One of the most effective strategies that are behind the academic success of toppers around the world is an effective note-taking technique. At the school and college level, any student who adopts this practice will begin to notice positive results within a short time span.
No matter how much of a good listener you are, you tend to forget some things the teacher explains in class. No one can thoroughly memorize the entire lecture.
So, an excellent way to get the gist of the topic is to note down important points and go through it time and again to completely absorb the information. Also, the sharing of notes among students has its benefits. Before diving into that, let us take a look as to why taking notes can affect a student's academics.
Importance Of Taking Notes:
Many students think that taking down notes in the classroom is a waste of time. You will also come across students who can perform well without writing notes. Opinions can vary, but one that is a fact is that notes help you systematize your studies.
1. Proper organization of study material
You can easily organize your entire study material if you have already noted down the crucial bullet points. You can also use visual aids instead of blindly scribbling what the teacher is saying.
Some of the useful visual aids are block diagrams, bar graphs, pie charts, etc. You can review your notes whenever required and retrieve key information at your convenience. You won't have to rummage through a huge stack of bulky textbooks when you have precise notes of every topic.
2. Note-taking skills: Enhancement of listening and concentrating skills
When you are supposed to note something down, it requires your full attention to what the speaker is saying. You have to listen carefully to every word and summarize it in your own words to write it down.
When you don't have to take notes, it becomes easier to get distracted. Your focus won't be entirely at what the teacher is saying. The diversion won't allow you to absorb the important information thoroughly.
3. Development of interest
As it is difficult to study a subject you are least interested in. When you don't like a topic, it is tough to read it from the textbook. If you have the notes of that particular topic or subject, you don't need to read every word of the textbook as you already have the required information in a well-organized fashion.
Learning becomes easier and more interesting when the topics are broken down into key points. This way, you won't feel burdened.
4. Study notes: Improvement in performance
According to various research, students who take notes regularly score better than those who don't. While writing something down, it passes your mind and stays there.
You can go through your notes according to your own convenience without wasting time marking the essential points in textbooks. If an organized record is maintained, notes can effectively enhance the performance of a student.
Sharing Study Notes
Sometimes while noting down stuff, your mind accidentally wanders off into thoughts. No matter how hard you try to jot down everything your teacher says, you are bound to miss something or the other.
That is when exchanging notes can save you from the trouble of going to the teacher again and again. Let us dive into the reasons as to why note sharing can benefit you as well as your peers.
1. A difference in perceptions:
Sitting continuously for hours and listening to another person speaking on a topic can seem like a daunting task to do. You might miss out on some crucial information or essential key points that are required for scoring well in the examination.
However, what if another one of your classmates cover the point you missed? Of course, the other person might have missed something key concepts that you have included in your notes. When these two students exchange their notes they can cover most of the points that one of them missed.
Now imagine when a group of 4-5 students does the same. Exchanging notes will help all the students get a clear picture of what has been taught in class. This healthy mix of opinions and perspectives will also provide you an edge over others and help you get a better score in the time to come.
You can also add something to the already existing notes or combine the essential points from all the notes for perfect study material for the exams. This way an entire lecture can be summed up without needing to go to the teacher again and again. Different students consider different things important.
Since it varies from student to student, when they exchange notes each one of them gains a deeper insight into every topic. They can understand the lecture from an entirely different perspective. Both the parties can piece up the lecture together at the end of the class even if they tend to space out frequently.
2. Making new contacts: note sharing
If you ponder over it, we all are social learners. We have been surrounded by a classroom full of students for as long as we can remember. The more people you, the better it is. This applies to the field of academics too. The more classmates you are in regular contact with, the more perspective you hear every day which in turn helps you improve your grades in some way or the other.
Mostly the students who are not able to perform well tend to stay isolated in the classroom. Notes sharing can help such students mix up with the rest of the class and take the help of students who perform well. When a student makes more friends, there are chances for more people to come and help out in times of need.
Even if you are one of the most regular students in the class, there might arise situations where it is not possible for you to attend school due to some unavoidable circumstances. When you share notes, you develop a bond with your classmates, and they are more likely to assist you if unforeseen circumstances arise in the future.
Sharing notes is itself a good practice. However, merely passing them around isn't as beneficial as discussing the concepts with friends. Even if you are not able to pick out time to meet in person, you can always share notes online.
3. The study notes clarification of queries
Sometimes, when the lecture is too long, your hands start aching from all the writing, and your mind gets tired. Even if you don't wholly space out, you won't be able to be in the same energetic state as you were at the beginning of the class.
Your handwriting can get so messed up to the point where you might find yourself randomly scrambling what the teacher is saying, but you don't even understand what you have written.
Many students are better at taking notes or simply have a longer attention span. Such students are most likely to have notes that are well-organized and systematic. If you take the help of such students, not only will you have access to the right notes but you will also have an opportunity to learn some tips and tricks on how to stay focused for a longer duration.
4. Opportunity for progress
When you interact with different students, there is something you can learn from everyone. The interaction between students is informal; therefore they can stay more open while discussing things. Different people are good at different things. They can get together to discuss their strong points along with exchanging notes to strengthen the understanding of various concepts.
Sometimes the other person might not understand your handwriting or what you mean by a particular sentence. In such a situation you have to explain to the other student what you have written or the concept behind it. Teaching or explaining another student is one of the best opportunities for progress as it helps in the more profound absorption of knowledge of a subject or a topic.
5. Most convenient study resource
When students miss a class, it is a typical scene for them to run after their teachers for an extra class or sit in the library sorting through an enormous pile of dusty books. Nowadays, students can also be seen searching all over the internet for some precise information.
If your teacher can provide you little extra time, well and good. However, even if they offer you an additional short class, it is not going to be the same as the original detailed lecture.
In short, if you miss a lecture, you are more or less left to fend for yourself. The library books and the internet will offer you so much information that it might be next to impossible for you to sort it out. Your classmates can turn out to be the most valuable resources in such a situation.
Even if you can’t meet them after school you can share the notes via online platforms, for example, PostStudyQuery. On PostStudyQuery, users can upload courses, summaries, lectures, assignments, solutions, and exam notes from their accounts once they are registered and also see the notes shared by others online. This approach doesn't even require students to get up from their place. They can get all the information by sitting in front of their PCs.
6. Saves a lot of effort and time
One of the biggest perks of a collaborative study session is the massive amount of effort and time that you save. You don’t have to worry about studying alone when you have a buddy ready to exchange his or her notes and concepts with you.
Both of you can create valuable study resources by combining your notes. That way none of you would have to stay stressed right before your exams as you have some excellent notes to study from.
You can answer questions in the examination in the minimum amount of time as you have all the essential points of an answer clear in your mind beforehand.
7. Mutually beneficial
When you exchange notes with your classmate, be it online or offline, you gain each other's strong points. This way each one of you can demonstrate their full potential while writing the paper.
Every student has some unique ideas. When you pass on these ideas and brainstorm together, new and even better ideas arise that can also prove to be revolutionary.
You also tend to develop some tricks for applying shortcuts to answer questions. This is also a big time saver. It also leads to more of a nuanced way of grasping things, and there is something in it for everybody. All in all, everyone returns home feeling like a winner and more confident as each day passes.
8. Key to motivation
Continuous motivation plays a crucial role in student life. Motivation is a fuel that keeps you going no matter how many times you get stuck or wish to give up.
However, sometimes when a student is left all alone to fend for studies, the motivation factor can begin to diminish as examination stress or fear starts to take over. That is when exchanging notes comes in handy as it increases your confidence.
Moreover, your study buddies won't let you give in to failure and will always have your back. An excellent way to keep yourself motivated is to keep track of each other's progress. This way, you won't let yourself fall behind as you will have a constant motivation to keep up with the pace of studying.
In conclusion, If the members of your little study group are sincere and give proper emphasis to taking downright notes, then they can prove to be of great help in raising your academic scores.
Collaborating is beneficial as long as each member maintains an up to the mark level when it comes to studies. So, choose carefully whom to exchange notes with, and you are good to go!