Start with the exam's format rules
Confirm page count, size, handwriting or printing requirements and permitted content. Then list the decisions you struggle to make without a reference. Prioritize definitions, conditions and distinctions that are easy to confuse. Treat the sheet as a support for reasoning, not a substitute for learning unfamiliar topics.
Use clear zones and retrieval cues
Group related items with short headings, consistent notation and readable spacing. Pair a rule with its exception or applicability condition. Include one brief example only when it clarifies a decision you otherwise get wrong. Remove copied paragraphs that take longer to read than the problem allows.
Test the actual sheet
Print or display it at the permitted size and attempt a timed sample. Record each lookup and any item you could not find. Revise labels and layout before adding more content. If the exam does not permit a sheet, use this process as preparation and practise recreating the core cues from memory.
Worked example
A one-page sheet has four zones: core definitions, method-selection cues, boundary conditions and recurring errors. A student initially adds five worked solutions, then finds they obscure the conditions they need. They replace the solutions with compact decision prompts and test a new question. The final sheet supports choosing a method rather than copying an unrelated solved problem.
Before you finish
- The final format follows the stated exam rules.
- Labels can be found under realistic time pressure.
- Every item earns its place by supporting a recurring decision.