But how can students create better study notes? We’ll give you a hint—summarize! Check out these 10 simple tips for taking better study notes:

How To Take Better Study Notes

1. Repetition, repetition, repetition. Before an exam, don’t try to cram. A more effective approach is to review class notes nightly. A little review time more often is very effective.
2. Short on time? Draw an image or a mind map. Pictures can be easier to remember than words.
3. Use colour coding to group ideas and facts together for better recall.
4. Create brief and concise sentences.
5. Use symbols and abbreviations to save time.
6. Paraphrase: explain the key concepts using your own words.
7. Circle keywords. 
8. Not fully grasping a concept? Write questions to yourself about it. Then search for the answer.
9. Condense: write one or two sentences to explain a few paragraphs.
10. Identify the main messages.

The first time students create study notes, they might have many pages. But, as time goes on, students will be able to summarize study notes onto a single, easy-to-refer page.

The Golden (Note-Taking) Rule

Don’t hide class notes in a drawer! Keep study notes handy for frequent review. Taking study notes is a valuable skill that makes studying and remembering easier, so refer to them often! Did you know that those who don’t review their study notes will forget 40% of the information learned after the first 24 hours and 60% after 48 hours? Check out these note-taking tips from Cornell. 

What’s the Best for Better Study Notes—Writing, Typing, or Both?

Writing vs. typing is a debate across classrooms. It comes down to the student’s individual needs and how they comprehend information. For example, typing study notes is best when the student needs the ability to change their notes at any moment. 

But, according to research, handwritten notes can improve students’ ability to learn and recall concepts. Before selecting what is best for you, think about these differences.

Writing

Handwriting study notes can be a little slower than typing your study notes, but there are a few benefits of handwriting your notes. Handwriting your study notes can:

• Easier to create diagrams and illustrations.
• Can be better for visual learners.
• Provides more focus for those prone to distraction

Typing

Since typing is faster than handwriting, it makes it easier to take notes in class verbatim. But writing faster isn’t the only thing that typing is good at. It also helps typing study notes to be:

• Faster and easier to take a higher volume of notes
• Easier to edit and reorganize for later studying
• Can be backed up, shared, and searched

Need Help Creating Better Study Notes?  

Our tutors at Oxford Learning can help you or your child create study notes that will be helpful when taking an exam or a test. Learn how you can make better study notes today! 

Contact a location near you.

The post Easy Ways to Take Better Study Notes appeared first on Oxford Learning.

One of the ways to better cement knowledge in your brain is to write your study notes by hand rather than type them. A simple change can make things easier to recall on test day.

Hard to believe? 

Research published recently in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, echoes previous studies, such as one often-cited 2014 study called “The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard,” which shows that writing notes by hand allowed participants to retain information better than those who typed on a laptop, even if they wrote fewer words overall.

When students take notes by hand, it develops a stronger conceptual understanding than by typing. Since handwriting is slower and more tedious, it makes it harder to take notes verbatim. Therefore students have to actually process the information and summarize it in a way that makes sense for them.

Writing vs. Typing

Is there a difference between typing your notes on a laptop or tablet and using a pen and paper? Research indicates that physically writing things down appears to be the winner.

Yes, writing by hand is a slower task, but it makes it so that students have to be more selective in what they’re writing. Researchers have also found that the actual processes involved in writing by hand mean students have a deeper understanding of the material.

If students are still going to use a laptop or tablet over pen and paper, they’re not doomed. However, students need to override their instinct to write everything and instead be more selective. And, of course, organize their notes immediately afterward and review them regularly.

Why Note-Taking is a Big Deal

Firstly, students do not need to write down everything. This is a mistake many students make.

Yes, there’s the issue of not writing enough or as robustly. However, as much as we’d like to think we will remember what a teacher or instructor said, most of us don’t have a memory that recalls everything.

And when it comes to textbooks and notes prepared by a student’s teacher, it may feel like overkill to make their notes, but they really should.

Students will see it done in all sorts of ways, but there are a few tried and true techniques.

Note-Taking Methods That Work

If students’ in-class notes are messy, unorganized, and unclear at first glance, they’re not going to get much use out of them. This has nothing to do with how neat their handwriting is—it’s about how their notes are structured. Read more about the best note-taking methods.

Oxford Learning Can Help

Active listening is a skill. It’s a skill that’s required in order to take great study notes. Learn more about active listening and how to improve a student’s active listening in this article. 

Learn More

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There are so many reasons why note-taking skills are important, but the biggest one is that taking notes helps students recall information that otherwise may have been lost. 

Taking notes isn’t as simple as it sounds; students cannot simply write down everything they hear. Students need to summarize key concepts and put them in their own words to understand these concepts when revisiting their notes. If students organize their notes effectively, then they won’t have to retake notes when it’s time to study for a test or exam. 

Here are some excellent note-taking methods that students can start using today. 

11 Tips to Becoming a More Efficient Note Taker

1. Sit Front and Center

Encourage your student to sit near the front and middle of the classroom or lecture hall. Fewer distractions occur here which means students who sit closer to the front will be more likely to stay focused on what the teacher’s saying.

Fewer distractions mean it’s easier for students to actively listen while taking notes. 

2. Use a Binder for Taking Notes

Make sure students keep their notes in a binder rather than a notebook. 

Keeping notes in a binder will help with organization. Using a binder allows students to add, rearrange, or rewrite pages of notes. Students can also insert handouts and assessments in the proper chronological order and review materials covered in the chapter or unit much easier.

3. Use Heading and Dates

Have students write a heading and date on every page so they can organize the pages in chronological order in a binder. This will make it easier when it comes to study time, they’ll be able to know which dates the notes are from, making it easier to study in chronological order. 

4. Use Loose-Leaf Paper for Note Taking

Take notes on loose-leaf paper. Make sure that students hole punch and add all of the handouts, assignments, quizzes, tests, etc. to their binder. Keep everything they’ve collected from the entire chapter or unit in chronological order.

5. Think Before You Write

Before a student writes anything down, encourage them to think about what the teacher is saying. Rather than writing everything the teacher says, choose only important phrases, terms, and concepts that they need to focus on when they’re about to sit down to study.

6. Use Examples and Stories 

Have students write down the stories and examples that teachers use to illustrate points during class. These examples and stories are very important in creating connections in students’ brains. They help jog memory while studying and while writing tests and exams.

7. Look For Clues While Note-Taking

Helping students to recognize cues that teachers give to indicate that something is important. For instance, they may repeat something several times, change the volume or tone of their voice, write it on the board or overhead, or create lists for students. 

If your student misses the initial cue but later realizes that they should have written the material down, just ask the teacher to repeat what they just said.

8. Leave White Space in the Notes

Students should leave spaces between sections of notes, so they can add comments as they review, study or re-read notes. Plus, having white space in your notes helps students not feel overwhelmed. White space helps to give calmness to the eyes and is not overwhelming to look at or read. 

There are many ways to create white space in your notes, check out this article, it does a great job breaking it down. 

9. Rewrite or Retype Your Notes 

Students should be encouraged to re-write or even retype notes to make them more organized and make studying easier. Re-writing notes also gives them a second chance to think about the material as they write or type it again. 

The more time that passes between taking the original notes and re-writing them, the less effective this strategy is, so prompt students to do their rewriting soon after they’ve taken the original notes. If a student’s handwriting is messy or difficult to read, typing will help the legibility of their notes when they’re studying. Learn more about pen and paper vs. typing in this article here. 

10. Read and Review After Note-Taking

Students should review their notes often. The more times they read them, the easier it is to commit their notes to memory and the less time they’ll spend studying them prior to a test or exam.

11. Get Professional Note-Taking Help 

If you require more assistance with paying attention in class, taking notes or studying, contact your nearest Oxford Learning location.

Oxford Learning Can Help

Contact your local centre today to learn more about how Oxford Learning can help your child to develop impressive note-taking skills. and get the most out of their education! 

Contact Us

The post How to Be a Note-Taking Superstar appeared first on Oxford Learning.

There are 4 main learning styles: Visual Learning, Auditory Learning, Kinaesthetic/Tactile Learning, and Read/Write Learning. Although there are many ways to take notes, some methods work better for certain learning styles than others.

Keep on reading to determine which learning style you are and which note-taking methods will work best for you.

Note-Taking Methods For Visual Learners

Characteristics Of Visual Learners

Visual learners understand information when they see it. These types of learners like to use images, diagrams, colours, and maps to learn and communicate information.

Visual learners are great at:

• Memory recall
• Organizing information
• Remembering images

Discover how to support your child’s study habits—read the full guide here.

The best note-taking methods for visual learners are methods that use pictures, diagrams, and colours. Organized notes are key for this type of learner (especially if they are colour coded!).

A great example of a note-taking technique for visual learners is the mind map strategy. This method allows you to make connections between ideas and organize the information in a way that makes sense to you. These maps can include doodles, colours, and shapes to help with memory recall.

Follow these steps to create a mind map:

• Start with a central idea in the middle of the page
• Add ‘branches’ for each key topic or theme
• Add ‘sub-branches’ with key phrases or diagrams to explain the key topics

Quick Tip:

A great way for visual learners to keep their notes organized is to use colour. Different coloured pens or highlighters can help you to organize information and separate topics.

Note-Taking Methods For Auditory Learners

Characteristics Of Auditory Learners

Auditory learners best absorb information when they hear it. These types of learners prefer to learn information by listening.

Auditory learners are great at:

• Explaining ideas verbally
• Solving problems by talking them out
• Following verbal instructions  

Which Note-Taking Methods Work Best For Auditory Learners?

The best note-taking strategies for auditory learners allow you to listen and repeat the information. If available, recording the class with an audio recording device is a good option. This allows you to listen during class and when studying, using the audio recording to listen again.

Another good example of effective note-taking for auditory learners is speaking aloud and recording. This method allows you to record yourself explaining topics verbally. You can then use the recording to listen to the material on the bus, walking to school, while doing chores, etc.

If audio recording isn’t an option, another strategy you can use for note-taking is to listen then write, instead of listening and writing at the same time. This means:

• Listening and absorbing the information first
• Gathering your thoughts
• Writing down summary points

Quick Tip:

Many auditory learners benefit from listening to music while they study written material. This may seem counterintuitive, but music can reduce background noise and help you to focus on the task at hand. Make sure you choose music without lyrics (such as classical music) to help avoid distraction.  

Note-Taking Methods For Kinaesthetic/Tactile Learners

Characteristics Of Kinaesthetic Learners

Kinaesthetic learners understand and learn by moving and doing. These individuals learn best by taking a ‘hands-on’ approach to learning.

Kinaesthetic/tactile learners are great at:

• Understanding gestures and body language
• Motor-memory (can replicate an action after doing it once)
• Understanding the ‘big picture’

Which Note-Taking Methods Work Best for Kinaesthetic Learners?

The best methods of note-taking for tactile learners allow for some sort of engagement and/or movement. A great note-taking method for tactile/kinesthetic learners is writing notes on flashcards or note cards. Your study session should also include taking active breaks while writing notes or finding a way to release some energy while sitting for long periods of time.

Some strategies include:

• Squeezing a stress ball
• Getting up and walking around from time to time
• Chewing gum
• Tapping your foot

If available, typing notes on a laptop or other device can be a great way for you to create your notes. The act of typing involves both hands and can keep you busy and moving more than writing with one hand.

Quick Tip:

When making study flashcards, create actions for each card to help you remember the material. Another good way to use the flashcards is to sort them into piles. Create one pile for the material you know and are comfortable with and another pile for the material you need to study more.

Note-Taking Methods For Read/Write Learners

Characteristics Of Read/Write Learners

Read/write learners like to read to learn. These individuals prefer to write and read printed words to understand and convey information.

Read/write learners are great at:

• Organizing information into lists
• Remembering information they write down
• Conveying information through writing

Which Note-Taking Methods Work Best for Read/Write Learners?

Typically, these types of learners like to write out complete thoughts and use headings to organize information. A great note-taking strategy for read/write learners is the Sentence Method:

• Write down information in full sentence form
• Use headings to organize your notes by topic
• Stick to writing the most important points to keep up-to-speed with the teacher

Because read/write learners prefer to see printed words, this method is great when returning to the notes to study.

Quick Tip:

A great tip for read/write learners is writing information in the margins of handouts rather than just highlighting the content. This way, you can read the content and write to help you retain the information better.

Better Note-Taking For Your Learning Style

Finding out which type of learner you are is the first step in taking better study notes. By discovering and better understanding your own learning style, you can leverage these strategies to improve your quality of learning (and grades!).

For more tips and resources on note-taking and studying, check out these resources:

• How To Take Study Notes: 5 Effective Note Taking Methods
• The Complete Study Guide for Every Type of Learner
• Common Note-Taking Mistakes Students Make (& How to Fix Them)
• Common Types Of Test Takers (And Study Tips For Each)

The post How To Take Effective Study Notes Based On Your Learning Style appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Unfortunately, many students don’t know the most effective way to take notes in class. As a result, students are often left with study notes that are missing information, hard to understand, or unorganized.

The good news: there are many ways to build better note-taking habits. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the most common note-taking mistakes students make and how to fix them.

Top Mistakes Made When Note Taking & How To Fix Them

The Issue: Not Structuring Notes Properly

Many students record every word their teacher says in class and wind up with pages upon pages of notes. Though it’s great they are paying close attention in class, this makes deciphering which information is most important difficult when studying these notes.

The Fix: Use a Note-Taking Template

Sticking to a template is the best way to make sure notes are concise, structured, and comprehensive. Depending on what type of learning style your child prefers, one note-making strategy may work better than another.

Read through our note-taking guide and discover 5 different types of note-taking strategies your child can try.

The Issue: Not Using Highlighting Properly

Highlighting text can make reading notes easier for students. But a common mistake students make is highlighting too much of the information. Again, this makes the important information difficult for students to pull from their notes when studying.

The Fix: Only Highlight The Most Important Information

Highlighting sentences in a textbook should be used to bring attention to the most important points of a topic. A good rule to follow is only around 10-15 percent of each page should be highlighted.

Students also need to be sure that they are using what’s highlighted as a prompt to test their knowledge of the material—and not simply memorizing it.

To test their knowledge, students can copy a sentence highlighted in their textbook into their notebook. This will serve as a prompt. Then, have your child write down everything he or she remembers about that topic. Once finished, it’s time to see if any of the points are incorrect, missing information, or can be built on. This will help make sure your child is actually comprehending (not just memorizing) the material.

The Issue: Not Organizing Notes Correctly

Even if a student’s notes are well structured and concise, if they are not organized correctly it can be difficult to understand how they relate to other material. It’s important that students’ study notes are kept in order to make sure references to earlier material make sense.

The Fix: Include The Date On Class Notes

There’s a reason teachers have always encouraged students to record their name and the date on papers. It keeps the notes organized in chronological order and makes organizing that much easier.

There are a few ways to effectively organize notes:

The Issue: Only Reviewing Notes Before The Test

Students who only review their notes when a big test is looming are only making things harder on themselves. Since they haven’t reviewed the material in months, they are using valuable studying time to relearn the course.

The Fix: Take Time Each Night To Review

Reviewing the notes taken in class for up to 30 minutes every night can make a big difference in your child’s recall. Visiting the material on an ongoing basis allows him or her to identify any areas that need extra work, and get a better grasp for the course as a whole. Come exam time, he or she will only need to review the material rather than starting from square one.

Build Better Study Habits

HOW TO STUDY USING THE SPACED PRACTICE METHOD

I STUDY HARD, SO WHY DO I GET BAD GRADES?

11 BAD STUDY HABITS TO AVOID… AND BECOME A MORE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT

DAY OR NIGHT: WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO STUDY?

The post Common Note-Taking Mistakes Students Make (And How To Correct Them) appeared first on Oxford Learning.

One of the most effective ways to remember (and understand) what you are learning in class is to take effective notes in the classroom.

Why Are Effective Note Taking Skills Important?

Better notes will help you remember concepts, develop meaningful learning skills, and gain a better understanding of a topic. Effective notes will even lead to less stress when test time comes around!

Learning how to take better study notes in class helps improve recall and understanding of what you are learning because it:

• Ensures you are actively listening to what the teacher is saying
• Requires you to think about what you are writing
• Helps you make connections between topics
• Serves as quality review material for after class

Using different note taking strategies is important, especially as you progress through high school and transition to college or university. There are several note taking techniques you can use to start taking better notes in class.

Try these 5 methods to find the best note taking method for you!

The Cornell Method

The Cornell note taking method helps organize class notes into easily digestible summaries. This method is effective because the main points, details, study cues, and summary are all written in one place.

Advantages:

• Notes are neatly organized, summarized, and easy to review
• Allows you to pull out major ideas and concepts

What Does it look like?

The paper is divided into 3 sections: a 2.5” margin to the left, a 2” summary section on the bottom, and a main 6” in-class note section.

1. Use the main notes section to take notes during class.
2. Use the cues section to review your notes. After class, write down things you’ll need to remember and a prompt for each. You can also use this section for vocabulary words and study questions.
3. In the summary segment at the bottom, write a summary of your notes. This is where you will highlight the main points.

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The Mapping Method

The Mapping note taking method is a more visual way to organize your class notes. This technique is useful when learning about relationships between topics.

Advantages:

• Useful for visual learners who struggle with studying from notes.
• Helps you remember and connect relationships between topics.

What Does it look like?

The page is organized by topic. The main topics branch out into subtopics with detailed information about each.

How Do You Use It?

1. While in class, begin the map with the main topic.
2. Branching off the main topic, write a heading for each of the subtopics.
3. Write any important notes underneath each subtopic.
4. Continue the pattern.

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The Outlining Method

The Outlining note taking method uses headings and bullet points to organize topics. This method is most useful when learning about topics that include a lot of detail.

Advantages:

• Allows notes to be neatly organized.
• It is easy to see the relationship between topics and subtopics.
• It is easy to turn points into study questions.

What Does it look like?

Each section starts with a heading of the main topic. Each subtopic and supporting fact is written underneath the proper heading.

How Do You Use It?

1. During a lesson, begin your notes with a single bullet point and write the main topic.
2. Place the first subtopic below and indented slightly to the right.
3. List any details below your heading and slightly to the right.

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The Charting Method

Charting note taking method uses columns to organize information. This method is useful for lessons that cover a lot of facts or relationships between topics.

Advantages:

• Facts are organized and easy to review.
• Highlights key pieces of information for each topic.

What Does it look like?

The page is divided into columns labeled by category. The details of each category are filled out in the rows below.

How Do You Use It?

1. When information about a category is mentioned, jot it down underneath the proper column.
2. When the next topic begins move down one row and begin again.

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The Sentence Method

The Sentence note taking method is simply writing down each topic as a jot note sentence. This method works well for fast paced lessons where a lot of information is being covered.

Advantages:

• Jotting main points helps you determine which information is important and which is not.
• You are able to cover a lot of details and information quickly.
• Notes are simplified for study and review.

What Does it look like?

Each line on the page is a new and separate topic. To organize your notes even more, you can use headings for each main topic.

How Do You Use It?

1. Write down important information the teacher has emphasized. This can be in sentence form or point form.
2. Start a new sentence or point for each new detail.
3. Use headings to organize points by main topics.

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Better Grades Start With Better Notes

Taking organized and thoughtful notes can help improve your understanding and recall of what you have learned in class. Try these methods of note taking in your next classes and see which one works best for you!

Check out our video for more tips on how to boost note-taking confidence.

To learn other ways to make school a breeze, visit the resource section or learn how Oxford Learning’s tutoring programs can help you build skills to become a better learner.

The post How To Take Study Notes: 5 Effective Note Taking Methods appeared first on Oxford Learning.

According to an article posted on fastcompany.com, a report by Scientific American finds that “reading is topographic. As you read something, you structure out its content in your mind … just as you mentally map a trail as you ascend a mountain, your brain plots the line-by-line journey your eyes walk through a book.”

So what does this mean? It means that we understand and remember information better if we read it from a page than from a screen. When asked to recall information, our brains will remember where on a page we have read the information, aiding in recall. Studying notes from a computer screen or tablet, does not give our brains the same context as reading the information from a textbook or a series of printed pages. “The infinite scroll of a website or clicked pagination of an e-reader doesn’t supply the same cartographic clues … you only have access to the handful of paragraphs present on the screen with the rest of the text is hidden … which means you miss out on the contextual information you receive ambiently by holding a book in your hands.”

Coupled with the increased chance of getting distracted or procrastinating when online, it just makes sense: students should write/print their study notes out on paper, grab their textbooks, and turn off screens to study effectively!

Turn academic challenges into success stories—find out how here.

The post Studying Tip: Read From Paper, Not Screens! appeared first on Oxford Learning.

But just how do you create study notes, and what should you look for? The main thing to remember when creating study notes is summarize, summarize, summarize! Study notes are all about the art of condensing.

Here’s how to begin:

1. Grab a pen and paper. To maximize the benefit of studying, study notes should be written out by hand. Studies show that the act of writing is more beneficial than typing study notes on the computer.
2. Write down Key Words. Start by identifying all subject headings/subheadings/bolded words. These are the main ideas of each section and unit, and identify what the section is about.
3. Summarize. Under each heading, summarize the information. Use bullet points. Be brief. The point is to jot down the main ideas, not re-write the chapter.
4. Paraphrase. Read over a sentence and then say it back using your own words. What two or three words stand out as most important? Write those down.
5. Get Messy! These are your study notes, so develop a system that works for you. Colour code. Triple Underline. Sketch. Whatever will help you remember—and understand—is what will make your study notes successful.

Set your child up for academic success—explore our expert guide.

As you practice creating study notes, you’ll get better and better at picking out the main messages and the key words to remember. This means that your study notes themselves will condense. The first time you create your own study notes, your might have multiple pages; as time goes one, you’ll be able to summarize your study notes onto on single, easy-to-refer-to page.

Want more information about creating study notes or other study tips? Your local Oxford Learning Centre can answer all your questions, and tell you all about a program that can help make studying and learning easier. Call today!

The post A Simple Guide to Study Notes appeared first on Oxford Learning.

New research shows that the physical act of handwriting stimulates critical activity in specific areas of the brain that develop a sort of visual memory of words and letters.

In the study, researchers asked two groups to learn an unknown alphabet. One group studied the alphabet by writing the letters out by hand. The other group read solely off computers.

It shouldn’t surprise you that the group who wrote the letters out had better recall and did better on tests of the alphabet.

The Take Away:

There are many ways to go about the process of studying. One of the tried-and-true study techniques is creating notes using pen and paper.

It may seem an old-fashioned practice given the abundance of personal technology that students have at their fingertips; however, the act of physically writing creates a “motor memory” in the brain that helps both the brain, and the body, remember.

So if you want to maximize your study time, improve recall on tests, and get better grades, grab and pen and paper, open your textbook or notebook, and start making study notes!

Give your child the tools they need to thrive—check out the guide today.

The post Make Studying Hands-On appeared first on Oxford Learning.

Their argument is that  handwriting skills are essentially irrelevant because the majority of the time, student work is done on the computer.

Some schools are even doing away with teaching cursive handwriting beyond the primary grades, preferring to  focus on keyboarding skills and other digital communication.

Even so, proper cursive writing still has its place in education. Yes, more and more students use the computer for their assignments, but keyboarding skills can’t help when writing exams or tests, or when taking notes in class–not everybody has a laptop!

You might argue that printing works just as well during exams and for taking notes in class… if you can print what is the purpose of cursive? The answer is that when time is limited, cursive writing is quicker and more fluid because the pen doesn’t leave the page as much as with printing, and there are fewer stops and starts. This means that you can write more during an exam, or take down more of what the teacher said during class.

But, like everything else, practice makes perfect. You’ve got to practice penmanship daily, or you’ll end up with comments about illegibility on your tests.

Want to read more about handwriting? Read our post about neatness here.

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