Cornel Notes Taking System
# Cornel Notes Taking System
Cornell Note Taking System is a solution for taking, organizing and reviewing notes and has been devised by Prof. Walter Pauk of Cornell University in the 1950s. It turned out to be an effective way to take notes and organize information. This system allows you to quickly identify and record key information. It also provides a way to review and recall information later.
It is based on the simple principles:
Divide notes page into 4 sections:
- Title section (optional)
- Keywords/comments/questions section (30% width)
- Notes section (70% width)
- Summary section
Like this:
As you listen to a lecture or read a chapter, record the main ideas in the “Notes” section. Then, write down key details and your thoughts in the “Keywords/comments/questions” section.
When you’re finished taking notes, review each section and highlight important points. Then, create a summary of your notes by writing a brief overview of the main ideas in the “Summary” section.
# Why Should You Use Cornell Notes?
Besides being a very efficient way of taking great notes in class, Cornell note taking is THE perfect tip for exam preparation. Here’s why:
The system itself encourages you to reflect on your notes by actively summarizing them in their own words. Often, this can already be enough to remember study notes and to successfully pass an exam.
When reviewing your notes it’s also useful to reorder objects on the page, for example, to add a solution to an answer on the side to the notes.