1. Transform It!

4. What do we mean by “transform it”?
“Transform it” means taking revision notes and changing them into a different form
The process of changing the information from one form into another means that you will think about it – and remember it better

5. The principle:
“I’m just going to read through my notes” is not actually revising.
In order to remember information effectively, your brain has to process it
You have to think about it in order to remember it properly

6. Time is wasted re-reading unnecessary words.
Your brain naturally prefers Key Words that represent the big picture. This means that:
Time is wasted recording words that have no bearing on memory.
Time is wasted re-reading unnecessary words.
Time is wasted searching for Key Words that have not been highlighted in any way and therefore blend in with the whole.
Time is wasted when the connections between Key Words are slowed down by non-essential connecting words.
Distance weakens associations between Key Words. The further apart they are, the weaker the associations.

7. Turn your notes into
A diagram:
Bar chart
Venn diagram
Mind map
Symbols
Bullet pointed lists
Audio recordings v=dABvuspS9Vo&feature=youtu.be
Post it notes
Flash / index cards
Questions
Tests
3D shapes
Timelines
And more…
Not all will be appropriate. You will have a preference. That’s fine.

8. The Cornell Note-making Method:

9. Example: Index Cards Method
Take a key poem from the English Literature anthology
Transform your notes into an index card
Themes & messages (side 1)
Language & structure (side 2)
Once you have a card for each poem, you can then focus on the question and sort through your cards to choose the best poems for the task.
AQA Poetry: Power & Conflict
Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘Ozymandias’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’.

10. Mnemonics
Mnemonics use the initial letters of a group of words to help remember them in order
They are really good for remembering sequenced information

11. Mind maps Your brain may not think in a linear way.
Rather, it may think in multiple directions simultaneously, starting from central trigger points: what Buzan calls Radiant Thinking.

13. Albert Einstein
Einstein was born in Germany in As a child, Albert hated school and his teachers thought he was rather “stupid”. In fact he was asked to leave school because his teachers found him disruptive. He was a very curious child and wanted to know how everything worked. When he was five years old, his father gave him a compass, which he loved and took apart to understand how it worked. When he was 12 he was given a geometry book, which he read from cover to cover, and so began his love of maths.
Einstein had several jobs. His first, ironically, was as a teacher. At first he failed the exam, but persisted and got the job. He then went to work in a patent office where he would look at new inventions. When his scientific papers became well-known, he was actively sought after by many universities. He worked in German universities for 17 years, until the Nazi reign, when he fled Germany because he was a Jew. He went to work at Princeton University in the USA for the rest of his life.
He made some amazing discoveries in his work, that changed much about the world. His first scientific paper was his Quantum Theory. He discovered that light travelled not only in waves, as previously thought. This discovery later led to the inventions, by others of the cinema and television. His second major discovery was his theory of Relativity. Daydreaming one afternoon, he imagined travelling on a beam of light, and dreamt that the universe is curved. This daydream led to his famous theory, E=MC2, and has led to many inventions for creating more powerful energy.
Although Einstein worked hard his whole life, he also had many things he enjoyed, and contributed them to his great brain. He loved music and played both the violin and piano to a very high standard. He went walking every day to relax and daydream and keep fit.
Einstein married twice, and with his first wife had two sons. He died in 1955 at the age of 76.

14. Key words: Albert Einstein
Einstein was born in Germany in As a child, Albert hated school and his teachers thought he was rather “stupid”. In fact he was asked to leave school because his teachers found him disruptive. He was a very curious child and wanted to know how everything worked. When he was five years old, his father gave him a compass, which he loved and took apart to understand how it worked. When he was 12 he was given a geometry book, which he read from cover to cover, and so began his love of maths.
Einstein had several jobs. His first, ironically, was as a teacher. At first he failed the exam, but persisted and got the job. He then went to work in a patent office where he would look at new inventions. When his scientific papers became well-known, he was actively sought after by many universities. He worked in German universities for 17 years, until the Nazi reign, when he fled Germany because he was a Jew. He went to work at Princeton University in the USA for the rest of his life.
He made some amazing discoveries in his work, that changed much about the world. His first scientific paper was his Quantum Theory. He discovered that light travelled not only in waves, as previously thought. This discovery later led to the inventions, by others of the cinema and television. His second major discovery was his theory of Relativity. Daydreaming one afternoon, he imagined travelling on a beam of light, and dreamt that the universe is curved. This daydream led to his famous theory, E=MC2, and has led to many inventions for creating more powerful energy.
Although Einstein worked hard his whole life, he also had many things he enjoyed, and contributed them to his great brain. He loved music and played both the violin and piano to a very high standard. He went walking every day to relax and daydream and keep fit.
Einstein married twice, and with his first wife had two sons. He died in 1955 at the age of 76.

15. Cornell Notes
School difficult – naturally curious but disruptive. Loved Maths. Patents office – inventions Fled Germany – Jewish – Princeton rest of life. Quantum theory – led to TV /’ Cinema Theory of Relativity: E=MC2 – led to energy inventions Loved violin and Piano – walked twice a day Married twice – 2 sons Died 1955 – aged 76.
Einstein born in Germany in hated school / thought “stupid”. Asked to leave as disruptive. Very curious / how everything worked. Age 5, compass / curious how it worked. 12 geometry book, began his love of maths.
Several jobs. First, a teacher. failed exam, persisted / got job.
Patent office - new inventions. Scientific papers became well-known, universities wanted him. Worked in German universities for 17 years,. Fled Germany because he was a Jew. Worked at Princeton University in the USA for the rest of his life.
Made some amazing discoveries in his work, changed the world.
Quantum Theory - light travelled not only in waves, as previously thought. Led to inventions, by others of the cinema and television.
Theory of Relativity. E=MC2 led to many inventions for creating more powerful energy.
Although Einstein worked hard had many things he enjoyed, and contributed them to his great brain. Loved music and played both the violin and piano to a very high standard. Walking every day to relax and daydream and keep fit.
Einstein married twice, and with his first wife had two sons. He died in 1955 at the age of 76.

17. Back to basics Make sure you know what is included in the syllabus
Note-making, not note-taking!
Copying the textbook out beautifully and scanning someone else’s notes are pointless exercises at this stage. For scientific concepts, you need to understand, rather than memorise.
It may help to draw diagrams or put examples equations in your notes – in biology, for instance, sketching a process like the cardiovascular system makes it easier to visualise and reproduce.

18. Make yourself a few flashcards or posters summarising important formula and how to use them. Include solved examples that you can mentally work through.
Don’t underestimate the power of the past paper – it does not matter how comfortable you feel unless you have trained your brain to think the way the examiner (or mark scheme) does.
Save yourself enough time to get through at least a few papers.