Want to know how to highlight effectively? This 5 step guide will up your studying game by giving you tips and tricks to turn your studying tool into a masterful technique.
Is highlighting an effective way to study? No. Absolutely not. Even though highlighting is popular because of all the shades of colors and different styles, it's actually one of the most passive studying techniques that you can do.
Before you disagree let me explain. I used to be a highlighting queen! My method of highlighting was similar to Oprah giving away her favorite things. This gets a highlight! That gets a highlight! Everything gets a highlight! It felt good to highlight because I was actively doing something while reading.
Later, I learned this is a passive learning method that has little to no benefits. Also, constantly highlighting key points in every paragraph became very distracting. My textbooks started to look like elementary abstract art and not the good kind.
Even though I decided a topic, sentence, or term was worthy of a highlight I couldn't understand WHY it was so important. So, I started adding a purpose for each highlight. Shifting my mindset from using a highlighter as a tool to an efficient technique has turned me from a passive to an active learner and this 5 step guide can do the same for you.
This post is all about how to highlight.
How to Highlight Effectively: Step by Step Guide
The reason we highlight is because we want to draw our attention to the most important parts of the text. And what grabs our attention more than a bold pink, a vivid orange, or a bright yellow? These eye-catching colors grab our attention at first glance and if used correctly can be one of the most effective tools in your study routine. The best way to highlight is to develop a personalized color code system. This system will provide organization and specify the importance of each highlighted text or note. The main advantage of using this system is it will allow you to focus on your areas of weakness, learning objectives, important dates, facts, or glossary terms. It is important to use the same system throughout your course. Changing your colors for every subject will just confuse and you will spend more time learning the meaning of each color than actually learning the subject. Luckily, creating your very own color code system is easy and can be done in a few minutes. Remember it doesn't need to be complex. So, let's get started!
Step 1: Choose your colors
This is the fun part! Who said studying couldn't be fun? Grab your favorite highlighters and decide which colors you would like to use as you study. Choose colors that are easy on your eyes but also noticeable. Don't go overboard and pick ten colors. The minimum you should use is three and the most seven. Personally, I use five colors.
Step 2: Assign a Meaning to Each Color
Once you decide on your colors take a minute to create a color code key. This key will be a list of your colors with the meaning written next to it. You can refer to this list until your system becomes like second nature. Record your color code key in your notebook, or the inside cover of your textbook, or mark it on the actual highlighter. This is important because it is the WHY behind each highlight. As I mentioned before I only use five colors and I assigned a meaning to each. For example:
Blue Highlighter = "Good to know." I use this color mainly for historical information about coding, laws/acts, important dates, etc.
Green Highlighter = "Glossary terms." I use this color to highlight definitions or abbreviations.
Pink Highlighter = "Acronyms/Abbreviations." Let's be honest there are a million acronyms and abbreviations in the medical field. I could have colored these green too, but I wanted to differentiate between glossary terms, acronyms, and abbreviations. However, because there are so many I only highlight the most common ones.
Orange Highlighter = "Coder knowledge." If I use this color, I know this is information a coder should know and apply as they code. For instance, I highlighted a sentence in this color that stated to never code only from the index. The code must be verified in the Tabular. As I study my eyes are always drawn to this color because I know the significance of the sentence that's highlighted.
Yellow Highlighter = "Learning objective." This color lets me know that whatever I highlighted in yellow pertains to the chapter objective. I use this as my guiding tool to help me stay focused on the objectives of that chapter. It's very easy to get lost in the fluff they add to chapters; if you're not careful, you will feel overloaded with unnecessary information. The yellow highlighter is my beacon in the dark so to speak so I don't get lost.
Step 3: Get Creative
This step takes your highlighting game to next level. This technique ensures that you don't go overboard choosing too many colors and it gives options on how to use those colors. We all know the traditional way to highlight is by swiping the highlighter over the text, but there are other ways to highlight. A few are using your highlighter to underline, circle, or draw an arrow or asterisk.
I use these different methods to be an at-a-glance study guide. For example:
Circle = Area of weakness. If I circle anything it means I don't fully understand the topic and I need to study it a bit more. Usually, I will take the circled information and make a mind map to break down the information using key points or examples.
Underline = Throughout your textbook, there are mini-quizzes and I underline the answers to these questions.
Arrow = Check it out. Throughout our chapters, we are given supplemental information to read. Sometimes we can forget that these little hidden gems are even there so as I read I will designate an arrow.
Asterisk = This is my measurement of success. Too often we forget to celebrate our wins. And this little asterisk keeps me motivated and reminds me no matter how many circles I have on one page I have asterisks too. I note an asterisk next to the coding guidelines that I understand. I can't wait until I put an asterisk next to coding sepsis.
So, which highlighter do I use to draw a circle, arrow, asterisk, or an underline? Okay, this is how I utilize my five colors without adding more. I use the color pertaining to that specific text. So, for example, I would use a yellow highlighter to underline the answers to a quiz because it relates to the learning objective. Or I will use an orange highlighter to circle coding information if I don't understand it and then I will create a mind map to break down the key points of how to code that specific diagnosis. I could use my blue highlighter to draw an arrow next to additional information that may be good to know. Or draw a green asterisk next to body directional terms. Remember your highlighter is a powerful tool now that it has meaning.
Step 4: Color match (optional)
Now if you want to get fancy you can add some colorful pens, pencils, or index cards. Honestly, I'm a fancy type of girl. Yes, I use colored index cards and pens, but I stick to my color-code system. I use green index cards for glossary terms. Also, I use colored pens to circle, underline, and draw an asterisk or an arrow. Colored pens and pencils are not necessary and regular white index cards are fine. But if you do decide to take the fancy route, stick to your color coder system.
Step 5: Review
Okay, now you've finished your chapter. You finished the mini quizzes and chapter assignments. The next step is your chapter exam. This is where your highlighting technique will become a part of your active study routine. It will identify the chapter's key objectives, your areas of weakness, and your strong points. For example, after I finish a chapter I could focus on the highlighted green text which is the glossary terms. Or I can focus on anything circled because that's my weakness and it signifies I need to learn this topic. Or my eyes could be drawn to that arrow and I could take time to read that supplemental information
Highlighting in VitalSource Bookshelf
Yes, you can use a color code system with your e-textbook as well. Using your stencil or pen, click on the selected text and drag the cursor until it covers the area that needs to be highlighted. Once covered a pop-up box will appear that will allow you to select your desired color. Also, another useful tool besides the highlighting feature is you can add a sticky note. Personally, I use sticky notes to write questions about the paragraph I just read. Later when I go back to study I will click on the note and try to answer the question to test my understanding of that particular paragraph.
I hope this will inspire you to develop your own color code system. Remember your highlighter is a tool, not a form of studying. Keep this in mind and I promise you that your textbook will not look like a Jackson Pollack painting.
Please comment below if you use this technique or if it has given you ideas for your own color code system.
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