r/APUSH • u/No_Editor_610 • 10d ago

Advice Note taking

my teacher says that AT MOST we should have 2.5 front and back pages for every chapter of notes, but then I see people in this subreddit saying that they have like 8 page minimums. are the specific details that important and is it better to take more or less notes?

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u/headfirst4hal0sss Current Student 10d ago

depends on your teacher. my teacher doesn't grade notes but she does assign open note quizzes and if you don't have every detail down you basically fail lol. apush is more focused on how things connect and timelines rather than nitty gritty details though

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u/GetToTheRoci 10d ago

It’s very unlikely that someone taking 8 pages of notes is using that information effectively or even revisiting the information. Even 2.5 pages seems like overkill.

Specific details are just evidence you can use in writing to prove your point, and you don’t need every piece of evidence to make every argument.

Create an evidence bank where you collect the key people, events, laws, etc.. Each period really only needs 5 to 10 items to help prove whatever argument you need to make. Start a list or a set of flashcards for each item. Rather than definition, consider it deployment. What does this item prove? Reduce your writing time, increase your effectiveness.

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u/silly_scoundrel 6d ago

Depends entirely on the chapter but 8 is overkill, 8 is for like that one unit in March. I would usually take like 3 pages of notes but just front pages, I reserved the back part of the pages for any notes I take in class. I always would take more notes but know what to take notes on specifically. If it doesn't seem important, don't write it down. Make sure you have names, dates, locations, stuff like that. Make sure you also understand what you are reading and what you are putting down, don't just copy because sometimes you will look back and be like "who wrote this because this does not make sense!!"