Cornell Notes


Cornell Notes

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One method of taking notes with a pen(cil) and paper, or digitally, is called the Cornell note taking system. This method of notetaking is very flexible and can be used in conjunction with many other types of taking notes, such as mind mapping. You may want to practice this note taking approach if you are looking for a method that is effective for critically reflecting and summarizing information.

Method - Pen(cil) and Paper

  • Use lined paper in the portrait position (unlined paper also works)
  • Divide paper into 3 sections as illustrated above.
    • The notes column includes facts and important information obtained from the readings or video lectures.
    • The keywords column includes terms and ideas contained in the notes. You can also include questions or prompts for reviewing later.
    • The summary column includes a 1-2 sentence summary of the notes contained on the page.
  • Cornell notes for studying and exam preparation - use reverse ordering.
    • Read the summary section first for an overview of the information on the page.
    • If additional review is necessary, review the keywords section.
    • If details are needed, review the notes section.

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