10 tips to make your summaries even more complete
There are several study techniques that can be very useful for the entrance exam. If you are a visual person, you like to study through colors, summaries and associations, we have good news: we will teach you how to make the famous study sheets.
These summary cards summarize the main points of the material in a visible and dynamic way – which is why many people love studying this way. When assembling your file, you leave your information organized and still fix the content in your mind.
– Okay, but how do I make the study sheets?
Good question! This method is not just about going out and writing various things on a small piece of paper. There is a whole scheme to follow. Discover 10 tips for making your study sheets:
- Organize your cards with titles and subtitles
To make your study even better, it needs to be well organized. So, before starting to assemble your file, make it very clear what subject we are talking about.
Example:
Title: 2nd World War
Sub topics: Context, factors, phases of the war, among others.
You can make a card for each topic or put some of them together – it all depends on how you prefer to organize it. The important thing is to always follow the same line of reasoning so you don’t get lost later.
- Choose the file format
There is not just one format to make your record. You can leave something more like a notebook, with topics aligned. Or, you can make a mind map with different associations and ramifications.
- Summarize the central idea
If we are going to put together a summary, the first thing to do is find the central idea – we will start with it and give it all the prominence. Based on this content, we will make our associations and note other important points.
- Don’t forget to score details
Okay, we are talking about a form with limited space, but be
sure to point out the important details for your studies. This information will make all the difference in your study and will give you a greater understanding of the subject.
- Use strategic colors
If colors already make your abstract beautiful, dynamic and flashy, how about you take advantage of them to create “codes”?
For example, whenever you have some detail in yellow, you can be more relaxed, because you understood this part of the article. When you find something in purple, pay special attention, as it’s still not very clear.
Create your own codes and study strategically with colors.
- Assemble graphics or illustrations
The cards are usually engraved in our photographic memory. This happens because they are always colored, with graphics, arrows, drawings and any other content that helps us understand the subject.
Use and abuse these elements. This makes your study lighter and increases the chance that you will remember when taking the test.
- Avoid abbreviations
“What is this really?”.
Ever wonder if you waste time every time you try to guess what you wrote? If you want advice, avoid abbreviations or totally unfamiliar terms.
The synonyms are there for that and your file doesn’t need to have a technical language.
- Don’t leave space on your card
Work well with the space you have. Make sure you don’t run out of space on your card – and don’t keep squeezing your handwriting to fit everything.
- Inform the bibliography
A tip that may not make much sense now, but that will be very useful later on, is to annotate the entire bibliography. Indicate where you got this information from your summary.
If you need to complete your studies, you’ll know what you’ve seen. Or if you need to use it in an academic work, you’ll know where to go deeper.
- If necessary, clean it up
Do not hesitate to clean your material. If any erasure happens or if it doesn’t look very good, make your record again. It’s not even that long, it will be quick!
