• Cornell note taking stimulates
critical thinking skills.
• Note taking helps students
remember what is said in class.
• A good set of notes can help
students work on assignments
and prepare for tests outside of
the classroom.
• Good notes allow students to help
each other problem solve.
• Good Notes help students organize
and process data and information.
• Helps student recall by
getting them to process
their notes 3 times.
• Writing is a great tool for learning!
• Developed in 1949 at Cornell
University by Walter Pauk.
• Designed in response to frustration
over student test scores.
• Meant to be easily used
as a test study guide.
• Adopted by most major law schools
as the preferred note taking method.
Layout
Question
Column
--2 Inches--
After the lecture,
– write questions in this column for each main point in the record column.
Record Column
--6 Inches--
Record patterns of main idea and
support • in your own words when possible.
Use indentations
• to show the relationships between main ideas and
– support.
Summary
--2 inches--
After the questions,
3 to 4 sentence summary across
the bottom of the last page of the day’s notes
Sample
Blank
Cornell
Note
Paper
Record Column Write main ideas and supporting material in
the right column
– Record notes in paragraphs, skipping lines to
separate ideas.
• Titles & keywords= topics main ideas
• “Transition” words/phrases introduce details
– First, most, some, this is called, there are two types
– Use abbreviations to get the full idea.
– Leave spaces between ideas so you can
• fill in more later.
• see how ideas relate to one another
Develop a code system of note-marking to indicate questions, comments, important points …for example,
Use different colors distinguish between different parts of your notes.
Mark unfamiliar vocabulary & unclear ideas in unique ways
Highlight vocabulary.
Circle ideas that are still unclear
Make sure you can understand what you have written and if needed, make corrections.
Use drawings, arrows or other organizers to help you see concepts and relationships between them
Note taking Tips
Note taking Tips
Use indentations to distinguish
between major and minor points.
Put most notes in your own words,
except
formulas , definitions, and specific facts
Use abbreviations and symbols
wherever possible.
Never use a sentence when you can use a phrase, or a phrase when you
can use a word.
Speaker says: “Hippocrates, a
Greek who is considered to be the
Father of modern medicine, was
Born on the island of Cos in
460 B.C.”
Notes say: “Hippocrates (Gr.)
Father of med. B. Cos 460BC”
Question Column
Write questions in the left column of your notes to
quiz yourself on the material.
– Write questions in the question column on the
same line as the item the question addresses
in the record column
– Write a question for each new
• Topic
• Main idea
• Significant detail
– Write questions for details on which
you think your professor will quiz you.
Quiz
Answer your questions in the left column.
– Cover the Record Column.
– Read your questions in the Question Column
– Using your own words, answer your questions out loud.
– Uncover your notes and check what you have said against the facts.
This will help transfer ideas to your long-term memory!
Summary
• Keep it short!
• Write in your own words.
• Try to remember what your notes were
about – don’t read your notes as you’re
writing your summary!
Review
Review to improve your memory.
– If you spend 10 minutes every week or so in
a quick review of your notes,
• you will retain most of what you have studied
• you won’t have to cram during an “all-nighter”
• you will relate the facts and ideas to
present lectures or readings.
Anthropods
Paul sends
his examples
Paul sends
his examples
Paul sends
his examples
• May reflect headings in
PowerPoint lectures
• Leave room on the left
for questions and
diagrams
• Leave plenty of room
within the outline for
student note-taking
(Diagram copied
during lecture) (Questions
about it ) • How do the
ticks find the
cattle?
• Why don’t the
ticks usually
kill their host?
• How could
tick
infestations in
cattle impact
humans?
Example Here is the text.
In the “Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” there are four
main characters – including one that may not really
exist. The first and most important character is
Ichabod Crane. He is an ambitious schoolteacher,
who hopes to marry the second character, Katrina
Van Tassel. Katrina is the handsome daughter of a
wealthy farmer. The third character is Brom Bones.
He is Ichabod’s rival for Katrinia, and he is also well
known for his practical jokes. The fourth and final
character is the frightening, ghostly figure of the
Headless Horseman, who terrifies Ichabod into
running away. But Irving strongly hints that this might
simply be another of the characters in disguise.
Here are the notes:
1st character?
Job?
Interest?
2nd character?
Description?
3rd character?
Interested in?
Likes what?
4th character
Real or not?
Scares who?
Might be who?
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – 4 Main Characters
1. Ichabod Crane
• Most important
• School teacher
• Wants to marry Katrina
2. Katrina Van Tassel
• Beautiful daughter of wealthy farmer
3. Brom Bones
• Also wants to marry Katrina
• Well known for practical jokes
4. Headless Horseman
• Scary ghost
• Scares Ichabod away
• Might be another character [Brom?] in disguise
Summary:
Sleepy Hollow has 4 important characters to the story.
Ichabod Crane, a teacher, who wants to marry Katrina
Van Tassel, a daughter of a wealthy farmer. Another
character, Brom Bones, also wants to marry Katrina and
is Ichabod rival. The fourth character is the Headless
Horseman, who frightens Ichabod into running away,
may secretly be another one of the characters.
Your questions should reflect:
• Info you don’t understand or
want to discuss with your
teacher/tutor.
• Info you think would go good
on an essay test.
• Write summaries of the most important
material in the summary/reflection
section
• Write a quiz for others using notes;
exchange and correct
• Write anticipated test questions
beyond those already in the
left-hand column and write
answers
Write!
• Cover the right side of your notes;
review and answer study questions
from the left using the right side as an
answer key
• Quiz yourself out loud
• Cover the right side with blank
paper; write out answers to
the left column study
questions
Make use of the format
• Look over notes frequently to
keep information and questions
still unanswered fresh in mind
• Recite information from notes
Review
• Exchange notes with others to flesh
out information and understanding
• Use notes in study groups to provide a
common ground of material for
reference and review
• Rewrite notes if necessary
Study in a Group