When taking detailed notes, you have to prepare your mindset to one that is ‘exploring’ the material rather than feeling forced to make as many notes as possible. There has to be a level of interest in the material which will then help at revision level. Even if you are not interested in the particular chapter you are reading, changing your mindset to one that is analysing and exploring the material and asking questions of the material you are reading will help you retain information.
For example, before starting the note taking and reading process on a particular chapter, you could do the following to help focus your mind on the chapter before commencing the detailed note taking process:
-Read the title of the chapter
-Read each subtitle (before reading the chapter it can help to turn headings into direct questions).
-Study illustrations on the chapter
-Read the study guide questions at the end of the chapter
-Read the summary
- Now get going with reading the chapter and detailed note taking.
Note down any questions that you have about the subject area. Once you can recall the information, you can start to review it. It is far easier to apply yourself in exams when you have made links in the material and have understood it by questioning and really diving in deep to each area you are studying, by exploring the subject.
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