Important Aspects of Notes:

• Organization

  • Have a set process for consistency

  • Have your own template made on Google Docs/whatever platform you choose

    • use as a foundation for new classes/chapters etc

  • Refine/edit it over time 

  • Look into different note-taking styles 

    • (mind maps, Cornell notes, boxing method, flow method, blurting, etc.)

• Efficiency

  • There is no need for pretty notes (it's ok if they're aesthetic or ugly, either works)

    •  MOST important thing: retain (remember) info

  •  DO NOT write every word but instead write:

    • main ideas/headings/vocab/important people + dates + places

  • Detailed vs Summarized: (depends on teacher preferences) - try to exclude fluff/repetition

    • Ex. sentence: "After the Speaker, the next most powerful people in the House are the majority and minority leaders who are elected in their individual party caucuses or conferences." (AP Gov Textbook)

    • Make sure to:

      •  highlight that the Speaker = highest power in the House of Reps, and the next in power = majority & minority leaders

    • Remember to focus on the key phrases (don't rewrite verbatim)

Practice Questions

Teachers commonly explain the layout of a test/quiz or even midterm/final before taking it. They tell you if there are multiple-choice questions, essay prompts, or free-response questions. Often, you are also given examples of such questions in class. Did you know that AI can help with test prep? It can! You can copy and paste the example questions you are given into the AI search bar, as well as a list/summary of content that will be tested. If you ask AI to make many practice questions, chances are it will help mimic your test! Lastly, depending on if you want to work on your timing, you can time yourself while doing these practice questions. Below are the logos, names, and links to our top 4 AI resources to use:

(Note: AI can be very helpful but it can also be inaccurate, so make sure to double check what you are searching. We also do not encourage using AI to do work for you (essays, homework, etc.) unless allowed by your teacher)

Time management is an extremely difficult skill to master, especially for people with issues like ADHD. Here are some of the most helpful ways that help with time managment. And remember, not all of these will work for everyone. A planner might work for one person, but not for another. And that's ok! We are here to help you find the best path forward.

Also we would be remiss without giving Mrs. Browett (APUSH) credit for helping with many of these methods. Thank you!

Procrastination affects all of us and it's completely normal. Don't beat yourself up if you find yourself procrastinating. It may feel like you have a mountain to climb, but we can help you with different techniques. And remember, you aren't climbing alone <3.

Slideshows can be tricky to get right, you need to show that you put effort into the project, but also make it look appealing. You need to have enough information that it makes sense to the audience but not too much that it gets confusing. But don't worry! After years of slideshow presentations and a lot of trial and error, we can help!

Aesthetics

You want your presentation to look amazing and cohesive, so here are some of our favorite sites to use to make our slides look nice:

• Slidesgo

• Slidescarnival

• Canva

• Google Slides

Formatting

No one wants to have to read a huge chunk of text on a slide while listening to a presenter at the same time. You want to make the slides look balanced with text, graphics, and color. So the goal for each slideshow is to have very cohesive and concise notes.

Do Use: 

• Bullets

• Pictures (and captions if you want/are required to)                    

• Reasonably sized font (around 20 pt)                                           

Don't Use:

• Run on sentences

• Paragraphs               

• Tiny font

• Too many pictures on one slide                                            

Presenting

It can be scary to present your work in front of your class. It's very normal to feel nervous. Just remember that these are very low stakes, and most people are probably feeling the same way you do. However, you still want to come across as confident and prepared so we compiled some tips to help with that (these tips can be found in the First Year SRP section as well)

Presenting Tips: 

• Posture:

  • Stand up straight - shows energy

  • Hands in front - professional

  • Shoulders relaxed - shows ease

• Eye Contact:

  • Pan around the room - shows attention to all members of the audience

  • Glance at slideshow NOT STARE/READ OFF - shows you already know what you're presenting

  • Keep head up - shows confidence 

• Speaking:

  • Project voice - shows confidence and clarity 

  • Calm, even pace - shows control

  • Purposeful intonation/tone - shows understanding of content/how to explain it

DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:

• • Sway

  • Look down

  • Shift weight back and forth

  • Look at one person/at the floor/at the slide or poster

  • Fidget/Pick at clothing

  • Play with hair

  • Stop presenting if you fumbled over words

WIP

WIP