Study notes for university students that aren't just the slides again

What my study notes service includes

Study notes, concept breakdowns and summaries can be prepared as standalone resources, without booking tutoring sessions. You tell me the module, the topics and what you're preparing for. I put together notes that explain the material in plain language, in an order that builds, with examples that show how each idea is actually used.

Everything is written from scratch in my own words. I don't copy lecture slides, study guides or other students' notes, and I don't pass on material from any institution. The point is a second, clearer explanation of the same ideas, not a shortcut around them. You still do the learning; the notes just make it possible.

• Summary notes for a topic or a section of a module
• Concept breakdowns of the one idea that isn't clicking
• Worked examples, step by step
• Revision notes condensed for the final stretch before an exam
• Notes to go with one-on-one tutoring, so each session sticks

Subjects I write notes for

I write notes in the same areas I tutor: programming in Python and Java, SQL and databases, algorithms and data structures, information systems, systems analysis and UML, web and mobile development, and maths, including algebra, calculus and discrete maths. If your subject isn't listed, ask anyway and I'll tell you honestly.

Programming notes need more than definitions. Useful notes for first-year programming show a short piece of code, what it outputs, and the mistake people usually make with it. SQL notes work well when they're built around one small example table you can follow from a basic SELECT through to joins. That's the kind of note I write.

What a good concept breakdown looks like

Here's a small example. Many Java beginners get stuck on the difference between a class and an object. A breakdown starts with one plain sentence: a class is the blueprint, and an object is a thing built from it. Then one tiny example: a Student class, and two Student objects with different names.

Next comes the trap. Changing one student's name doesn't change the other's, because each object keeps its own data. Then one line on why it matters: this is how a program keeps track of many students at once. Four short steps, each building on the last, and the idea stops being abstract.

How to make good study notes yourself

You don't need me to make useful notes. Most of what makes notes good is a method, and anyone can use it. The biggest mistake is copying. If your notes look like the slides, you've moved the information without processing it. Write in your own words, and where you can't, that's the topic to go back to.

Use the same layout for every topic so you can find things fast during revision. For a fuller method that turns notes into exam marks, read my guide on how to study for university exams. Notes are only half the job; testing yourself on them is the other half.

• Write a question at the top of each section, then answer it
• Keep one idea per heading and one example per idea
• Note the mistakes you make in practice, not just the theory
• End each topic with a five-line summary written from memory
• Leave space to add corrections after tests

How to make study notes from a textbook

Textbooks are written to be complete, not quick. Before you read a chapter, skim the headings, the summary and the end-of-chapter questions, so you know what matters. Then read one section, close the book, and write down what you remember. Only then open it again to fill the gaps.

Don't copy every definition. Keep the ones your lecturer emphasised and paraphrase the rest. Redraw diagrams as your own simpler sketches. And when a paragraph still makes no sense after two reads, flag it instead of copying it word for word. Those flags make an excellent list to bring to a tutoring session.

What one student said about my notes

Ethan Naicker (Higher Certificate, Mobile App and Web Development) wrote: “The notes Jorryn put together for me before my exam were unlike anything I’d seen. Clear, structured, and actually useful, not just a copy of the slides. I walked into that exam feeling prepared for the first time all semester. Genuinely grateful.”

I started my degree with no coding experience, so I remember which explanations helped and which just repeated the textbook. I graduated top of a class of 200+ in the IIE Higher Certificate in Mobile Application and Web Development, and I've guided 150+ students in 2+ years of tutoring. Notes also pair well with exam preparation sessions.

How to ask for notes

Message me with the module, the specific topics and what the notes are for: weekly revision, a test, or a final exam. A topic list from your course outline helps. I'll ask a few questions, and we'll agree on exactly what the notes will cover before I start, so you get what you need and nothing you don't.

Rates depend on the service and how much is involved, so you'll get a personalised quote first, with no surprises. I typically reply within 24 hours, and WhatsApp on 065 838 9320 is usually the fastest way to reach me.