The Cornell Note Taking System

The Cornell method of note taking offers several advantages. It results in more organized notes. It allows students to quickly and identify key words and key concepts from a lecture. The notes can easily be used as a study guide for exam preparation. The notes have a distinctive appearance because of the layout, but it is important to remember that simply writing notes using the system will not improve your retention of the information. The system provides organization, but you have to devote time to review in order to be successful.

Step One - Preparation
Use a large, loose-leaf notebook. The large size provides room for notes, recording examples, and diagrams. The loose-leaf feature enables you to insert handouts and assignment sheets in topical or chronological order.

Draw a vertical line about two inches from the left edge of each sheet. This is the recall column. Notes will be recorded in the space to the right of the line. Later, key words and phrases will be written to the left of the line for review.

Before taking any notes on your text, review any prior notes and class lectures. Review helps form a frame of reference, helping you to see the development of the course.

Step Two: Taking Notes
1. Record your notes on the right side in paragraph form. Make your notes complete and clear.
2. It is not necessary to make elaborate outlines until you're ready to make a summary sheet and condense your notes.
3. Record general ideas rather than illustrative details. In this way, you will be able to follow the train of the argument or development of an idea. Record names and dates.
4. Skip lines to show the end of one topic and the start of another. Indicate the sub-topics and supporting details with numbers or letters under the major idea (indent them).
5. Use abbreviations sparingly.
6. Note the page and text (if there are more than one) at the top of each page of notes in case you need to refer back to the original for clarification.
7. Write legibly. Do not rewrite your notes. Do it right the first time. Rewriting just wastes your time. As soon as possible, review the notes in the right column and clarify any ambiguous information.

Step Three: Review
1. underscore or highlight key items.
2. Use the left column to create questions and/or key terms for review. In doing so, you will have organized and structured the information both in your notes and in your mind. Use your own words.
      Check example    
3. Cover up the right side of the sheet, exposing only the jottings in the recall column on the left side. Use these as cues to help you recall. RECITE aloud the answers as fully as you can. Then uncover the right side and confirm that you were right.
4. Occasionally condense down the key terms and ideas in outline form. This summary sheet will help you get the big picture. It will also help you organize your information in a usable form for the mid-term and final exams.
5. Review periodically all semester long and intensely before any exam.

Number 3 here is crucial. Simply reading your notes will not necessarily help you remember the information. Reviewing and quizzing yourself should be more effective. If you are determined not to study and choose to cram, that's your decision, and you will have to accept the consequences.

Generally, the best way to remember information is to review and recite your notes frequently. A good guideline to follow is to review your notes nightly or several times during the week by reciting, not rereading. Weekly review sessions will provide better comprehension and retention of information than cramming the day before a test. Regular review should also cut on stress!