The UPSC civil service examinations are considered one of the most prestigious examinations in India. Thousands of students write the test each year, but only a handful ace the examination with flying colours.
We all know that the UPSC examination comprises a humongous syllabus, and one of the most effective techniques that toppers and experts swear by is making and studying notes for the examination.
The UPSC examination comprises a wide array of subjects, and to memorise every piece of information before your final exams, you need notes as your backup. Notes act as an excellent medium for revision, however, it is important to understand what to include in your notes and what to leave behind.
There are a few strategies that you can incorporate into your notes that will establish themselves as important learning materials in the long run. If you want to learn how to make effective notes for your examination, stick to the end of the article as we share all the details.
The first step in your note-making process is to read your textbooks thoroughly. But avoid making notes in the first round of reading itself. During your first reading, underline or highlight what you deem important.
Next, during the second reading, go through the highlighted areas. This will help you to understand the critical points of the chapter. Incorporate those points in your notes.
You can always consider going digital for making notes. You cannot make the perfect note on your first try. You have to keep room for improvement, which cannot always be managed on pen and paper. Going digital is time-efficient as well as gives you access to infinite alterations. You can save notes on your drive, thus eliminating the fear of losing them.
But many individuals might not feel comfortable making notes digitally. For those, you can prepare notes on loose A4 papers instead of registers.
Now while making the notes, practice writing your answers in bullet form. Writing your answers in points will keep them crisp and easily understandable.
Completing the entire paper within the given time frame is always a challenge during the final examinations. Therefore, writing in points is always preferred over long paragraphs. Always prepare short notes containing the most important information for your subjects. The UPSC syllabus is humongous, and preparing compressed notes will make the revision process easier.
You can also create template answers for your subjects. You will face a time crunch in your final examinations, and having template answers will prove to be time efficient. After reading a subject or a particular topic, jot down the questions related to the part and create the template answer accordingly. You can follow the techniques of branching or linear notes.
As mentioned, you should write your notes as you would write your answers in your main examinations. While preparing your notes, use hierarchy charts or flowcharts to make your revision easier. Using this technique in your main examination will also help in fetching better marks in the examination as it makes the job easier for the examiners. You can especially use this technique in subjects like Polity which include a lot of questions pertaining to Government schemes and policies.
Having a diagrammatic view of the answers helps in retaining the information better. You should always include current affairs in your answers.
Read newspapers as they contain information directly related to your subject. If you wish to know how to make notes from newspaper editorials, head over to our website, where we have created a detailed guide.
Bottom Line
Making notes is important to ace the examination. Preparing your customized study notes will help in providing conceptual clarity and will aid to write your answers in an organized, thoughtful, and logical way. Additionally, making notes provides writing practices that will give you an upper hand during the examination.
To encapsulate the article, to kickstart your note-making process, go through your topic first, and highlight the important points. On the second reading, go through the highlighted portions. Link your notes to the given syllabus. The general structure that you should follow is "what-when-why-how-current relevance-final comments''.
You can use your personal abbreviation system. Jot down the Mains questions from those portions, and create a template answer accordingly. Your notes should contain the principal concept and therapies, the key highlights, real-life illustrations or examples, charts/ diagrams, a timeline, definition/ quotation if any and a final summarization of the points.
After making the notes, do not forget to revise your notes regularly. Scan the outline and it will help you to retain the information more easily. For more such practical tips on note-taking, head over to our website.