Cornell Notes
Encyclopedia
The Cornell note-taking system is a widely-used note taking system devised in the 1950s by Walter Pauk
, an education professor at Cornell University
. Pauk advocated its use in his best-selling How to Study in College.
Notes from a lecture or teaching are written in the note-taking column; notes usually consist of the main ideas of the text or lecture, and long ideas are paraphrased. Long sentences are avoided; symbols or abbreviations are used instead. To assist with future reviews, relevant questions (which should be recorded as soon as possible so that the lecture and questions will be fresh in the student's mind) or key words are written in the key word column. These notes can be taken from any source of information, such as, fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, lectures, text books, etc.
After about 24 hours of taking the notes, the student taking the notes must revise and write questions and then the student writes a brief summary in the bottom five to seven lines of the page. This helps to increase understanding of the topic. When studying for either a test or quiz, the student has a concise but detailed and relevant record of previous classes. However, despite some of the truth in many people finding added benefits in taking Cornell Notes, many prefer using brief bullets or statements.
When reviewing the material, the student can cover up the note-taking (right) column to answer the questions/keywords in the key word or cue (left) column. The student is encouraged to reflect on the material and review the notes regularly.
Walter Pauk
Walter Pauk, Cornell University's reading and study center director, is author of the best-selling How To Study In College. Pauk has been lauded as "one of the most influential professors in the field of developmental education and study skills". He created Cornell Notes...
, an education professor at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Pauk advocated its use in his best-selling How to Study in College.
Overview of method
The Cornell method provides a systematic format for condensing and organizing notes. The student divides the paper into two columns: the note-taking column (usually on the right) is twice the size of the questions/key word column (on the left). The student should leave five to seven lines, or about two inches, at the bottom of the page.Notes from a lecture or teaching are written in the note-taking column; notes usually consist of the main ideas of the text or lecture, and long ideas are paraphrased. Long sentences are avoided; symbols or abbreviations are used instead. To assist with future reviews, relevant questions (which should be recorded as soon as possible so that the lecture and questions will be fresh in the student's mind) or key words are written in the key word column. These notes can be taken from any source of information, such as, fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, lectures, text books, etc.
After about 24 hours of taking the notes, the student taking the notes must revise and write questions and then the student writes a brief summary in the bottom five to seven lines of the page. This helps to increase understanding of the topic. When studying for either a test or quiz, the student has a concise but detailed and relevant record of previous classes. However, despite some of the truth in many people finding added benefits in taking Cornell Notes, many prefer using brief bullets or statements.
When reviewing the material, the student can cover up the note-taking (right) column to answer the questions/keywords in the key word or cue (left) column. The student is encouraged to reflect on the material and review the notes regularly.
Sample
| Questions / Keywords | Notes |
| Summary | |