# How to Make Notes for Exams You Can Actually Revise From

> How to make exam notes that work: notes organised by examined topic, written as questions and answers, short enough to revise from, and turned into self-tests.

Most notes are written once and never used again, because they copy the lecture instead of preparing for the exam. Good exam notes are short, organised by what is examined, and written so you can test yourself from them.

## The short answer

1. **Organise notes by examined topic**, one page per topic, following the syllabus rather than the order of lectures.
2. **Write each point as a question and its answer**, so the page tests you instead of just reminding you.
3. **Keep it short**: key ideas, definitions, one worked example; leave out what you already know well.
4. **Add what past papers ask**: the wording examiners use and where marks are given.
5. **Revise by covering the answers** and saying them first; mark the ones you missed.

## One page per examined topic

Take the syllabus or the topics in past papers and make one page for each. When a lecture covers three topics, its points go on three pages. That way every page you revise is something the exam can ask.

## Write questions, not paragraphs

Split the page in two. On the left, a question; on the right, the answer in a line or two. When you revise, cover the right side.

| Question (left) | Answer (right) |
| --- | --- |
| What is osmosis? | The movement of water across a partly permeable membrane, from a dilute to a more concentrated solution. |
| Why does ice float? | It is less dense than liquid water, because its molecules are held further apart in a lattice. |
| Name the three causes of the war, in order of importance. | Your answer, with one piece of evidence for each. |

## Keep only what you will revise

- **Definitions** in the words the exam expects.
- **Key processes or arguments** as short numbered steps.
- **One worked example** for every type of calculation or essay.
- **Common mistakes** you or others make, in a box.
- Leave out what you could already explain to a friend without notes.

## Add what the past papers show

After each topic page, read two past questions on it and note how they are worded and how the marks are split. "Explain" and "describe" ask for different answers, and a six-mark question usually wants three linked points.

## From notes to self-tests

1. **Cover and say.** Cover the answers and say each one before you look.
2. **Mark what you missed.** A small dot next to each miss. Three dots means it needs a flashcard.
3. **Revisit on a schedule.** The next day, a week later, and the week before the exam.

More on spacing and flashcards in [Active recall and flashcards](/learn/active-recall-flashcards/).

## Your exam notes method

1. One page per examined topic, from the syllabus or past papers.
2. Questions on the left, short answers on the right.
3. Definitions, key steps, one worked example, common mistakes.
4. Add how past papers word the questions and split the marks.
5. Cover the answers and say them; dot the ones you miss.
6. Revisit after a day, a week, and the week before the exam.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should I rewrite my notes neatly?

Only if rewriting means turning them into questions and answers. Copying notes neatly takes hours and teaches little.

### Are typed or handwritten notes better for exams?

Either works if the notes are organised by topic and written as questions you can test yourself on. What matters is recalling the answers, not how they were written.

### How long should exam notes be?

About one page per examined topic. If a page grows past two, it holds things you already know.

## Turn your notes into quizzes

Add your notes, slides or a PDF to the LoWisa Study Kit: it builds a plan, quizzes and flashcards from your own material.

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Source: https://lowisa.dev/guides/how-to-make-notes-for-exams/ · Updated 2026-10-26