Many students struggle with preparation for upcoming maths exams. They find themselves spending hours to complete all of the revision questions from their teacher, and still, as soon as they sit down to do the exam their mind wipes completely blank! This can happen for several reasons; common nerves or stress, a shock from seeing unexpected and tricky questions, or confusion because the teachers didn’t include the exact questions from the revision material, only questions that test the same concepts.

My solution? Math notes! I know it may seem and feel silly to make notes on a subject that isn’t tested on theory and instead the concepts, yet by building clear, organised notes can help shift your mindset to be able to identify which topic and skills you need to utilise to combat each individual question (instead of memorising a list of constricting questions)! In doing so, you are able to build the way you understand and retain information.

The best way to layout your notes is to have them by topic, as well as organising them into each sub-topics (i.e. for each chapter). When writing each formula, if you don’t already understand and have it memorised by heart, it is best to add in a fun mnemonic to help you remember it, as well as highlight what each component/variable means in each equation.

If you approach a topic that is particularly difficult, it will definitely help if you include examples of complex questions that you have done to help you remember the applications of the formulas needed! Not only does writing notes help you in the future before the exam for some final revision, but it also helps you process the material more thoroughly; allowing better recall in the exam room!

Sarah Constantinidis