School-wide Cornell Notes

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

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 90-100% indefinitely!

“Remember, the questioner is the learner.”Dr. Walter Pauk – Director, Reading and Study Center – Cornell University

The Forgetting Curve

Counseling Services, Study Skills Program – University of Waterloo

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. 2001.

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)

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)

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)

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)

Taking 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).

STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES

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.

STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES

A = After Class (At end of Class)•As soon as possible, edit your notes. Rereadthem, 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 thelecturer during the next session. •NOW fill in the LEFT-HAND COLUMN with QUESTIONS, ICONS (SYMBOLS andPICTURES), and/or MEMORY KEYS.

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 classAt least weeklyBefore the test

Cover the right column with blank paper. Review ALOUD. (Soto Voce)

STAR – INTRODUCTION TO CORNELL NOTES

CORNELL NOTES

CORNELL NOTESCover the right side of the notes.

Self-quiz

CORNELL NOTESCover the right side of the notes.

Self-quiz

How far will a train go at 85mph for4 hours?

CORNELL NOTES

How far will a train go at 85mph for4 hours?

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.

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.

www.avidonline.org