should i stop taking notes?

heres my general study method rn (doing gcses this year)
1. after i finish a topic in school, use the spec, textbook and revision guide to write notes
2. do past paper questions

i wanna start incorporating flashcards into my study routine just bc ive heard good things about using them
i find that while i take notes, it helps me to consolidate and understand the topic better, plus if i forget the topic looking back at my notes rlly helps since its written in a way that i can easily understand (also on a side note im one of those ppl who likes making their notes rlly pretty w all the brush headings and stuff cuz it helps give me motivation to study)
but ive heard that taking notes is rlly passive and not actually that great, so im wondering whether i should stop even though i find it works pretty well for me. tbf it can be pretty time consuming so thats not great.
thoughts?

Reply 1

🌹Aumi🌹

Original post by aspiringavocado9

heres my general study method rn (doing gcses this year)
1. after i finish a topic in school, use the spec, textbook and revision guide to write notes
2. do past paper questions
i wanna start incorporating flashcards into my study routine just bc ive heard good things about using them
i find that while i take notes, it helps me to consolidate and understand the topic better, plus if i forget the topic looking back at my notes rlly helps since its written in a way that i can easily understand (also on a side note im one of those ppl who likes making their notes rlly pretty w all the brush headings and stuff cuz it helps give me motivation to study)
but ive heard that taking notes is rlly passive and not actually that great, so im wondering whether i should stop even though i find it works pretty well for me. tbf it can be pretty time consuming so thats not great.
thoughts?

I was thinking the same thing but I feel like I am going to take notes first to help me understand better cuz i dunno the content and i havent started revision yet

Reply 2

reigen

note taking is a good practice, according to my partner who got straight-A*s in English. I'm only recently teaching myself to take notes as I was never taught. it's a great skill to bust out during lectures and is essential for compartmentalising large quantities of information. don't stop just because someone else doesn't like doing it themselves!

Reply 3

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

Original post by aspiringavocado9

heres my general study method rn (doing gcses this year)
1. after i finish a topic in school, use the spec, textbook and revision guide to write notes
2. do past paper questions
i wanna start incorporating flashcards into my study routine just bc ive heard good things about using them
i find that while i take notes, it helps me to consolidate and understand the topic better, plus if i forget the topic looking back at my notes rlly helps since its written in a way that i can easily understand (also on a side note im one of those ppl who likes making their notes rlly pretty w all the brush headings and stuff cuz it helps give me motivation to study)
but ive heard that taking notes is rlly passive and not actually that great, so im wondering whether i should stop even though i find it works pretty well for me. tbf it can be pretty time consuming so thats not great.
thoughts?

Hi @aspiringavocado9,

I used the exact same revision methods as you throughout both my GCSEs and A-Levels, and I achieved straight A*'s at GCSE and three A*'s and two A's at A-Level.

You're right to point out that note-taking can be time-consuming, but it's a great way to memorise material: if you're writing something down, you have to repeat it in your head a few times to make sure the note is correct. I also found it a lot easier to revise things I myself had wrote rather than just text from a book or pamphlet.

Everyone has different revision methods, and no one method is the correct or best way to revise - it all depends on the type of learner you are. If note-taking works well for you, I would recommend continuing with it. 🙂

Best of luck with your GCSEs,
Eve (Kingston Rep).