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 Guides: GCSEs and AS Levels in a Week

Scenario: You only have a few weeks or less before your first exam. You feel that you have not revised enough and desperately want to do more. You need a quick and easy to digest revision guide that delivers all the main point for your subject.


Then: Check out GCSEs and AS Levels in a Week. Even if you're not in this scenario they are revision guides that are well worth looking into.  GCSEs and AS Levels in a Week are based on revision courses delivered in UK colleges. Links below.

Amazon has amazingly low prices on these revision guides. Amazon's prices beat the Letts and Lonsdale website’s half price deal on these books. AND Amazon’s books have Free Super Saver Delivery with no minimum purchase necessary,so even if you are buying only one book you still qualify for Free Super Saver Delivery. Be sure to check delivery estimates to make sure you get your book when you want it, as there are other delivery options available.

GCSE in a Week


AS Level in a Week


Good Luck!

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!


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