THE ART OF NOTE MAKING

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Keep Your Notes Precise: Note-making is an important part of preparation. The aim is to convert large textbooks into concise material that can be revised quickly. During my preparation, I condensed the Psychology syllabus into around 300 pages of notes. Your notes do not have to follow the same limit, but they should be short, clear and easy to revise.

Don’t Overuse the Highlighter: Read and understand the topic first. Then highlight only important definitions, psychologists, theories, experiments, dates, formulas and key findings. Convert these into short bullet points or keywords instead of rewriting complete paragraphs.

For example:

Short-Term Memory:

Capacity = 7 ± 2 chunks — Miller

Duration = approximately 15–30 seconds without rehearsal

Use Associations: Connect concepts with personal experiences or familiar examples. For example, conditioned taste aversion reminded me of a friend who became sick after eating biryani and later felt nauseated even by its smell. In my notes, I could simply write “Rohit’s Biryani → Conditioned Taste Aversion.” Such associations can make difficult concepts easier to remember.

Use Flowcharts and Diagrams: Processes, pathways and stages are often easier to remember visually. Use flowcharts for topics such as neural pathways, memory models, developmental stages and research procedures. Try drawing them from memory during revision.

Look for Patterns and Sequences: Pay special attention to stages, chronological orders and pathways. For example:

Piaget: Sensorimotor → Preoperational → Concrete Operational → Formal Operational

Auditory pathway: Auditory Nerve → Cochlear Nucleus → Superior Olive → Inferior Colliculus → Medial Geniculate Nucleus → Auditory Cortex

Questions can test both the underlying theory and the correct sequence, so understand the concept rather than memorising the order alone.

Revise Through Active Recall: After making your notes, close them and try to recall the concept without looking. You can also turn headings into questions and test yourself regularly. Notes are most useful when they are used for revision and retrieval rather than simply reread.

Maintain a Mistake List: Whenever you answer a previous-year question incorrectly, note down the concept and why you made the mistake. Revising these errors regularly can prevent you from repeating them in the examination.