C ORNELL : A SHORT LESSON IN NOTE - TAKING Some parts of presentation by Professor Jauregui Add examples from AVID

W HAT IS C ORNELL ? An active learning process A system of note taking designed to maximize time and efficiency An organization tool A tool used for study and review Developed by Walter Pauk of Cornell University One of the most commonly used note taking systems Students needed a more effective way to take notes

W HY W OULD I U SE T HIS ? Organized and systematic Allows you to record/review notes Stay actively engaged in material Easy format Saves time and effort Built in feedback

S ETTING U P C ORNELL N OTES 2 columns, approx. 2 ½ in. and 6 in. Notes labeled with topic, date, class, chapter #, etc.

R ECORD Recording of notes from book or lecture done in the larger column NOT word for word Make it simple: use abbreviations, short hand, summaries whenever possible Use headings, numbers, dashes, etc. to divide information and KEEP IT ORGANIZED! Leaves spaces if necessary to fill in later Keep writing! Record only main ideas and important details – be selective Write legibly. Questions: As soon after class as possible, formulate questions based on the notes in the right-hand column. Writing questions helps to clarify meanings, reveal relationships, establish continuity, and strengthen memory. Also, the writing of questions sets up a perfect stage for exam-studying later.

R EDUCE When? As soon as possible. Where? In the smaller column. What? Take your right-hand column notes and reduce into key words, phrases, and questions. Why? These will serve as memory cues and aid in your studying. FEEDBACK Practice: Reduce the following piece of information. Numbering ideas in your notes helps you remember how many important points are in each section. Summarizing clarifies meanings, reveals relationships, establishes continuity, and strengthens memory. Also, this thinking and writing of cues sets up a perfect stage for studying for exams later.

R ECITE Speak out loud Use own words “Self-Explaining” Check for Understanding Use feedback – what needs clarification? What needs to be studied further? Look at the words and phrases in the Cue Column only, recite aloud and in your own words the full lecture.

R EFLECT “Think or consider seriously” Think about your notes Create summaries Create outlines Create study tools (index cards, maps, drawings, lists, foldables, etc.) Explain to a study partner You reflect by asking yourself the following questions, for example. What's the significance of these facts? What principle are they based on? How can I apply them? How do they fit in with what I already know? What's beyond them? Reflect on the material by asking yourself questions, for example: “What’s the significance of these facts? What principle are they based on? How can I apply them? How do they fit in with what I already know? What’s beyond them?

R EVIEW Immediately and often! Why? Curve of Forgetting – Reviewing lecture material within hours of the lecture can increase how much material you remember by approximately 80%. Another way of looking at this is that if you fail to review within hours of the lecture, you will forget approximately 80% of the material. This means that you have to spend additional time relearning the information prior to a test. Spend ten minutes every other day reviewing your notes. If you do so, you'll retain a great deal for current use, as well as, for the exam, which comes later.

S TEP BY S TEP REDUCE (After lecture) RECORD (During lecture) REDUCE Key words, phrases, or questions (in your own words) RECITE (out loud, in own words, using reduce column as prompts) RECORD 1. Write down facts, ideas, and phrases 2. Use abbreviations (when possible) 3. Read through your notes (after lecture) 4. Fill in the blanks and make more legible (after lecture) REFLECT 1. Questions 2. Summaries 3. Associations) REVIEW 1. Immediately and often Write a summary of your notes here in complete sentences

Course Date Topic: CORNELL NOTE TAKING SYSTEM Page # Are your notes useless when studying for tests? Do you forget major points and remember minor details? Do you have trouble understanding what you’ve written down? If so, try the five step Cornell System of Note Taking to help make notes clear and to aid in remembering facts. Recall Column Record Column Record during Write as briefly as you can in the Record Column during the class lecture. Use abbreviations and shortened phrases. Leave spaces between ideas so you can fill in more later. Fill in the Recall Column as soon as possible. Reduce after Use terms and questions. classSummarize ideas and facts. Show relationships between points to strengthen memory. Prepare for exams gradually and well ahead of time. Recite from Cover the main or Record Column. Recall Column Use the Recall Column as a prompt to recite facts from the Record Column in your own words.. Uncover the Record Column and check facts. This will help transfer ideas to your long-term memory. Reflect on possible Think - to make sense out of the notes. test questions; mark Find relationships and order. unclear points Put ideas into categories and tie old material to new. Think about which points will appear on tests. Mark unclear concepts so you can ask questions. Review to improve Review weekly to retain most of what you learned. memory Relate facts from earlier material to present material.

W HAT YOUR NOTES SHOULD HAVE  Proper set-up and heading  Notes are selectively and accurately paraphrased  Use of logical abbreviations  Notes have been edited, highlighted, and underlined  Questions check for understanding and reflect higher levels of inquiry  Summary shows learning by effectively summarizing and reflecting on  Information and/or asking questions to clarify or further the thinking