Who hasn't felt the anxiety of sitting in class and realizing that the assignment that you worked on for so long was left at home? And there's nothing you can do about it, right? Wrong! Can't find the notes you took during that video presentation? Never again! You can avoid these frustrating situations and improve your grades by organizing your notes and course materials.
It's easy! A three-ring binder can be set up to hold all of your lecture notes, homework, handouts, and everything else that will come flying at you during the semester. It's the most practical method to stay on top of schoolwork, whether you have one class or seven!
How to Set Up the Notebook
To start with, simply separate a 1-inch binder into at least three sections. Then fill each section with some loose-leaf paper. Use plain, ruled, or graph paper, depending on the class and your personal preferences. Some students may find that taking notes on un-lined paper or graph paper may work out better for them. It's an individual choice.
Each section should be divided from the others by a sturdy, plastic folder with pockets. Clearly label the tab on each plastic folder according to its section or purpose: new assignments, lecture notes, handouts, completed homework, homework-in-progress, research, lab work, etc. Now you'll never waste time or get frustrated looking for a certain section or page in a notebook again.
Finally, the plastic sleeves on the outside of the binder should be put to use. Slip the course schedule, or some other useful information, into the front pocket on the outside of the binder. This will also help to quickly identify which class the binder is for. Never put anything large into these sleeves, like pencils, because they'll eventually rip and become useless to you.
Notebook Accessories
When you buy your binders and dividers, also invest in an adjustable hole-puncher and a few clear plastic document sleeves. When you receive any printed material, punch holes in it and put it in the appropriate section. If it's a document that you will refer to frequently, like a schedule, slip it into a plastic document sleeve. They are quite sturdy and will hold up to a lot of wear and tear. The folder pockets will keep your handouts secure until you can organize them properly.
Hardcover Notebooks vs. Spiral Notebooks
With the 3-ring binder method, you are better off than if you opt to use spiral notebooks. There are several reasons why this is true.
If you end up needing more paper during the semester, or a different type of paper, you can add it to a binder. If a page of notes gets ripped, you can either re-copy it onto a fresh piece of paper, photocopy it, or slip it into a plastic sleeve for safe keeping. If a fellow student asks to borrow your notes, you can loan out just a few, not your entire notebook. A spiral notebook is limited because you can't rescue damaged sheets of paper or replace loose papers easily. And you can't loan single pages of notes to anyone.
With a binder, you'll be able to add more storage folders if you need them or replace ripped pockets if that happens. If you buy a spiral notebook with built-in pockets, they will have to hold up until the course ends and you won't be able to add more pockets if you start to need more storage space. If either of these things happen, you'll end up putting the overflow into another folder and then you'll have to keep track of that separately. This would only complicate things.
Using the binder option, you can also re-organize entire sections at any time to suit your own needs and the instructor's style. Well into the course you may realize that you need to add another section, subdivide a section, or even remove unused sections to streamline the binder. You may just need to re-order the sections more logically or according to how frequently you use that section. A spiral notebook won't really allow any of this. You're stuck with what you started with.
With a binder, anything that gets worn out can be replaced. If you decide you need more of something, you can easily include it. And anything that seems to be out of order, can be reorganized logically. Some teachers create a blizzard of handouts, while others expect you to take a lot of notes. You won't really know what to expect, so you can save yourself time and energy by starting out with a customizable solution at the beginning of the semester. With a binder, you have plenty of organizational options to keep up with those tricky teachers!
Hardcover Binders vs Softcover Plastic Binders
The hardcover binders, with clear outside sleeves, have a few advantages over the type with semi-rigid, plastic covers. The plastic covers may be colorful or stylish, but:
the corners might get crushed in your backpack.
the covers don't provide a firm surface for writing and some classrooms have very small desks.
the covers can't contain a sheet of paper.
You can always slip some interesting graphics or artwork into the outside sleeve of a hardcover binder if you want it to be colorful. They're actually easier to personalize than a soft, plastic binder, and more useful in the long run. Just use your imagination!
Using the Notebooks
This is simple, but it takes some getting used to. Everything that comes out of your classroom, and everything that needs to go back into the classroom, needs to stay in this binder. Put it in a folder pocket, or a plastic sleeve, or hole-punch it. With the exception of an assignment book, keep everything for each class in one place.
Keep Your Binders Neat and Organized
A few times each semester, as your binder gets full, transfer out some of the older, non-essential material to an archive folder. Things like completed homework assignments and graded tests can be kept safe at home until you need to review them for the final exam. Set up one archive folder for each class; don't lump your courses all in one folder. And always keep everything until you get your final grade for the course.
Additional Notebooks
By the way, some science courses have a mandatory lab session. These classes may need a separate binder; it depends on the instructor and volume of work assigned. You may want to handle these labs like a stand-alone course, and keep the materials separate.
Another situation which may call for a separate notebook is a large research project. Divide it into appropriate sections for your notes, copies of articles, copies of your rough drafts, etc. On days when you aren't attending that particular class, it will be convenient to be able to bring just the research notebook along with you.
For some students, school projects become the basis of a professional portfolio. Keep a collection of your best work in a binder at home to show off to prospective employers in the future.
Younger Students
Grade school and middle school students are not usually expected to take as many notes as older students are. You may be able to reduce the numbers of binders to two or three large ones, instead of one small one for each course. You could organize the morning classes into one binder, and the afternoon classes into the other. Find a practical way to group the classes together that works for you.
Quality Binders are a Good Investment
Getting set up with these supplies may seem pricey at first, but you'll be better off all semester by being organized with this easy to use system. If you keep your binders in good shape, you can re-use them several times.
Reap The Benefits of Being Organized
With all your handouts, notes, projects, and homework in one place, you'll gain peace of mind. You'll also skip the morning scramble and pack your backpack quickly and confidently. And you'll be less likely to leave anything behind when you move from classroom to classroom.
Make an effort to set up your notebooks at the beginning of the semester, or even half-way through it. Having well-organized notebooks will make staying on top of your workload a breeze!
The next step is to fill these notebooks with the information that you'll be responsible for learning. A good note-taking system will be invaluable. Good luck and have fun studying!
Try this method for organizing your notes and materials into a binder. It's easy and fun. With just a little effort to get set up properly, you'll have an easier time with homework, papers, and exams. That's what school is about: receiving new information, processing it, retaining it, and, finally, proving that you have a solid understanding of it.
This notebook organization method will help you with the first step, receiving the information. If you found this information useful, feel free to visit our site: http://improveyourstudyskills.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_M_Forrest
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8010052
It's easy! A three-ring binder can be set up to hold all of your lecture notes, homework, handouts, and everything else that will come flying at you during the semester. It's the most practical method to stay on top of schoolwork, whether you have one class or seven!
How to Set Up the Notebook
To start with, simply separate a 1-inch binder into at least three sections. Then fill each section with some loose-leaf paper. Use plain, ruled, or graph paper, depending on the class and your personal preferences. Some students may find that taking notes on un-lined paper or graph paper may work out better for them. It's an individual choice.
Each section should be divided from the others by a sturdy, plastic folder with pockets. Clearly label the tab on each plastic folder according to its section or purpose: new assignments, lecture notes, handouts, completed homework, homework-in-progress, research, lab work, etc. Now you'll never waste time or get frustrated looking for a certain section or page in a notebook again.
Finally, the plastic sleeves on the outside of the binder should be put to use. Slip the course schedule, or some other useful information, into the front pocket on the outside of the binder. This will also help to quickly identify which class the binder is for. Never put anything large into these sleeves, like pencils, because they'll eventually rip and become useless to you.
Notebook Accessories
When you buy your binders and dividers, also invest in an adjustable hole-puncher and a few clear plastic document sleeves. When you receive any printed material, punch holes in it and put it in the appropriate section. If it's a document that you will refer to frequently, like a schedule, slip it into a plastic document sleeve. They are quite sturdy and will hold up to a lot of wear and tear. The folder pockets will keep your handouts secure until you can organize them properly.
Hardcover Notebooks vs. Spiral Notebooks
With the 3-ring binder method, you are better off than if you opt to use spiral notebooks. There are several reasons why this is true.
If you end up needing more paper during the semester, or a different type of paper, you can add it to a binder. If a page of notes gets ripped, you can either re-copy it onto a fresh piece of paper, photocopy it, or slip it into a plastic sleeve for safe keeping. If a fellow student asks to borrow your notes, you can loan out just a few, not your entire notebook. A spiral notebook is limited because you can't rescue damaged sheets of paper or replace loose papers easily. And you can't loan single pages of notes to anyone.
With a binder, you'll be able to add more storage folders if you need them or replace ripped pockets if that happens. If you buy a spiral notebook with built-in pockets, they will have to hold up until the course ends and you won't be able to add more pockets if you start to need more storage space. If either of these things happen, you'll end up putting the overflow into another folder and then you'll have to keep track of that separately. This would only complicate things.
Using the binder option, you can also re-organize entire sections at any time to suit your own needs and the instructor's style. Well into the course you may realize that you need to add another section, subdivide a section, or even remove unused sections to streamline the binder. You may just need to re-order the sections more logically or according to how frequently you use that section. A spiral notebook won't really allow any of this. You're stuck with what you started with.
With a binder, anything that gets worn out can be replaced. If you decide you need more of something, you can easily include it. And anything that seems to be out of order, can be reorganized logically. Some teachers create a blizzard of handouts, while others expect you to take a lot of notes. You won't really know what to expect, so you can save yourself time and energy by starting out with a customizable solution at the beginning of the semester. With a binder, you have plenty of organizational options to keep up with those tricky teachers!
Hardcover Binders vs Softcover Plastic Binders
The hardcover binders, with clear outside sleeves, have a few advantages over the type with semi-rigid, plastic covers. The plastic covers may be colorful or stylish, but:
the corners might get crushed in your backpack.
the covers don't provide a firm surface for writing and some classrooms have very small desks.
the covers can't contain a sheet of paper.
You can always slip some interesting graphics or artwork into the outside sleeve of a hardcover binder if you want it to be colorful. They're actually easier to personalize than a soft, plastic binder, and more useful in the long run. Just use your imagination!
Using the Notebooks
This is simple, but it takes some getting used to. Everything that comes out of your classroom, and everything that needs to go back into the classroom, needs to stay in this binder. Put it in a folder pocket, or a plastic sleeve, or hole-punch it. With the exception of an assignment book, keep everything for each class in one place.
Keep Your Binders Neat and Organized
A few times each semester, as your binder gets full, transfer out some of the older, non-essential material to an archive folder. Things like completed homework assignments and graded tests can be kept safe at home until you need to review them for the final exam. Set up one archive folder for each class; don't lump your courses all in one folder. And always keep everything until you get your final grade for the course.
Additional Notebooks
By the way, some science courses have a mandatory lab session. These classes may need a separate binder; it depends on the instructor and volume of work assigned. You may want to handle these labs like a stand-alone course, and keep the materials separate.
Another situation which may call for a separate notebook is a large research project. Divide it into appropriate sections for your notes, copies of articles, copies of your rough drafts, etc. On days when you aren't attending that particular class, it will be convenient to be able to bring just the research notebook along with you.
For some students, school projects become the basis of a professional portfolio. Keep a collection of your best work in a binder at home to show off to prospective employers in the future.
Younger Students
Grade school and middle school students are not usually expected to take as many notes as older students are. You may be able to reduce the numbers of binders to two or three large ones, instead of one small one for each course. You could organize the morning classes into one binder, and the afternoon classes into the other. Find a practical way to group the classes together that works for you.
Quality Binders are a Good Investment
Getting set up with these supplies may seem pricey at first, but you'll be better off all semester by being organized with this easy to use system. If you keep your binders in good shape, you can re-use them several times.
Reap The Benefits of Being Organized
With all your handouts, notes, projects, and homework in one place, you'll gain peace of mind. You'll also skip the morning scramble and pack your backpack quickly and confidently. And you'll be less likely to leave anything behind when you move from classroom to classroom.
Make an effort to set up your notebooks at the beginning of the semester, or even half-way through it. Having well-organized notebooks will make staying on top of your workload a breeze!
The next step is to fill these notebooks with the information that you'll be responsible for learning. A good note-taking system will be invaluable. Good luck and have fun studying!
Try this method for organizing your notes and materials into a binder. It's easy and fun. With just a little effort to get set up properly, you'll have an easier time with homework, papers, and exams. That's what school is about: receiving new information, processing it, retaining it, and, finally, proving that you have a solid understanding of it.
This notebook organization method will help you with the first step, receiving the information. If you found this information useful, feel free to visit our site: http://improveyourstudyskills.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_M_Forrest
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8010052
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