CORNELL LECTURE NOTES
Assignment: ______Date: ______
What are the advantages of using Cornell style? / Three advantages:1. It is a method for mastering information, not just recording facts
2. It is efficient
3. Each step prepares the way for the next part of the learning process
What materials are needed? / Materials:
· Loose-leaf white lined paper
· 8-cm column (from paper’s edge) drawn at the left side of each page
How should notes be recorded? / · During class, record notes on the right side of the paper
· Record notes in paragraphs using bullets or numbers
o Don’t get too crazy about a specific outlining system
· Get main ideas down (don’t use complete grammatically correct sentences!)
o Facts, details, diagrams, and examples are important
· Use abbreviations
· Use pictures, diagrams, concept maps on the left interact page
How should notes be refined? / After class, refine notes by:
· Writing questions in the left column about the info in the right column
· Check or correct incomplete items
· Read the notes and highlight key words and phrases
o In the left column, write recall clues/questions
· At the bottom of the page, write a summary
What are the ways to recite notes? / Using the Cornell system, you:
· Cover up the right side of the page, and read the questions on the left
o Answer the questions as fully as possible without “peeking” under the right flap
o Uncover the right side to VERIFY your answers
· The more you recite and reflect, the deeper the information memory
What are the five steps of this system? / In this system you:
1. Record lectures in the main column (right side); do NOT write on the back of the paper
2. Refine lectures with questions, corrections, highlighting, graphics, pictures, and memory gimmicks on the back side of the opposite page
…five steps continued… / 3. Recite notes by covering main column and expanding on the recall clues; verify
4. Reflect on the “big picture” by studying all left column cues
5. Review by repeating steps 3 and 4 frequently
How can you be a more active listener? / 1. Think about what is being said
2. Relate what is being said to other points in the lecture, and ideas from previous lectures and reading
3. ASK QUESTIONS!!!
How can you tell what is important during lecture? / 1. Listen for the speaker to say phrases like:
- “this is important”, “this is a test question”, “here is a possible essay on your test”, “this diagram should be put on your 3 x 5”, “this would make a perfect fill-in-the-blank question on your test”, “these names would make a great matching section on your test”, etc…
3. Circle and highlight this info, and transfer to any 3 x 5 allowed
How can you keep up with the speaker? / · Write only the important ideas
· Make sure to invent abbreviations that you can easily understand
· Do NOT attempt to write in complete sentences
o Leave out the small, unnecessary connecting words
· Write questions during lecture to ask later