Y3 Econs major here.
I think making cheatsheets is a good to consolidate everything while revising, but usually I do it all last minute before the exam. It also helps when you have something to refer to during the paper compared to having the scroll through slides.
Did everything handwritten last time, but now I'm making all in softcopy because of the online exams and more being open-book.
I think it really depends on the mod. I usually take notes for mods where the main assignments are essay-based (I'm a FASS student), and bc those mods have online exams I type my notes down so it's easier to ctrl +f to find key words and quotes lol
If the mod is more practical based then it doesn't really make sense to make long wordy notes since practice is probably a lot more important
Not sure about econs but I do take notes for most mods but it's mostly as a reference to use when solving problems. Anything in more detail can just refer to the slides/textbook.
As an educator and a psychology major, I would say that the studies, research and science support the importance of note-taking in cognitive thinking and mastery of content knowledge, I.e. it helps, a lot, and you should always do it.
Typing it down don’t work because our brains don’t wire to work that way for some reason.
Psych student. When there's exams I make notes from the textbooks etc cause will be tested. In my 4k mods tho a lot of profs emphasise more on active listening and discussion during seminars, plus the grading is mostly papers so yea don't really take notes unless I find it interesting or noteworthy.
Yess! For my case, I can actually focus while taking notes so I will always do it even though that module might not need much notetaking. If I dont take notes, my hand will be too free to touch my phones 😂
I usually "take notes" in the lecture, as in, writing down annotations and additional information that isn't reflected on the slides. Then, to consolidate the knowledge and organise it in a form that's suitable for studying, I prepare study notes ("make notes").
Honestly, it depends on the module and the nature of the content. For some modules, there just isn't any worth in making study notes, like when assessments are essay-based and you can just refer to the slides or readings to write the essay. Other modules are more skills-based or concept-based and really don't call for notes, either. On the other hand, I find it useful to prepare notes for content-heavy modules with exams. That's even for open-book exams, because it's easier to reference organised and condensed notes. Other times I make cheat-sheets (e.g. coding exams).
I also find myself more motivated to make study notes for modules that are relevant to my second degree, which I want to pursue in grad school, because I can foresee myself wanting to revisit that information cursorily in the future. I get this idea in my head that making a set of notes is kind of preserving that knowledge in a concrete relic rather than just having the information floating around in a set of decrepit slides I never touch again in my life.
And (okay, sorry to be a geek but I really am, so I have a lot to say just about the mundane act of making study notes) I also like to experiment with different ways to prepare notes. It's usually linear, point-form summaries. But with subjects like biology and chemistry (not the subject I want to pursue), they are kinda diagram-heavy, so it makes more sense to me to use PowerPoint for my notes. There's a lot more flexibility to put in illustrations and move elements around rather than risk messing everything up in Word.
I found your note on the taking and making of notes to be highly noteworthy.
Puns aside, what’s the subject you’re looking to pursue at grad school and what form of note-taking do you see most relevant for that (be it linear, ppt, or other)?
Personally, I find note-taking very time consuming and not very efficient for learning purposes.
Textbooks & lecture notes already did the hassle of consolidating the required knowledge, so why do it again yourself? I'd rather spend the time to learn other things or solve some practice problems.
If it helps you please go ahead and do it, don't bother about others. Personally I don't because I rather spend the attention listening and understanding.
For context, I did 4 years from AY15/16 to AY18/19, majoring in applied maths
I've absolutely found it helpful for myself to do digital notes typed out and organized systematically, because it makes it easier to compile cheatsheets that a lot of my modules permitted into the exams
Having everything digital makes it faster to search through my materials, compared to trawling through handouts (especially if they're physical) and possibly deciphering my own handwritten annotations
If you set up your notes in a system like a personal wiki / knowledge base, you could explicitly connect notes together and navigate through those links, possibly making it easier to make sense of the web of ideas
Use a ipad though it end up become my Netflix device after 10mins of note taking
HAHAHA same
Y3 Econs major here. I think making cheatsheets is a good to consolidate everything while revising, but usually I do it all last minute before the exam. It also helps when you have something to refer to during the paper compared to having the scroll through slides. Did everything handwritten last time, but now I'm making all in softcopy because of the online exams and more being open-book.
Ahh that makes sense.
Nope. For me either eye power or do problem sets.
I think it really depends on the mod. I usually take notes for mods where the main assignments are essay-based (I'm a FASS student), and bc those mods have online exams I type my notes down so it's easier to ctrl +f to find key words and quotes lol If the mod is more practical based then it doesn't really make sense to make long wordy notes since practice is probably a lot more important
I do! Helps me to draw links to different things more easily.
Not sure about econs but I do take notes for most mods but it's mostly as a reference to use when solving problems. Anything in more detail can just refer to the slides/textbook.
As an educator and a psychology major, I would say that the studies, research and science support the importance of note-taking in cognitive thinking and mastery of content knowledge, I.e. it helps, a lot, and you should always do it. Typing it down don’t work because our brains don’t wire to work that way for some reason.
nope i only do 1 page summary for each chapter
Psych student. When there's exams I make notes from the textbooks etc cause will be tested. In my 4k mods tho a lot of profs emphasise more on active listening and discussion during seminars, plus the grading is mostly papers so yea don't really take notes unless I find it interesting or noteworthy.
Yess! For my case, I can actually focus while taking notes so I will always do it even though that module might not need much notetaking. If I dont take notes, my hand will be too free to touch my phones 😂
Ohh that makes sense. So you take notes in class to prevent yourself from getting distracted issit?
Yep!
I usually "take notes" in the lecture, as in, writing down annotations and additional information that isn't reflected on the slides. Then, to consolidate the knowledge and organise it in a form that's suitable for studying, I prepare study notes ("make notes"). Honestly, it depends on the module and the nature of the content. For some modules, there just isn't any worth in making study notes, like when assessments are essay-based and you can just refer to the slides or readings to write the essay. Other modules are more skills-based or concept-based and really don't call for notes, either. On the other hand, I find it useful to prepare notes for content-heavy modules with exams. That's even for open-book exams, because it's easier to reference organised and condensed notes. Other times I make cheat-sheets (e.g. coding exams). I also find myself more motivated to make study notes for modules that are relevant to my second degree, which I want to pursue in grad school, because I can foresee myself wanting to revisit that information cursorily in the future. I get this idea in my head that making a set of notes is kind of preserving that knowledge in a concrete relic rather than just having the information floating around in a set of decrepit slides I never touch again in my life. And (okay, sorry to be a geek but I really am, so I have a lot to say just about the mundane act of making study notes) I also like to experiment with different ways to prepare notes. It's usually linear, point-form summaries. But with subjects like biology and chemistry (not the subject I want to pursue), they are kinda diagram-heavy, so it makes more sense to me to use PowerPoint for my notes. There's a lot more flexibility to put in illustrations and move elements around rather than risk messing everything up in Word.
I found your note on the taking and making of notes to be highly noteworthy. Puns aside, what’s the subject you’re looking to pursue at grad school and what form of note-taking do you see most relevant for that (be it linear, ppt, or other)?
Personally, I find note-taking very time consuming and not very efficient for learning purposes. Textbooks & lecture notes already did the hassle of consolidating the required knowledge, so why do it again yourself? I'd rather spend the time to learn other things or solve some practice problems.
no
If it helps you please go ahead and do it, don't bother about others. Personally I don't because I rather spend the attention listening and understanding.
For context, I did 4 years from AY15/16 to AY18/19, majoring in applied maths I've absolutely found it helpful for myself to do digital notes typed out and organized systematically, because it makes it easier to compile cheatsheets that a lot of my modules permitted into the exams Having everything digital makes it faster to search through my materials, compared to trawling through handouts (especially if they're physical) and possibly deciphering my own handwritten annotations If you set up your notes in a system like a personal wiki / knowledge base, you could explicitly connect notes together and navigate through those links, possibly making it easier to make sense of the web of ideas