Revision and Note-taking Tips and Techniques: Use Colour to Remember and Organise Notes

A key factor of revision and note-taking that students can sometimes overlook is the importance of colour in notes. There is a lot of information you have to synthesise and to do this effectively, you need to try to make certain information stand out from other information.


Here's an example: You have to learn about Ancient History, the areas within this topic are: 'religion and belief in Ancient Egypt', 'Political systems throughout Ancient Egypt', and 'Magic and superstition'

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You need to find a way to colour-code effectively to make various part of each topic stand out. How will you colour-code for each topic? Assign a colour to each area under one of the main topics, such as area 'Gods in Ancient Egypt' under the topic 'Religion and Belief in Ancient Egypt'. You could assign this yellow and everything about gods can be found in yellow. Do the same for other topics so each main idea within the sub-topic stands out and has its own colour. In the example, if you come across information about gods in 'Magic and superstition' you can continue using the colour you have already assigned for gods. Colour-coding means you can instantly take one look at your notes and see which topics appear. In the exam, you will be able to recall the colour in order to remember the information.


To colour-code you need to invest in some resources, and it is easier to get a set of good quality pens, pencils, highlighters and notebooks all of these in one go. Colour-coding is much easier when you have more colours to choose from. So you need to have enough tools that provide you with a wide range of colours from which to choose. If you only have a few colours and tools you will limit your colour-coding efforts, and the use of colour will feel ineffective. Give yourself more colours and you will find your efforts well spent, as you can assign more colours to different topics and ensure you can differentiate between topics. Buying from Amazon is a good choice, there's probably already a book or something else you need to purchase from Amazon's large scale store, so you can get a nice bundle together. Links below.


To summarise: 

• Colour-code areas within larger topics.
• Be consistent with the colours you use.
• Use a wide variety of tools - coloured pens, coloured pencils, coloured paper, and highlighters - to get a wide range of colours, so your colour-coding efforts will be effective, and your efforts will be fruitful. 

Coloured Pens Range


Excellent Quality Notebooks


If you want to create elaborate mind-maps, it is good to invest in colouring pencils (they're not just for kids!). I advise colouring pencils here because you can get greater detail and a wider range of colours and shades, for examples of what I mean please refer to the Mind Maps post.


Coloured Pencils for Mind Maps, Diagrams and more.


For those of you who want something chunky - try coloured marker pens.


Get a Greater Range of Coloured Highlighters to have more colours to choose from for your Colour-coding.


Coloured Paper

Revision and Memory Tips and Techniques: Use Rhyme and Rhythm to Improve Your Memory.

A study tip that is often told to students is to use rhyme and rhythm as a revision technique. This article provides more information on this sometimes under-used method.

1. The use of rhythm comes naturally to people, and it is considered a natural and intuitive way to learn. You can test this out for yourself, you are more likely able to remember a song’s lyrics or a rhythmic poem than you would a list of points or keywords.

2. You can also use a song you like (a good chance to get out your MP3 player or ipod) and alter the lyrics to help your remember keywords or phrases that are essential for your exam. This memory technique allows you to be particularly creative and inventive.

3. Five Memory Techniques

This resource provides you with an example of how to put the rhyming revision/memory technique into practice.

4. Rhyme and Rhythm as a memory or revision technique can be especially useful when learning a new language, and teachers often provide students with songs and resources to introduce new topics to their students. Rhyme can also be a good way to remember a set of 
formulae or complicated equations.

Learn faster:

Exams in full swing, lack of time to revise and study, find out about Accelerated Learning from super-cool Amazon and save yourself time and effort for this year's exams, or for a pre-term warm-up (so you are ready for the new academic year, some may think it's nerdy but it will help you out!) Or find out more about the Learn More, Study Less: The Video Course.

Learn Faster With Accelerated Learning

Revision and Study Tips and Techniques: Use Acronyms to Improve your Memory

Here is a Revision Tip and Technique that can make a real difference in an exam. (All the resources, links to products such as Wall Planners and much more are designed to help make a real difference in your studying and exams, so check them out via the right hand sidebar!)


1. Pick the first letter of each word or phrase that you need to remember. e.g. Lion, Elephant, Tiger.


2. If the letters make up a phrase you can understand and remember you can keep it, or you can rearrange the first letters of each word to make up another Acronym that is easier for you to remember. So in our example above you could use LET or TEL. 


This technique can be especially useful in the pressures of exam conditions. Remember to bookmark or subscribe to this blog as I am always adding new resources and information for your all your studying needs!


Good Luck and Happy Studying!

Copyright © M.Dunn studyguidedirectory.blogspot.com 

Revision and Memory Tips and Techniques: Revision Cards/Flash Cards

A key part of revising for exams is the need to recall quite a lot of information ‘on demand’ for the style of questions set in the exam. Getting the information to ‘stick’ is a common complaint amongst students. A nice revision tip and technique to ensure you remember more information is to summarise the information onto an index card. They can be called Revision Cards or Flash Cards.


1. Think of words that sum up a section or topic that you need to recall for an exam.


2. Write that keyword onto one side of the card. If you want to, you could write more detail about the topic on the other side of the card. Try to keep the material succinct though, and do not write too much. If you need to write more transfer to A4 paper.


3. Alternatively, write a question on one side of the card, and the answer on the other side.


4. Test yourself by asking yourself the question or asking someone to ask you the question. Make the questions varied in difficulty.


5. Build up a set of revision cards and organize them for each subject area.


6. Colour-code the cards and information so that material is instantly recognisable and organised. For this use either, coloured index cards or coloured pens. 


7. Draw a picture or diagram on the index card if you think it sums up the information better than a phrase. Keep it simple and not too large.


Further Revision Cards Resources

Cheap Revision Cards


GCSE Revision Cards - Ready-Made on a Wide Variety of Subjects

Includes GCSE Flash Revise pocket books. If you want pre-made Revision/Flash cards and a question and answer style revision guide, look no further. Covers a wide range of subjects. Saves you the trouble of having to think up of all the questions and answers yourself. Cuts down note-taking time. Find out if your subject is up there!


AS and A2 Level Revision Cards - Ready-Made on a Wide Variety of Subjects


AS and A Level Flash Revise Covers a range of subjects – find out if your subject is up there. Ready-Made Quick Fire Questions and Answers. If you want pre-made Revision/Flash cards and a question and answer style revision guide, look no further. Covers a wide range of subjects. Saves you the trouble of having to think up of all the questions and answers yourself. Cuts down note-taking time.

Good Luck and Happy Studying!

Copyright © M.Dunn studyguidedirectory.blogspot.com 

Revision and Study Timetables: Wall Planners

You may already have a daily or weekly revision/study timetable. You may have created it on your computer and printed it off.

However, for your next revision/study timetable, why not try a reusable, easy to use and fun wall planner? These wall planners are like whiteboards and markers pens can be used on them and the text you write can be easily wiped off. They come in weekly, monthly and yearly sizes. You can use them again and again, week after week, month after month and each and every year! They really are a study stationary must have.


TIP: If you have already created your study or revision timetable, why not  bookmark this post and keep this tip in mind for next time you need to plan your study and/or revision in the next academic year? That way you can get off to a brilliant and organised start as soon as the academic year starts. If you bookmark this post you can easily come back to it and browse when you are ready.

I have included a link to WhiteBoards with the Wall Planners, in case you are interested in using them for to-do lists, or studying in general. 

How will I benefit from a Wall Planner?

The benefits of a Wall Planner:

• Wall Planners are an excellent investment for all students (and anyone else for that matter). Prospective and current University students should seriously consider them for one additional important reason. University students are given a very loose timetable. You have to be able to quickly and easily organise yourself. This is much easier if you already have tools, such as a Wall Planner and a diary. Most people use a diary and it is a good organisational tool. But being able to know what you need to do, and what needs to be done for the day/week/month in one quick glance at your wall is incredibly useful. You can identify upcoming deadlines and plan accordingly, fitting in last minute plans easily and deftly. Find all the lectures, seminars and other organised activities you need to go to in a day/week/month. Improve your time management skills by easily finding time slots to fit in work for writing that essay due in next week or reading for a seminar. The type you choose will depend upon your personal preferences and studying requirements. Not only will you feel organised, you will be organised. 

• Wall Planners can be placed on your wall to display your activities for each day of the week. This way you can see what you need to get on with via one glance at your wall rather than flicking through reams and reams of paper.

• You may also be getting a bit tired of using note paper and books after note-taking for your revision. Using a wall planner will provide you with a welcome break. Not to mention – it’s eco-friendly! You will be drastically cutting down on paper in the form of diaries and note-book organizers.

• They are incredibly easy to use, just note down what you need to do each day with the marker pen and there are some wall planners which come with stickers to organize your activities. If you make a mistake or realize you are being unrealistic with the amount of work you are setting yourself – don’t worry! There really is no need for tip-ex, untidy scribbling out or to start your whole timetable over again. Just wipe off what you don’t need and start again. It makes life that much easier. 

• The great bit about a wall-planner is that you can change your timetable day by day. You can be more flexible and easily re-schedule if something unexpected comes up. 

• You can easily write your to-do list onto the wall planner to make sure you get more done. You will be giving yourself clear deadlines for your to-do list rather than just letting the list grow and grow.

• If you are the type who loves the idea of writing on a whiteboard, and being able to quickly edit your timetable with no fuss, there really is no reason for why you shouldn't have a Wall Planner.

TIP: Get a set of dry-wipe marker pens in a range of colors, to help make your Wall Planner colorful, much more interesting to look at, and to stock up on pens in case any pen included runs out! Links for colored marker pens are included are the end of this post.

Please Note: International Shipping is available on both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. Both of these Amazon websites ship products to the whole world, whether in Europe, Asia, Middle East, South America and so on. Wall Planners are usually unique to the respective UK or US site so if there is one type of Wall Planner that you particularly like and that would be a joy to use for you, it is well worth using international shipping. Please refer to Amazon's website for further details.

Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Yearly Wall Planners

A Huge Range of Wall Planners Available

Weekly and Monthly Wall Planners - Huge Variety


Yearly Wall Planners - Huge Variety


WhiteBoards for Study - If you are interested in investing in a WhiteBoard for to-do lists.

Coloured Marker Pens 


The Wall Planners sometimes come with one marker pen that is blue or black. It is a very worthwhile investment to get a set of Coloured Markers Pens, to further colour-code your activities, make it easier to identify activities and make your Wall Planner much nicer to look at! DryWipe/Erase Coloured Marker Pens can be used with Wall Planners and Whiteboards.

DryWipe Coloured Marker Pens

DryWipe/Erase Coloured Marker Pens


Good Luck and Happy Studying!


Copyright © M.Dunn studyguidedirectory.blogspot.com