the only THREE note pages you'll ever need to use | tested as a Cambridge student

Main Ideas

The presenter’s central point is that note-taking is useful when it helps you process and understand material—not when it becomes copying. She recommends making notes in your own words, focusing on ideas and concepts rather than rewriting source material sentence by sentence. This takes more effort initially, but helps build understanding as you make the notes and makes later revision more efficient.

General Note-Making Principles

• Write in your own words for explanations, analysis, case studies, and concepts.
• Copy certain material exactly when needed, including:
  • Definitions that must be reproduced word for word.
  • Equations, graphs, flowcharts, or diagrams that need to be memorised accurately.
• Work with chunks of information, such as a theory, argument, process, or case study, rather than reformulating individual sentences.
• Use multiple sources when helpful to understand an idea before explaining it yourself.
• Keep each page focused on a specific topic or subtopic. Start with detailed notes that preserve nuance, then condense them as exams approach.

Three Note-Page Formats

1. Notes for Understanding and Analysis

Best suited to topics that require deep understanding or analytical answers.

• Give the page a specific title.
• Add a short section for keywords and definitions. For notes on a particular paper, use this space for its key ideas or processes instead.
• Use most of the page to create numbered questions about the material.
• Put the corresponding answers on the reverse side. Framing material as questions turns the notes into a revision and self-testing resource.
• Finish with a one- or two-sentence summary that captures the answer you would give if asked to explain the page’s topic.

2. Notes for Application and Numerical Subjects

Best suited to formula-based, mathematical, economic, or diagram-heavy material.

• Put a specific topic title in the centre of the page and divide the page into four sections.
• In the first section, include the relevant equation or diagram, with its variables, axes, units, and other details labelled.
• In the next section, explain what the equation or diagram says or shows—what it represents in isolation.
• In another section, create a step-by-step flowchart showing how to use it to solve a problem or answer a question.
• In the final section, include a worked example, ideally based on a past-paper question. If the solution is too long, put it on the reverse side.

3. Notes for Recall and Revision

This is a written form of blurting, intended for use when you already know a topic moderately well, such as before attempting practice questions.

1. Set a timer for about five minutes.
2. Use roughly one-third of the page to write what you can recall. Focus on the clearest explanation of the key idea rather than listing everything you remember.
3. Use about half the page to refine your attempt. Check a prepared note page or another resource, correct errors, add missing information, and improve the terminology.
4. Set the sheet aside and work on practice questions or another planned revision task.
5. Return to the sheet and fold or cover the earlier sections so you cannot see them.
6. Using the same prompt, write a clearer, more concise version from memory.
7. Compare it with the refined version to check whether your recall and explanation have improved.

Speakers and Sources

• Speaker: Presenter Erin Meryl, speaking from her experience as a Cambridge student.
• Learning sources mentioned: Lectures and lecture recordings, class notes, textbooks, YouTube videos, academic papers, other study resources, and past-paper questions. These are referenced as materials to consult, not as additional speakers in the video.