level😌

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Reply 5

Abstract_Prism

File paper.

It's a blessing being able to order all the work you do and the paper you get into whatever groups and orders you want.

Though I did humanities. For stuff like Maths where you're doing a lot of questions and not taking a lot of notes, an exercise book might be better.

Reply 6

Ezme39

I preferred file paper. It's easier to add extra notes to topics when you revise

Reply 7

cboydxo

Original post by zayn008

Hi! Did you have one exercise book for each subject throughout the whole year or did you have to continuously buy an extra book because your work wouldn't all fit inside the book? Also, what do you mean by a plastic folder and exercise book? Do you mean a poly pocket and your work book? Thanks for replying to my post :smile:

Reply 8

cboydxo

Original post by Leviathan1741

I originally thought about doing this but then I was wondering how do you stop the pages from ripping when flipping through them at home? Would you also say that this method kept you organised throughout the year? (I intend to be organised this year...) Also, when it came to revision did you find it easy to revise from the class notes you had taken? Finally, was geography fun? Thanks for replying to my post :smile:

Reply 9

cboydxo

Original post by Lozzie97

Thanks for replying to my post! Would you say that this method is easy to keep on top of (organisation wise)? Did you find that writing on file paper helped you stay more organised because you had to file the notes away? Also, how was maths, chemistry and biology? I'm really excited to start them in September but I'm a bit nervous because some people say that they are impossible!

Reply 10

cboydxo

Original post by Welshgirl20

Hi, how many exercise books did you go through in a year per subject? Also, do you think that by using the exercise books you became more organised? Thanks for replying to my post :smile:

Reply 11

cboydxo

Original post by Abstract_Prism

Hi, thanks for replying :smile:

In your opinion, was file paper easy to keep organised and was it easier to transport it to and from school every day?

Reply 12

cboydxo

Original post by Ezme39

I preferred file paper. It's easier to add extra notes to topics when you revise

I didn't think of that! Did you find file paper easier to organise? Thanks for eplying to my post!

Reply 13

3121

Original post by cboydxo

Excercise book for each unit so that's like 2-3 per subject but mid year you'll finish your first units so you can just put the folders in a draw till exam time, I mean like a popper wallet so I could put in my excercise book and loose papers to go with it, you're welcome :smile:

Reply 14

username2088165

Original post by cboydxo

You can buy 'hole reinforcers', which are basically little white donut shaped stickers that you put around the hole punch holes in the paper, which stop the pages from ripping out. You can put all your notes in plastic wallets instead as well, which will stop the pages tearing and also keeps them safe if your drink leaks in your bag (I know from experience) :tongue:

I think it did keep me organised, however I typed up all of my class notes (along with supplementary notes from the Internet and textbooks), so I didn't actually use the class notes in my folder at all when I revised. My class notes were a bit all over the place (I didn't have the best teachers!) and not really worth revising from by themselves.

Geography was honestly the subject which stressed me out the most! I found it really tough (due to less than brilliant teaching, ambiguous exam questions and mark schemes, and not many revision resources being available for my exam board, WJEC). I got a B in the end at A2 though, so I'm glad I did it :smile:

Reply 15

OGFakiie

Original post by cboydxo

okay so you're in luck because I did these exact subjects(except geography)What I did was, I just had a folder for each subject and of course used dividers in the folders, and just took a notepad every day to the lessons and rip out the paper I used and put into the folder :biggrin:

- exercise books are terrible stay away from them!!
For maths I don't remember doing too many notes, maybe once in lessons and hardly come back to them, past papers were just the key :wink:

Reply 16

unknowntsr

i do English History Latin and Maths and I found having an exercise book per teacher (9 in total) at school and taking them home and writing everything up on A4 paper at home, so I have two copies of everything and putting these written up notes in separate ring binders for each subject, (as well a completed homework folders). I find this to be great because by writing everything up, you’re looking over everything again, and revising even if it is a bit tiring having to copy everything up - but it helps for exams because you don’t have to do it during exam season and you can work on condensing them even further ! - this isn’t really necessary for maths tho, my teacher just made me write formulas on the front of the exercise book and stopped us from writing notes because she said you either know it or you don’t!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 17

Lauren2812

Original post by cboydxo

I found it relatively easy to keep on top of it, sometimes I would have to spent half an hour filing away if I had neglected it for a while. But feel it was more organised than having all my notes (including random, unnecessary notes from lesson) in one (or multiple) books.

I wouldn't say they are impossible. With maths I would make sure you are confident with algebra (and other basics) before you start. If you don't have the basics sorted then you will struggle as it gets harder. Things like indices and simultaneous equations are useful - my college made us do a test a few weeks in to check we knew these sorts of things, they are pretty important to understand. With sciences, just make sure you understand things as you go along, if you keep on top of everything and don't wait till near the exams to get things clear in your mind then it is easier to manage.

Reply 18

LillyB14

Those pads of file paper that you can tear out because you are likely going to have a folder for each subject and sheets provided by the teachers and you will want to keep that and your written work in an organised order
-took history and psychology

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Reply 19

charlie2466

I've done biology and for me 100% file paper! You can then place them in a leaver arch file and add in notes if more come and change the order and stuff. I started using exercise books but ended up changing to file paper