Note-Taking and Review Systems for Two-Week Intensive Courses

Two-week intensives move quickly, so your note system should be simple, consistent, and easy to review. Use one notebook or digital document per course with a fixed structure: date, topic, key ideas, questions, and action items. Capture examples and worked solutions; they are powerful for recall. After each session, spend ten minutes cleaning notes, adding keywords, and linking to related pages. Build a one-page summary for each day and a master review sheet by the end of the week. Use spaced repetition for definitions, formulas, and core concepts. Keep a running list of uncertainties and resolve them during office hours or group review. Practice retrieval by covering notes and answering self-made questions. Archive materials in labeled folders, and back up digital files. End the course with a final synthesis that connects themes across all sessions.