Note-Making Crash Course: Helping Your Child Create Study Notes that Maximise Exam Performance

Note-making is still an essential skill for students, even in today’s tech-savvy world. Whether your child is in Year 7 or Year 12, creating effective study notes can transform their understanding, boost their memory, and save them hours of stress before exams. 

Here’s everything parents need to know about helping their child make better notes.

Why Do We Need Study Notes? 

With tools like YouTube and ChatGPT, it’s natural to wonder if note-making is outdated. The short answer? Not at all! 

There are two key reasons why students need to take notes: 

1. Understanding: Note-making forces students to process and summarise information. Deciding what information is important enough to go into their set of notes and what’s not helps them understand their class material on a deeper level. 

2. Memory Retention: Studies show that students who write down information are far more likely to remember it. This means your child can retain their need-to-know information now instead of re-learning it later and cramming before exams—a huge time and stress saver! 

When Should Students Take Study Notes? 

Parents often think of notes as something to make just before exams, but effective note-making happens throughout the school year. In actuality, there are two types of notes students should be making across their time at school: 

• Daily notes across the year. These notes are created during or after each class to help students understand and remember the material covered that day. If your child isn’t doing this right now, it’s Priority 1 in terms of changes you can help them make right now. It also means that if your child says they have no homework, this is the perfect time to ask: “Have you made your notes?” 

• Exam Summaries: Closer to exams, students should then condense their daily notes into a summary. These summaries are quicker to review and easier to memorise in the final weeks. 

  
  

Both types of notes are critical for success, but daily notes are the foundation. 

How Do Students Know What to Include? 

Whilst this question seems difficult, the answer is simple: 

• Years 7–10: Use the textbook as a guide. Students should summarise the topics covered in class that day, using their textbook to help write them. 

• Years 11–12: The syllabus is your child’s best friend. It outlines exactly what can and cannot be examined on the big day. It goes by different names in different states, but the premise is simple: if a topic appears in the syllabus, it can be examined, and it must be in your child’s notes. If a topic doesn’t appear in the syllabus, it will not be in the exam, and your child does not need to make notes on it. 

  
  

Here’s a very brief guide how to use the syllabus: 

1. Refer to it daily as a checklist for what to include in notes. 

2. Tick off topics as they’re covered to ensure nothing is missed. 

For a more in-depth guide, click here.

And to read our guide on how to use an exam planner to ensure your child doesn’t miss any content, click here. 

Where Can I Find My Child’s Syllabus?

We’ve collated them all for you here: 

State	Syllabus Name	Link
New South Wales	Syllabus	NESA Syllabuses
Victoria	Study Design	VCAA Study Designs
Queensland	Syllabus	QCAA Syllabuses
Western Australia	Syllabus	SCSA Syllabuses
South Australia	Subject Outline	SACE Subjects

Should Notes Be Handwritten or Typed? 

In an age of 1:1 laptops, typing study notes seems like the obvious choice—it’s faster and easier to edit. The last 10 years of research, however, suggests that handwriting engages more parts of the brain, leading to greater brain connectivity and improving memory and understanding. So handwriting notes now will potentially lead to less time having to re-learn and re-study topics at the end of the year. 

But the bottom line is this: the most important thing is that your child is making notes—whether handwritten or typed is secondary. 

 

Are Notes Different from Revision Cards? 

Yes. Notes and revision cards serve different purposes: 

• Notes: Made during the term to understand and retain information. 

• Revision Cards: Created before exams as a quick study tool. 

  
  

Encourage your child to make both, but remember that revision cards are a supplement, not a replacement, for thorough note-making throughout the year. 

How Should Students Format Their Notes? 

Effective note-making is about clarity and brevity. Here’s what works: 

✘ What Not to Do: Long-Hand Notes 

Example:

Long paragraphs are hard to review, encourage copying from textbooks, and make key points difficult to locate. 

✔ What to Do Instead: 

Example:

1. Use Structure: Use headings for topics, subheadings for key points, and bullet points for details. 

2. Keep notes concise—don’t write beyond the halfway mark of the page. 

3. Incorporate Visuals: Add diagrams, charts, or doodles. Visual aids engage multiple senses, enhancing memory. 

   
   

Final Thoughts on Note-Making 

Note-making isn’t just about getting information on paper—it’s about processing, understanding, and remembering it. By encouraging your child to make effective notes throughout the year, you’ll help them build confidence, reduce stress, and set themselves up for academic success. 

For more tips on effective exam preparation, check out our Exam Crash Course.