Hi onepunchboy! Although i have only done Chemistry in Year 11, I have done bio and senior science and learned that studying for a science subject is universal amongst all the sciences. What i have below are just some general ideas on how to make good study notes but I cannot emphasise how important it is to use more than just past papers and pages of notes!! Surely, these are important but you will not be able to complete a past paper unless you know content, and knowing content does not easily come (for me at least) from staring at pieces of paper.
Having said that, it is absolutely essential that you know your BOSTES verbs. You cannot expect to get full marks by outlining in a describe question, or discussing in a evaluate question. Some definitions (pls correct me if i am wrong but i dont think i am) are shown below.
Outline - sketch in general terms
Describe - provide characteristics and features
Identify- name and label
Do we know the difference between these? How about the differences between Assess, Evaluate and Discuss? (In all of them you have to make a judgement)
notes should not just be page after page on paper- you will not remember slabs of information as well as key dot points and words (its scientifically proven
) Consider some of these ways if you just want to use paper:
-Diagrams
-Pictures
-Flow Charts
-Colour Code
However, you may be like me and simply cannot stare at a wad of paper all day and expect to learn something from it. Try these creative ideas and see if one works for you
-challenge friends via kahoot or have some sort of competition- really fun way to learn as noone wants to come last! Jeopardy, fill in the blank, 60 seconds are all great games to play!
-flash/palm cards (these are great for definitions or terminology)
-mnemonics(my personal favourite- just make sure you can remember them- it could be about a teacher you dont like, a friend you make fun of or something just so absurd it sticks in your head) Consider this: I am in Year 3 learning my colours of the rainbow and a way to remember it that I've never forgotten is Ran Over Your Garbage Bin In Vegas (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Needless to say 9 years later I can still remember it with pin point accuracy
-Don't want to study? Don't then! Just stick post it notes all around the house, on your door, your desk, your phone cover, the shower, your mirror anywhere that you can think of! Youll be surprised how much you can recall from this. I'll use another example (oh here you go you're thinking but ill promise itll relate eventually :p). There is only one way to get to the bathroom from my room and thats down a long corridor/hallway. I tend to read things and like 99% of the population, don't get up until the sun is well and truly up so it is light. I put each paragraph of my essay on that wall leading down the hallway, and my exam was 3 weeks away. I only wrote it out once to see if I could in the time limit and hey presto! I get in the exam and remember it word for word.
-My final one ( yes, last one I promise) is not to have any notes at all but key terms and a container/hat. Negotiate with yourself how many you will pull out of a hat (one at a time and make it more than 3
) and spend 3 or so minutes writing down everything you know that will relate to this. This is actually a really effective way to study as you don't know what will be asked next, and you will know immediately if you dont know something. I also kept a tally on how many times a card got drawn out so I knew if it was higher than the rest its time for a good shuffle but you dont have to do that
Finally rant over! Thank goodness I wasn't writing this out on paper otherwise half of NSW's koalas wouldve had to migrate
. There is just a few options up there for studying so try and think of some more. Sure everyone has to study but why not make it fun? Anyway, just my input. Take it or leave it
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