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How many resources for notes? (1 Viewer)

swagmeister

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Hey guys, first of all lets get keen for the HSC next year :headbang:

How many resources should you be using at once to make your notes?

I saw some tips from this guy who got 99.95 on the Matrix education blog and he said you should always have 5 resources in front of you that you read and then integrate to make notes. I have tried this for Economics, using 2 textbooks, the excel guide as well as the Internet sometimes but it is taking a ridiculous amount of time and my notes are ending up like another textbook...

Would it be best to just use one or two resources to make notes and then briefly skim through some other ones like study guides once you are done that topic to make sure you aren't missing anything critical?
 

Thunderstorm

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Make larger notes from the five sources, then constantly cut it down and simplify them. This way, you don't miss anything critical and you continually revise the content. This is in a perfect world of course, it takes time.
 

Fiction

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It shouldn't look like a textbook if you have a base and you're just adding what other textbooks haven't mentioned. And I don't mean by just a different phrasing - like small details that actually haven't been mentioned. Note that you don't need more examples/case studies and such ify ou feel you have enough. You could try having different sets of notes if yours are still continually getting unbearably thick notes. Like your first set is all the n otes you've compiled from 5 resources, your second could be a summary of your first, your third a summary of your second etc, until you've got an appropriately condensed version of your first. Idk, I've never tried it, but my careers adviser suggested doing it way back in year 11. Being the lazy dumpling I am, I didn't bother, but it's always a choice you could make :)

On another note, I think 2-3 resources is enough on most occasions, unless you have a really vague textbook/resource.
 

swagmeister

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It shouldn't look like a textbook if you have a base and you're just adding what other textbooks haven't mentioned. And I don't mean by just a different phrasing - like small details that actually haven't been mentioned. Note that you don't need more examples/case studies and such ify ou feel you have enough. You could try having different sets of notes if yours are still continually getting unbearably thick notes. Like your first set is all the n otes you've compiled from 5 resources, your second could be a summary of your first, your third a summary of your second etc, until you've got an appropriately condensed version of your first. Idk, I've never tried it, but my careers adviser suggested doing it way back in year 11. Being the lazy dumpling I am, I didn't bother, but it's always a choice you could make :)

On another note, I think 2-3 resources is enough on most occasions, unless you have a really vague textbook/resource.
Great advice, I think that most of the reason my notes are so so long right now is cause a lot of the information is the same but phrased differently, I'm thinking to make my base notes then create a more concise summary for each topic. Also every time there is a sentence in my textbook I think ahhh what if they ask a very specific question where I need to know that thing and it must be worded this way (like for some words I have 3 different definitions). Probably just the nerves kicking in, cause I'm prelim my notes were brief yet I managed to top my classes for almost all the yearlies cause I knew them well. Also as I start doing past papers and getting an idea of some of the questions then I can add more stuff.
 

Fiction

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Great advice, I think that most of the reason my notes are so so long right now is cause a lot of the information is the same but phrased differently, I'm thinking to make my base notes then create a more concise summary for each topic. Also every time there is a sentence in my textbook I think ahhh what if they ask a very specific question where I need to know that thing and it must be worded this way (like for some words I have 3 different definitions). Probably just the nerves kicking in, cause I'm prelim my notes were brief yet I managed to top my classes for almost all the yearlies cause I knew them well. Also as I start doing past papers and getting an idea of some of the questions then I can add more stuff.
<3 Good luck! C:

LOL I did the same thing in eco, which was one of the reasons why I dropped it. I figured I didn't need more paranoia. On the other hand, the best responses in Eco are the specific ones. If it's working for you, then it's up to you whether you want to change or not. Don't stress too much on notes and their aesthetics c: The main function of notes (if not the only) is to help you know our content. How you apply it is then usually practiced through past papers.

Maybe consider compiling your notes in a manner where you a treating the summary point like a question?
 

Hi there444

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I will later upload my notes on BOS, that I have put enormous efforts into throughout the year as soon as I am done. I tried not to miss anything so it will probably help.
 

turntaker

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If you are doing physics and chem you don't have to make notes.
Just focus on understanding the concept and do a lot of questions.
You can find a good set of notes here and revise that from time to time.
Questions + understanding = Better
Notes = Waste of valuable time
 

Fiction

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If you are doing physics and chem you don't have to make notes.
Just focus on understanding the concept and do a lot of questions.
You can find a good set of notes here and revise that from time to time.
Questions + understanding = Better
Notes = Waste of valuable time
All comes down to personal preference c:
 

dan964

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If you are doing physics and chem you don't have to make notes.
Just focus on understanding the concept and do a lot of questions.
You can find a good set of notes here and revise that from time to time.
Questions + understanding = Better
Notes = Waste of valuable time
Are Notes = Waste of valuable time???
maths, yes - make notes in class
physics, maybe.
chemistry, no. You do need to rote learn a lot in chem and just regurgitate in exam rather than Physics that needs you to understand concept.
english, no
 

BLIT2014

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For economics; 2 textbooks,newspaper articles, RBA/ ABS for Statistics and sometimes class notes...
 

mailcarrier

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For English notes, I usually do a google search with the letters "pdf" at the end, that way I end up with scholarly material and usually end up using bits and pieces from here and there.
 

rumbleroar

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Hey guys, first of all lets get keen for the HSC next year :headbang:

How many resources should you be using at once to make your notes?

I saw some tips from this guy who got 99.95 on the Matrix education blog and he said you should always have 5 resources in front of you that you read and then integrate to make notes. I have tried this for Economics, using 2 textbooks, the excel guide as well as the Internet sometimes but it is taking a ridiculous amount of time and my notes are ending up like another textbook...

Would it be best to just use one or two resources to make notes and then briefly skim through some other ones like study guides once you are done that topic to make sure you aren't missing anything critical?
When I made notes (I only made "notes" for English and one other subject) I only really needed one textbook or a few websites for extra information. I don't think it's very necessary to have 5 textbooks in front of you, because too much information can be extremely overwhelming. I recommend having 2-3 just for cross-referencing and checking which resource has a better way of explaining X concept or Y theorem.

I think you should only need to turn to extra resources if you feel another place explains it better, or if you want deeper knowledge on a certain issue. Otherwise its just a waste of time. It's also very dependent on the person who is studying whether or not they prefer having extra resources. I think learning how to apply the knowledge (e.g. doing past papers and homework) is more valuable than writing notes because you're forced to engage with what you've learnt.
 

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