Studying may seem like it is not everyone’s business. However, it is undeniably a critical part of most of our lives and a mandatory step in achieving success. For most students, determining an efficient study technique may take time and effort. Aside from figuring out whether you are an auditory, visual, kinesthetic, or read-and-write learner, you also must discover the study tactic that suits you most.
There are several tips to make your study session more effective and efficient. According to Nerdify Reviews team, adding color-coding to your notes has proven to be one of the most helpful study tools for college students.
Color coding notes is a study technique that helps students streamline access to information from a chunk of text. It also helps highlight valuable data and appreciate the context of the information with a glance. Regardless of how effective color code notes are, if you don’t get it right, you might mix things up and confuse yourself. However, that will no longer be a problem as in this article our Nerdify Reviews experts demonstrate some handy tips to utilizing color code notes.
1. Use bright colors
Colors help with studying by stimulating the neural senses to assimilate, memorize and retain new information. This is particularly among visual learners. The brighter the color, the easier and faster it is for them to capture the context of the information.
For instance, red is typically used to highlight important and critical information as it is seen as an alarming color. A member of Nerdify Reviews team shared some memories of learning vocabulary as a kid: their teacher would write the vocabulary in red while writing the definition with a neutral color.
In addition, bright color reduces contrast, which in return, increases the visibility of the text. However, regardless of how amazing this might be, you should limit the use of bright colors in your color code notes as they tend to cause cognitive strain.
2. Use the right tools
There are several tools at your disposal for more organized color-coded notes. You could use these tools to highlight texts, change the color of the text, box off important information, or even create borders between texts. Some of the tools you can utilize for an organized color-coded note include:
▪ Highlighters in various fluorescent colors.
▪ Colored pencils for writing and highlighting valuable information.
▪ Sticky notes for annotating existing notes with further information or details. Sticky notes are available in many bright colors and are self-adhering.
The above options are more efficient if you study with a physical book and pen. However, if your classes are online, you can highlight texts, add colors to text or change texts color using a virtual sticky note.
3. Specify colors for different items
It is imperative that you have a standard color set. This will teach your neural sense to immediately understand the context of a highlighted text or paragraph. Furthermore, it would help if you assign specific colors to a particular type of information or data. However, if you don’t know how to go about this, you can copy the table below or use it as a guide.
4. Be Consistent
After deciding the color scheme for each section, you must stick to it throughout your study, not just for a particular course but through everything. This will help you remember the meaning of each color and simplify the study process. Consistency is vital to achieving an organized color-coded note.
In other words, you should use the same standard color set in all your classes, so you don’t confuse yourself by mixing up information.
5. Do not Overuse Colors
Limit the use of color coding to only critical information. If every text, phrase, or sentence in the paragraph is highlighted or color-coded, then no information will stand out as important. Similarly, using too many colors could lead to information overload, and in some cases, it could cause distractions. This is why it is essential to specify colors for different items.
Remember, the aim of color code notes is to focus your attention on important information and make it easier to assimilate what’s within the text. To avoid overusing color, it is a good practice to stick to four to six colors at most.
In Conclusion
In the vibrant world of studying information can often feel like an overwhelming sea of text. If you are still exploring effective study tactics to conquer your academic challenges Nerdify Reviews team recommends implementing color-coded notes into your study sessions. Are you trying to learn something new or remember something you read? You will have little to no issues understanding and recalling information with color coding.
Stick to a set of colors for different types of info, and use the same colors for all your classes. Just be careful not to use too many colors; it might make things confusing. Organized and consistent color-coded notes help college students make the study process more engaging and fruitful. So, go ahead, add some color to your study routine and enjoy the learning adventure!
