Cornell Notes

Why take notes? Studies have shown that students retain more information when they take notes in class Learning abbreviations and academic clues, students take better notes in class

Cornell Structure What makes Cornell notes unique and so effective is their structure. The paper is clearly labeled and then folded into two portions, the left side being about 1/3 while the right side is about 2/3. Leave 5-7 lines at the bottom for a summary.

Cornell Structure The left side is left blank INITIALLY, but we will come back to it later. As you listen to a lecture or take notes in class, you record your notes on the right side. You can then return to the left side and use it to write down: questions you have things you do not understand key terms.

Cornell Structure - Summary The summary is key to your understanding. Students will often start a summary with “Today in class I learned…” this is not acceptable with Cornell Notes. The idea is to think deeper and to truly summarize what you learned, discussing key points and detail.

Cornell Notes Example Take Cornell Notes from the following (very short) lecture.