taking notes while studying

[crazymedgirl]

Hey guys, looking for thoughts on this...

do most of you take notes while studying? I'm kind of an obsessive note-taker once I start and it can be incredibly time consuming...
Is it worth it to take notes on something like EK which is already so condensed?

Should I just control myself and work on only writing down what I don't already know?

Any other ideas?

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[PlatinumPenny]

I used to take notes...but like you said I found it to be VERY time consuming...so now I just paraphrase what was said into my own words...kinda like my own chapter summary...i found that to be more helpful in terms of retaining and understanding the material than simple note taking...also i try to do as many practice questions as possible related to the subject i.e. EK 1001 series which helps to soldify what i review...lalso I just write down what I don't know...and/or tips/tricks and possible bridges to other materials....hope this helps

 

[KiwiBruin]

curious what others think about this topic too.

 

[ziggyd0c]

i had been taking notes but it didn't really feel that effective. what i do now is just read it 2-3 times and if something isn't "sticking", i'll make flash cards for it. i also believe that doing practice problems is the best way to solidify knowledge.

i'm also curious to see others' opinions on this.

 

[wannabesrgn]

I always take notes when studying. I also re-write my notes when I can. For the MCAT, I just took notes while I read the sciences. Then I made flashcards to base most of my studying off of. Everyone's heard that you remember things better if you write it. That really does work for me, maybe not for everyone. When I can't remember specific equations I'll write it like 20 times for 3 days or something and I'll never forget it again. GL!

 

[tiedyeddog]

I have been going through most of the biology section in TPR (very, very detailed but I am trying to learn everything I can and I have tons of time) and I have basically read the sections once and highlighted, read again and made notes condensing the information, and I will eventually be writing my notes into very small, crisp pages that I will try to memorize so I can pick a subject (say electrochemistry) and write down every tid bit I can.

I will repeat the tid bit process until the majority of the information is in my head. I would guess this will be the most time consuming for biology and ochem and easier for physics and gen chem. I used this exact process in all three of my ochems and did really well retaining the mechanisms/reactions this way!

Everyone is different but it seems to me that writing individual note cards would be more time consuming and less useful than what I am doing!

Note: I will be studying MCAT stuff for around five-six months, doing about three of intense review and then two or test taking and post-game analysis before the real test.)

Cheers!

 

[albertarenee]

i'm just about done going through my examkrackers books. i didn't take extensive detailed notes (like i normally would for a class), but i would jot down bits of information while going through the books. i know one of the best ways for me to study is to write things out, for some reason everything seems to stick best when i write it!

 

[Zona Pellucida]

I have been kind of doing things different for each area...

Biology - Tons of notes. Packets worth of information from EK Bio. This is how I study for my normal biology classes in undergrad so I kept the same method for the MCAT as it has served me well in class. I took all the important terms and words from each lecture and typed it up. Then I go through and highlight weak areas the first time through the packet of notes, and I basically never look at the unhighlighted stuff as it is usually info that I know easily. I then study the highlights til' I know it... and any thing I simply cannot remember I put on a hand written "Stuff I suck at" list and pound that til' I got it. Yeah, I'm crazy, but this works for Bio with me.

Gen Chem and Organic - I have just started with these (BR) so far and I have just been highlighting and taking the practice exams for now. Anything I get wrong, I write out the solution in a notebook and study how I was supposed to come to the correct conclusion.

Physics - Nova - Similar to above yet I made flashcards with the important boxed formulas and ideas from each chapter.

Verbal - Practice.

Writing - Not too worried as I have had a lot of practice throughout the years.

 

[FuSoYa]

I found that I take notes, but with no intention of going back and reading them. Just the act of writing helps me think things through and remember things.

So when I take a practice test, I'll review the topics I had trouble with and take notes on concepts I missed/forgot. So I end up taking notes on the same concept multiple times strewn across all my different notepads.

After missing the same type of question multiple times, and writing down the same formula multiple times, eventually I get it, so by the end of my studies I was taking less and less notes. It's like in grade school having to write down "I will not chew gum in class" 50 times on the black board. Strange that it actually works. I'll have to go thank that witch.

*Everyone has a different learning style though. For me, flash cards, highlighting, computer notes don't work for me. I need to physically write with my hand to best transfer the knowledge to my brain. Just do whatever has worked for you in college.

 

[Beeweew]

I take notes but like you guys said, it's time consuming. I'm teaching myself to focus on the major points rather than details. However, if I get a question wrong while working on review questions at the end of the chapter, I go back and re-read whatever i had gotten wrong.

 

[ayocaptain628]

I found that I take notes, but with no intention of going back and reading them. Just the act of writing helps me think things through and remember things.

So when I take a practice test, I'll review the topics I had trouble with and take notes on concepts I missed/forgot. So I end up taking notes on the same concept multiple times strewn across all my different notepads.

After missing the same type of question multiple times, and writing down the same formula multiple times, eventually I get it, so by the end of my studies I was taking less and less notes. It's like in grade school having to write down "I will not chew gum in class" 50 times on the black board. Strange that it actually works. I'll have to go thank that witch.

*Everyone has a different learning style though. For me, flash cards, highlighting, computer notes don't work for me. I need to physically write with my hand to best transfer the knowledge to my brain. Just do whatever has worked for you in college.

Lol

 

[Imsofly]

curious to see what others have to say!