By Juliette Guyman and Samhita Holla
When it comes to taking notes on a thick chapter of the AP World History Ways of the World textbook, spending hours writing down every detail can feel unnecessary. This brings up the question of whether your time can be better spent doing something else. We have wondered this for quite some time, and through talking to our classmates, we have realized that the pages of notes each person takes varies greatly. Below, we will discuss our point of views, how many pages of notes we take, and our beliefs about spending time wisely while studying for AP World History.
We believe that taking a lot of notes is important as it makes studying a lot easier. When writing notes, our goal is to create a summarized version of the chapter that will be easy to read, especially when we need to refresh our memory before tests or quizzes. Writing down the relevant details is important, but even more, focusing on explaining the connections made in the textbook between different territories, peoples, religions, or powers serves as a helpful guide. More often than not, we find ourselves confused at what the textbook is trying to convey. This happens because we tend to forget information from the previous units, so it is very helpful to do a quick Google search to clear up the confusion. Another way to learn the material is by annotating your notes. For example, highlighting vocabulary words, dates, and important figures in a system that makes sense to you will make sure that the concept has been fully understood.
Although asking questions and writing a lot is extremely helpful for our minds, it is time consuming and may not be the best tactic for everyone. Some are more inclined to remember things that they write, while others are able to quickly internalize information by just reading. Additionally, writing is essential, but practice tests can be even more important. For many, practicing is the key to comprehending details better. Likewise, taking ten or more pages of notes for each chapter (front and back equating to two pages) while focusing on the difficult areas helps significantly.
Overall, the number of pages of notes a student takes varies significantly. Based on individual preferences and learning styles, some students prefer detailed, extensive notes, while others prefer concise summaries that only capture key points.