Highlighting & Remembering Notes (1 Viewer)

taeyang

Member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
335
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
First of all, I don't entirely see the help in highlighters; you highlight words midway through a sentence, or a sentence midway through a paragraph.... ok.... but you can't just highlight something without any context. I don't really know, I need help now before I place the foot (well, pen) down. How would I use a highlighter so it is beneficial? I see people in class highlighting so much it would be wiser to highlight the bits they aren't going to highlight in the first place!

Secondly, how do you remember notes, especially for something that isn't that interesting; I find myself sitting there at my desk just reading the same thing over and over and over and it just doesn't click. Physics? yes it does click. Maths? Well, that just goes without saying that practice makes perfect, but engineering??? no sir! I sit there an I swear I must have read Normalising and Tempering of Steels about 9 times and still don't remember it, then the more I get distraught the more I can't concentrate. So the question is; what is the most efficient way to remember notes (and understand it, not wrote learn)... thanks ^^

Thanks in advanced :3
 

michaeljennings

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
2,075
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
i like to highlight so that i dont have to waste time reading every word when i reread the passage
 

Trans4M

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
1,225
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2016
a matter of advice, PHD academics recommend you do not highlight like OP said, it makes no sense if there is no context. In fact people go overboard with highlighting and I have seen people highlight a whole paragraph.

It is still fine to highlight but when you do, write a little note next to what you highlight so you can remember it.

As for remembering notes, it is pretty much a matter of reading it and memorising it. You read it (preferably outloud), then try to write it and also if you can explain it to someone that means for sure you have memorised it.
 

aphorae

Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
536
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2017
a matter of advice, PHD academics recommend you do not highlight like OP said, it makes no sense if there is no context. In fact people go overboard with highlighting and I have seen people highlight a whole paragraph.

It is still fine to highlight but when you do, write a little note next to what you highlight so you can remember it.

As for remembering notes, it is pretty much a matter of reading it and memorising it. You read it (preferably outloud), then try to write it and also if you can explain it to someone that means for sure you have memorised it.
yeah I heard this too... but personally I use my highlighters for different reasons, e.g. in English, highlighting all my techniques in one colour, my explanation in one colour, link to question in another etc... then I can see what I'm missing out on or wasting time on easily if there's a lack of green etc.

some other subjects I highlight key words so I can find that section again later (e.g. 'the characterisation of X'), or I highlight a page number or down the side of the page next to a certain paragraph etc. I don't want to be searching the entire chapter or book for the paragraph related to 'Y'.

sometimes I'm reading random essays and I find nice phrases or specific words (you know that moment where you can't think of the perfect word?), so I highlight them so I can remember them/come back to them
 

pwoh

O_O
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
709
Location
Behind you
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2016
Maybe instead of reading over and over, try re-summarising the notes?
 

HKK

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Messages
132
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
it takes me sooooooo long to memorise notes. probs 1.5hr/page. but then after that i remember it word for word (all the highlighted bits).
 

jnney

lemon
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
1,437
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Lol. I know what you mean, some people go nuts over highlighting.

Try to pretend that you're explaining it to someone, or teaching the course as best as you can. Aloud. Or, have someone ask you questions about it.
 

michaeljennings

Active Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
2,075
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
yeah this annoying kid at my school highlights his whole english essay when he is memorising it
 

Carl5

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Messages
153
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Maybe use it to highlight key words to jog your memory. I do this for English and it helps me.
 

DforDANNY

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2009
Messages
123
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2015
There was an ad on tv shown earlier in the year saying colour helps in memory... it definitely sold me!

I don't even remember if it was an ad for a pen, or a highlighter ironically. Might not have even been for a stationary item.
 

taeyang

Member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
335
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
There was an ad on tv shown earlier in the year saying colour helps in memory... it definitely sold me!

I don't even remember if it was an ad for a pen, or a highlighter ironically. Might not have even been for a stationary item.
It was a set of pens I remember :3
 

TheCardician

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
81
Location
Menai, Sydney, NSW
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
For remembering notes, yeah I wouldn't memorise them. I would just read the content in the text book, then read the same concepts from different books and websites - as this gives you more of a better understanding of their contexts, makes their purpose more clear, and could be more easier to read and adapt to. Now to actually keep it in long term memory, I would do practice questions given in the text book, or preferably past paper questions as well. Hope this helps :)
 

imZerroo

Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2011
Messages
237
Location
Behind You
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
i usually dont highlight but when i do its some rule or formula that you have to remember. for example, remembering faraday's law, lenz's law, LCP etc. you have to memorise them and so i highlight them.

never highlight anything else from my own notes.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top