How to Study 4 Hours of Lectures in JUST 20 Mins (make perfect notes)

Summary

This video offers a step-by-step guide on how to study lectures more efficiently, especially when time is limited. The speaker emphasizes smart, effective study techniques that can be applied anytime. By skimming through lecture slides, watching concise videos, and categorizing key topics into mind maps, users can build a strong foundational understanding. The speaker also suggests using recall questions and note-taking apps like Xiles to reinforce learning. This method helps to reduce study time while ensuring better retention and comprehension, making complex subjects more manageable.

Takeaways

• 📚 Effective studying can be done at any time, whether 50 days or 5 days before exams.
• ⏱ Skimming through slides quickly helps identify subtopics and understand the lecture's structure.
• 🔍 Categorize topics into subtopics to create a mental map, which aids memory retention.
• 🖥️ Watching short YouTube videos can give a quick overview and deeper understanding of complex topics.
• 📝 Create a mind map that is intuitive and memorable, linking concepts together visually.
• 🧠 Build a solid foundation for each topic, then layer on more details as you progress.
• 🛑 Avoid focusing on information you can’t easily understand at first. Revisit it later when it fits into your understanding.
• 🎯 Convert key points into recall questions to enhance memory and preparation for exams.
• 🗂️ Using a note-taking app like Xtiles can help organize notes, questions, and diagrams for easy reference.
• 🏗 Studying in layers, focusing on easier concepts first, will make the process more efficient and prevent information overload.

Q & A

What is the main challenge that the speaker's cousin is facing?

The speaker's cousin is overwhelmed with 47 lectures to study with only one week left before exams.

What is the first step in the study method proposed in the video?

The first step is to skim through one big lecture or two to three related ones, without taking notes, to get a general idea of the topic's subtopics and structure.

Why is categorizing subtopics important according to the speaker?

Categorizing subtopics helps to structure the information in a way that is easier to remember, making recall faster and more effective.

How does the speaker recommend speeding up the lecture review process?

The speaker suggests downloading the lecture slides, skimming them, and using Command + F to filter out key information, making the process quicker.

What technique does the speaker use to memorize complicated topics like arrhythmia?

The speaker recommends creating a mind map that visually represents how different arrhythmias are linked to the heart's electrical pathways, adding memorable symbols and diagrams to reinforce understanding.

What is the role of video content in the speaker’s study method?

Watching short YouTube videos is recommended to gain a general understanding of the topic before diving into more detailed study.

How should one handle topics that are hard to understand during the first review?

The speaker advises skipping complex details during the initial review and returning to them later, once the foundational knowledge is stronger.

How does creating recall questions help during the study process?

Recall questions allow students to actively engage with the material by testing their understanding, which helps improve retention and prepares them for exam-style questions.

What benefits does the speaker see in using mind maps?

Mind maps make complex topics more intuitive and memorable by visually linking related concepts, which improves recall and comprehension during revision.

What is the overall benefit of the speaker's study method?

The method helps to significantly reduce study time by promoting efficient skimming, structured understanding through mind maps, and active engagement with recall questions.

Outlines

00:00

📚 How to Tackle 47 Lectures in a Week

The narrator recounts a conversation with a cousin who has 47 lectures to study for an exam in just a week. He reassures the cousin that while challenging, it's possible with the right strategy. He explains that smart and effective studying can be done at any point before the exam, whether it’s 50 days or 5 days. He’s confident because he used to cram lectures at the last minute, but after developing and refining certain techniques, he now can go through hours of lectures in mere minutes.

05:01

📝 Step 1: Skim Through the Lectures

The first key step is to skim through one large lecture or a few related ones. This involves not taking notes but just getting a general sense of the material. He gives an example using a lecture on arrhythmia, explaining how to quickly identify key subtopics, like Bradycardia and Tachycardia, and their subtypes. The goal here is to understand how the topic is categorized, get a gist of the key subtopics, and decide whether additional resources are needed for deeper understanding.

10:02

📺 Step 2: Watch a YouTube Video for a Quick Overview

After skimming, the next step is to watch a short YouTube video related to the topic. In the example of arrhythmias, the narrator watches a video explaining the different types of arrhythmias and how they affect the heart's electrical pathways. This provides an easier-to-understand and visual representation of the material. He suggests categorizing the subtopics as you watch the video to make the topic more memorable and logically structured.

🗂 Step 3: Categorize Subtopics for Easier Recall

Step three involves writing down and categorizing the subtopics and keywords. By categorizing information (e.g., grouping arrhythmias based on location in the heart's electrical pathway), you force your brain to remember key details. For example, by linking atrial fibrillation to its location in the heart, one can easily recall related arrhythmias and their treatments. Categorizing information this way creates mental connections that make recalling details much easier.

🧠 Step 4: Create a Memorable Mind Map

In this step, the narrator suggests creating a detailed and memorable mind map. He emphasizes that it should not be a simple diagram but one that links concepts intuitively. For example, drawing the heart’s electrical pathway and labeling arrhythmias on the map helps to make the material more visual and memorable. This approach helps consolidate knowledge and makes it easier to understand and recall during future study sessions.

📝 The Benefits of a Mind Map for Complex Topics

Mind maps can be extremely helpful, especially for complex topics. The narrator discusses how mind maps simplify concepts by linking related subtopics. By visually organizing investigations, treatments, and scans on the map, it becomes easier to recall the information. The process of creating a mind map aids memory retention because the learner actively engages with and categorizes the material.

⏳ Efficient Studying Using Layered Learning

In this step, the narrator explains that after building a foundation with skimming and mind maps, the focus should be on layering information. Instead of forcing yourself to memorize everything at once, you focus on what you can understand easily. The harder details are tackled later, once more foundational knowledge has been built. The approach saves time and ensures a deeper understanding of the material, allowing for efficient studying.

❓ Step 5: Create Recall Questions

While studying, the narrator suggests creating recall questions to reinforce understanding. These questions should focus on key details and topics likely to be tested in exams. He also introduces a note-taking app called Xiles, which allows for an intuitive and flexible approach to organizing notes. The app is useful for creating questions, adding images, and organizing study material visually.

🔍 Step 6: Delve into the Details

Now it's time to review the detailed information that was skipped during the initial skimming. This step involves going back to the lecture slides and revisiting the harder concepts with a more solid foundation. You may even choose to re-watch parts of the lecture. The narrator emphasizes that studying should not be rigid—after the initial steps, you should aim to process the information in layers, gradually understanding more complex details.

📖 A Layered Approach to Studying Multiple Lectures

The narrator wraps up by encouraging students to use the same layering method for related lectures. By skimming multiple lectures and creating mind maps, you lay the foundation for those topics and can build on them together. He emphasizes that this approach will drastically reduce the time needed to study and ensure a much deeper understanding of the material.

🚀 Final Thoughts on the Study Method

The narrator concludes by reinforcing how effective the method has been for him. After skimming, mind mapping, and using the layering method, the time it takes to go through lectures is reduced significantly. He also promotes Xiles as a useful app for note-taking and mentions his live study sessions where he demonstrates these techniques in more detail.

Keywords

💡Skimming

Skimming refers to quickly going through lecture slides or content to get a general overview without focusing on details. In the video, it is the first step in the study method. The goal is to familiarize oneself with the topics and subtopics, identifying key categories and concepts before diving deeper. This initial step allows the learner to gauge what is important and how the content is structured.

💡Categorization

Categorization involves organizing information into groups or subgroups based on shared characteristics. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of breaking down complex topics (like arrhythmias) into manageable subtopics, such as different types of heart rhythms. This step helps the learner retain and recall information more easily by creating mental connections between related concepts.

💡Mind map

A mind map is a visual representation of information, often used to organize and link concepts in a memorable way. The speaker recommends creating mind maps to solidify one's understanding of lecture content by visually mapping out relationships between key concepts. For example, they suggest drawing a heart's electrical pathway and labeling different types of arrhythmias to make the material more intuitive and easier to recall.

💡Building blocks

Building blocks refer to the step-by-step process of building knowledge in layers. The speaker advises against trying to memorize everything at once. Instead, learners should first lay a foundation (basic understanding) and then add more detailed information over time. This method ensures that learners can grasp complex topics more effectively as they build on what they already know.

💡Recall questions

Recall questions are questions created to test one's understanding and memory of the material. The speaker suggests creating these questions as part of the study process, turning information from lectures into questions that can be answered later. This technique reinforces learning and prepares the learner for exams by actively engaging with the content.

💡Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia refers to abnormal heart rhythms, which can be categorized into different types, such as bradycardia and tachycardia. The video uses this medical topic as an example to explain how to break down and study complex subjects. By understanding the basic classifications of arrhythmias and linking them to their location in the heart's electrical pathway, learners can create a structured approach to mastering the topic.

💡Efficient study

Efficient study refers to methods that maximize learning in less time. The speaker emphasizes that, with the right techniques, it's possible to study large volumes of material quickly. Strategies like skimming, categorizing, and using mind maps can significantly reduce study time while improving retention and understanding, especially when exams are approaching.

💡Electrical pathway of the heart

The electrical pathway of the heart refers to the system through which electrical signals travel, controlling the heartbeat. In the video, this concept is used as a framework for categorizing different types of arrhythmias. The speaker suggests mapping out this pathway as part of a mind map to help visualize how arrhythmias affect different parts of the heart, making the concept more memorable.

💡Layering

Layering is the process of building understanding by adding new information on top of previously learned material. In the video, the speaker advises learners to first focus on grasping the basic concepts and then gradually add more detailed information, like sub-bullet points in lecture slides. This approach helps learners process complex topics without feeling overwhelmed by trying to memorize everything at once.

💡YouTube videos

YouTube videos are mentioned as a supplemental resource for studying. The speaker encourages watching short educational videos to gain a general understanding of a topic before diving into more detailed study materials. For example, they suggest using a YouTube video to learn about arrhythmias before categorizing them and creating mind maps. This multimedia approach helps reinforce learning in a quick and accessible way.

Highlights

Smart, effective studying can be done at any point in the year, whether it's 50 days or 5 days before your exam.

The goal is to be able to go through 3 to 4 hours of lectures in just 20 minutes by using efficient techniques.

Step one involves skimming through one big lecture or multiple related lectures to get a general understanding without taking any notes.

Download the slides and use 'command F' to filter information, which makes understanding and categorizing topics easier.

Step two involves watching a short YouTube video to gain a general understanding of the topic and to establish a mental base.

Step three includes writing down all the subtopics and keywords that pop out during the lecture and categorizing them into sections.

Creating a mind map is the fourth step, making it as memorable and intuitive as possible by incorporating visual elements like diagrams.

The mind map helps create an initial mental base, putting all concepts into a memorable, interconnected structure.

When studying a topic, filter and only read the parts that you can easily understand—do not force understanding of difficult details immediately.

Convert all the information that needs to be recalled into questions during the study process for better retention.

By studying in layers and focusing on building an initial understanding, you make it easier to remember details later on.

For efficient note-taking, use tools like xTiles, which allows you to organize questions, add diagrams, and customize the format to enhance understanding.

Revisiting challenging content after understanding the basics allows you to absorb information more efficiently.

Creating mind maps for multiple related lectures helps in efficiently building a base for understanding interconnected topics.

By skimming first and creating a mental base, the method can significantly reduce the amount of time needed to study each lecture.

Transcripts

the other day my cousin came up to me

and went like bro I am so screwed my

exams are in a week and I have 47

lectures to do like what do I do and

what I told him was that 47 lectures is

tough but it's doable to be honest cuz

yes in this video I'm going to teach you

the simplest fastest way to study for

lectures but what I really wanted to

make clear is that smart effective

studying can be done at any point of the

year whether it's 50 days or 5 days

before your exam and if you do what I

tell you you will guaranteed understand

more information and in a better way

that you just read your lectures or made

some notes or did questions alone and

how am I this confident cuz a few years

ago I was the guy cramming in the

lecture slides last minute trying to

listen to them on two time speed skim

through the slides as much as possible

and it didn't work until I found these

techniques improved them and applied

them to my way of study which has now

led me to have the ability to go through

3 hours 4 hours of lectures in a mere 20

minutes so let's get straight into how I

study a lecture obviously we're not

watching the whole lecture right now

even if it's on two times speed that's

too much of a time waste download this

slides so you can quickly look through

them so you can command F filter the

information and make your life easier

and what you need to do and I've said it

before is that you need to start by

creating an initial base for the entire

topic which basically means just

breaking the entire topic down looking

at the subtopics seeing how you can

categorize everything in those subtopics

and linking them and finding a memorable

way to remember everything we'll be

doing that step by step in steps 1 to

four and then we'll go through the

lectures once and you will remember in

your head trust me this will quarter the

amount of time you study step one skim

through one big lecture or two to three

related ones if they're under the same

topic no notetaking right now just

skimming for example I'm bringing up a

pretty heavy lecture it's on arhythmia

I'm just going to flick through the

slides arhythmia basically are abnormal

rhythms of the heart and they can be

broken down as we can see here into

Brady cardas and takic cardas um I'd

look up any of the words if I didn't

know what they meant as I went through

but in the first few slides I can see

that it's just Basics about how the

heart works and how the electrical

signals in the heart conduct it's going

through AV blocks heart blocks uh and

then it's categorizing the different

Tachi cardas into um different sub types

and then as we can see the tacki Cardis

are being divided up into narrow complex

and Broad complex and then being listed

underneath I'm going to keep that in

mind for later because that's probably

helpful way to categorize the topic

remember I need to skim through this all

just to get a general gist of fit so

what that basically means is that you

need to take a very specific note right

from the start of how your topics and

subtopics are being categorized

throughout the slides or throughout

multiple lectures even but overall what

I need to do for this first step the

skimming I just need to go through

everything which is going to take 5 10

minutes to understand what subtopics are

I need to learn what's important how

much information is even on here do I

need more resources at this point my

second step would be to go watch a video

for most topics short YouTube videos are

a very fast way to get a general gist of

what everything is how it works what

arhythmia are for this video I just

pulled up it looks like this guy is

explaining them well he looks like he

might be explaining them via location

like so he's dividing the rhyas up into

the different electrical into where they

affect which part of the electrical

pathway of the heart they affect um and

that feels like a good way to think

about it and then after finishing this

video what I do is step three which

ideally should be done while you skim if

you want to be uh Ultra efficient but

step three involves first writing down

all the subtopics and keywords that pop

out during the lecture and second then

categorizing them writing down all the

subtopics and keywords and categorizing

them should be easy after all the

skimming and understanding we've just

been doing like the last 10 15 minutes

for example I think for these rhythmia

probably the smartest way to categorize

them would be by location in the

electrical pathway like that guy in the

YouTube video did so that's what I do by

categorizing the subtopics you are

forcing your brain to remember what is

underneath them you're way more like

need to remember things if you

categorize them if that makes sense now

for example when I see Atri fibrillation

what I'll think is okay super

ventricular tardia Supra above the

ventricles it is in the first two

Chambers so it's probably affecting the

electrical pathway in that area and then

once you remember this small detail

about the Atri fibrillation one by one

your brain will start remembering all

the other super ventricular T cardias

and all the associated information with

them their investigations their

treatments it's all linked now that

we've categorized all the subtopics and

keywords into different sections and we

thought about a nice way to think about

the me as by location now what we do to

solidify that initial base to fully

create and put it in front of us is by

creating a mind map and when I say mind

map I don't just mean putting a circle

in the middle and have 100 things coming

off it your job when you're making this

mind map is to make it as memorable and

as intuitive as possible for example

we've thought about all the arhythmia

Via location so what we could do in the

mind map is actually draw out the

electrical pathway of the heart on the

Mind map and then label the arhythmia on

the pathway and then after we've labeled

the arhythmia I then draw some of their

features out draw the Nar narrow complex

the broad complex draw the ECG of each

individual arhythmia or like some

memorable thing to do with it for

example like apib at flutter atra

flutter could be like a bird that small

diagram on it as well to symbolize the

flutter I don't know I would try and add

as many Concepts onto this mind map and

see where everything fit and by putting

it on here I just I just hope that you

see how memorable and easy it is and

intuitive the entire topic becomes for

you not to learn once everything is on

here you literally have every single

arhythmia that could possibly link to a

different part of the electrical pathway

and then you can remember it using that

in the future of course I picked an easy

topic to explain I've only mentioned the

basic classifications of arhythmia but

you can legit see how every hard concept

whatever it is investigations treatments

scans to do with each type of arhythmia

is on the Mind map everything that links

to each of the soft topics can go here

and that makes it so easy for you to

remember them because you made this mind

map you will remember the entire topic

through the categories that you put on

here and now when you think about each

arhythmia your brain will automatically

remember all the details of the

arhythmia because it's all on the Mind

map and then through that link you'll

also think about the other categories

the other arhythmia and remember those

details because your thought process has

link them all together so well you'll

think about the others in the same

thought what makes each thing different

what makes it similar and this applies

to every topic this entire thing will

Maximum take like 20 to 30 minutes to do

per topic and in this process you've

gone through the entire 90 slide lecture

you've skimmed it you've watched a video

you've gone through the basics and

you've thought about a solid way to

think and Link all of these arhythmia

together through a mind map and that is

the benefit of creating that initial

mind map that base and putting an effort

in the skimming by just spending 30

minutes at the start of your studying

and doing this youve made the rest of

your study piss easy now for the rest of

the study the way that you're going to

go through and read through the lectures

and all of the topic information is that

you're only going to try and read and

understand the topics that you can

easily take in I know that may sound

counterintuitive but hear me out reading

through the information shouldn't be the

hard part of the learning yet we make it

super hard for ourselves by trying to

force ourselves to read sentences and

stick them in in our head and memorize

them your knowledge can only be built in

layers like building blocks so far by

this that we've already laid a few

building blocks as our base while we do

we're doing the skimming the Mind

mapping Etc so now for example when you

look at these slides there's some bullet

points I can easily link and understand

with the features of tachic cardia

involving the AV node so this layer of

information can easily slide on top of

the foundation I've already built but

there's also sub bullet points on here I

can immediately tell that this above my

current level of understanding so I just

ignore it that is the rule you can

revisit it later once you've gone

through more of the slides once you've

understood more information at that

point it will make more sense to you

because you've added more building

blocks than to slide that detail on top

of and this is how you should go through

all of these slides at this stage by

filtering and only reading the things

that you can easily understand at this

stage basically don't waste time with

the details just go through the slides

and trust me it will be much faster now

that you did the skimming and mind

mapping in the first place this isn't

really a separate step but the way I

revise is by doing question questions so

this means while I study I need to

actually create recall questions and

that is why side by side while doing

step five and starting to study the

topic I will convert all the information

that needs to be tested and recalled by

me and that can be tested on exams into

questions on a Word document I do

usually just organize everything that I

need to do all the questions I have ET

on a Word document but recently I've

tried a very solid note taking app

called xiles these guys recently hit me

up to try out their app for not taking

and as soon as I started using it the

thing that stood out to me was how easy

it was to move whatever I want wherever

I want it's like moving and playing with

tiles I can write on my questions add

images add tables and whatever

configuration looks most aesthetic or

whichever is most memorable for me and I

can make it very quick which not that

many other desktop apps actually allow

you to do as you can see I made some of

the questions from one of my cases on

here out of the learning outcomes the

conditions diagrams like exactly where I

need them there's a side column for the

week topics as well and honestly no

taking wise it was very easy to use as

well I didn't need a tutorial or

anything I just got started and figured

figed it all out intuitively honestly no

complaints from my end it's a great app

and other than note taking there's so

many other templates on here for weekly

planning there's calendars habit

trackers you can use it for your

business um school projects basically

everything you need to try it out all

you need to do is create a free account

with xiles with the link in my

description so yeah check it out use the

link in my description use it for class

one day for example and let's get back

into the method the last step as you can

guess is now hitting the details and

what this will involve is now you going

through all of the stuff that you

skipped out which you could have either

made a note of or whatever on maybe even

actually going to the lecture at this

point and going to the slides and

listening to what the guy is saying and

listening to how he's explaining the

details that actually might be helpful

as well what I also wanted to clarify

was that you naturally won't be studying

in this like rigid way of only Concepts

then then only the details like you know

what I mean yes you need to First skim

then create the initial mental model

that is a must that is very vital for it

to happen in those steps but after that

you basically need to aim to go through

the information from your textbook from

your lectures in layers keep on

processing what you can easily

understand until you can finally

understand the details and then taking

the details in will be very easy as well

by waiting till you have a solid

foundation by revising the each of the

stuff in layers in those building blocks

and not forcing yourself to jump to the

details you're basically just saving

time another tip to make it more

efficient is that you should try and

skim and then create the mind maps for

multiple lectures that have like a

related topics that way you're laying

the base for all of these related topics

and then you can one by one build on the

layers for all of them together but

anyways that is how I process lectures

step by step this is everything this is

how I go through them the method gets

faster and faster the more you do it and

it will quarter the amount of time you

take to go through each lecture once you

start strictly skimming first building

the initial base the Mind map I honestly

did it like once or twice and I started

to see humongous differences with the

amount of I was able to remember anyways

check X Styles out for a great fluid not

taking app use the link in my

description I'll get a little bit of

Kickback if you sign up for this stuff

I'm going to link my live studying

Series where I basically live go through

how I do the whole layering thing and

how I do step five in a lot more detail

thank you so much for watching please

let me know if you have any questions

about the whole method again it's not

like my method I've just taken it from

other people combined it with how I do

it and like improved it over time so I

think it's very doable for the general

population or anyone as well because

it's just a smart way to go through

lectures rather than going through Slide

by slide one by one check my inst out

leave a like spam the comments do all

the usual stuff and I will see you in

the next one