Write effective HSC study notes

Want to learn how to write better, and more effective study notes for your subjects?

Past students will tell you that the note-taking process actually gets easier the more you do it. Getting into the habit of writing study notes in your younger years, actually changes the way you interact with your content and helps to memorise everything in the long term. Check our tips below used by our top state-ranking students:

Refer to the Syllabus

The syllabus is there for a reason, use it! Not only does it directly outline what needs to be achieved in each course, but it’s also a fantastic way to organise your study notes. Break down the syllabus by each dot point, and make sure your notes are clear and concise, directly relating back to the original point. It’s a logical way to organise your study sessions, and file your notes so you can easily go back and review everything at the end of each week.

Incorporate Mind-maps and graphs

Another study tip which seems to help most of our students is to create mind maps which clearly outline the general flow of information, and can be easily edited with more information as you make your way through the remainder of the course. This is a great option since it can be used interchangeably for a number of subjects – just remember to colour-code your notes so they don’t get mixed up!

Related: How To Survive The 2019 School Year

Find your study style

We all retain information in different ways, and it’s important to understand your learning style which reflects in your study notes. There are three main types of learning styles that we will explore in depth in our next blog post:

Kinaesthetic Learners: physically touch something, venture outdoor to retain information.

Auditory Learners: listen to audio version of study notes, group discussions, podcasts.

Visual Learners: Draw maps and graphs, create detailed notes which are colour-coded.

Weekly summaries

As the year gets busier and busier, we recommend creating summary notes which will make it easier to look back on when it’s exam time.

Keep your summaries clear and concise, breaking down the key themes and ensuring that your notes can easily be edited and added to week by week. Whether you choose to type or handwrite your notes, just ensure that you’re making the most of your summaries and that they’re easily accessible.

If you feel you need some extra help in English, Mathematics, Economics or the Sciences, check out our Year 12 Subject Guides which outline what’s changed in the 2019 HSC and how we’ve tailored our courses so you can maximise your ATAR score.

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