1. School-wide Cornell Notes

2. History of Cornell Notes
Developed in 1949 by Dr. Walter Pauk, law professor at Cornell University
Designed in response to frustration over low student test scores and meant to be used successfully as a study guide
Adopted by most major law schools as the preferred note-taking method

3. “Remember, the questioner is the learner.”
Cornell Note-taking
Why should you take notes?
To minimize your “rate of forgetting”
Dr. Walter Pauk, Cornell University
Don’t take notes = Forget 60% in 14 days
Take some notes = Remember 60%
Take organized notes and do something
with them = Remember % indefinitely!
“Remember, the questioner is the learner.”
Dr. Walter Pauk – Director, Reading and Study Center – Cornell University

4. Counseling Services, Study Skills Program – University of Waterloo
The Forgetting Curve
Counseling Services, Study Skills Program – University of Waterloo

5. What Does the Research Show?
Verbatim note-taking is, perhaps, the least effective way to take notes.
Notes should be considered a work in progress.
Notes should be used as study guides for tests.
The more notes that are taken, the better.
Marzano, et al. Classroom Instruction that Works

6. What Does the Research Show?
Students must analyze information at a deep level in order to decide what information to delete, what to substitute, and what to keep when they are asked to give a summary (Anderson, V., & Hidi, 1988/1989; Hidi & Anderson, 1987)

7. What Does the Research Show?
Reading comprehension increases when students learn how to incorporate “summary frames” as a tool for summarizing. (Meyer & Freedle, 1984)
Summary frames are a series of questions created by the teacher and designed to highlight critical passages of text. When students use this strategy, they are better able to understand what they are reading, identify key information, and provide a summary that helps them retain the information. (Armbruster, Anderson, & Ostertag, 1987)

8. What Does the Research Show?
Teacher-prepared notes show students what is important and how ideas relate and offer a model for how students should take notes themselves. (Marzano, et al., 2001)
Notes should be in both linguistic and nonlinguistic forms, including idea webs, sketches, informal outlines, and combinations of words and schematics; and, the more notes, the better (Nye, Crooks, Powlie, & Tripp, 1984)

9. What Does the Research Show?
When students review and revise their own notes, the notes become more meaningful and useful. (Anderson & Armbruster, 1986; Denner 1986; Einstein, Morris & Smith, 1985)

10. Taking Cornell Notes

11. STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES
S = Set Up Paper
Put name, class, and date in upper right-hand
corner.
All notes need a title.
Draw a line down the length of the paper, about
one-third of the way in (about three inches).

12. CORNELL NOTES

13. STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES
T = Take Notes
Paraphrase the text or lecturer in the right hand
column.
Use selective listening to decide important
information.
Use whatever it takes to cue your own memory
system. You may, for example, use capitals,
printing, underlining, arrows, or even pictures.
Don’t get hung up on spelling.
Use abbreviations that work for you.
Develop your own shorthand.

14. STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES
A = After Class (At end of Class)
As soon as possible, edit your notes. Reread
them, looking for places to make additions,
deletions, or clarifications.
Work with a PARTNER whenever possible.
Use a highlighter or underline to emphasize
important points.
Note any points that need to be clarified with the
lecturer during the next session.
NOW fill in the LEFT-HAND COLUMN with
QUESTIONS, ICONS (SYMBOLS and
PICTURES), and/or MEMORY KEYS.

15. STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES
R = Reflect and Review
Reflect – Summarize the notes, relating the
subject to yourself and your personal
experience. Use GIST.
Review notes regularly:
After class
At least weekly
Before the test
Cover the right column with blank paper. Review ALOUD. (Soto Voce)

16. CORNELL NOTES

17. CORNELL NOTES
Cover the right side of the notes.
Self-quiz

18. CORNELL NOTES Cover the right side of the notes. Self-quiz
How far will a
train go at
85mph for
4 hours?

19. CORNELL NOTES
How far will a
train go at
85mph for
4 hours?

20. Taking Cornell Notes
Use the handout on Cornell Notes and the tips on taking notes. Pull out a page or two of Cornell note paper. As you read this short piece, do the following:
Record notes in the wide column to the right.
When you are finished reading the piece and recording your notes, compose questions in the column to the left.
The questions should be Level 2 or Level 3 questions that the piece generated in your mind as you were reading.
The questions can also be those for which your notes are the answers in sort of a Jeopardy approach.
When you are finished composing your questions, write your summary/reflection at the bottom of the page.

21. Evaluating Cornell Notes
Refer to the “Cornell Notes Rubric” and/or the “Note-taking Checklist” as a way to evaluate your notes according to these documents.