1. ORGANIZATION: NOTE TAKING
Week 5 – September 9, 2008

2. Cornell-Style Note Taking
What?
Who?
When?
Why?
How?
Where?
& What Now?

3. What?
“Cornell Notes” is a style of note taking that was developed and adopted by all Cornell University professors in order to hold all students accountable for taking notes.
It is also called a “dialectical journal” entry.

4. What? “DIALECTICAL” in this case means: In a “dialectical journal”,
A formal system of reasoning or thought
In a “dialectical journal”,
you not only write down the information that the teacher is giving or summarize what you are reading, but you also write notes TO YOURSELF…comments or questions on the information you have just been given or have just read.

5. Who should use Cornell Notes?
Anyone who wants school to be interesting should be taking notes.
School can be boring when the information is “over your head”. The more you understand, the more you will end up liking school.

6. Who?
Anyone who does not want to be poor should take notes. Jobs that pay well require people to take notes as a form of quick communication.

7. Who?
Anyone who wants to go to college should take notes as practice for the rapid note taking that college courses require.

8. Who?
Anyone who wants to pass this class and graduate high school.

9. When should one use Cornell Notes?
Lecture time: Any time a teacher is
in front of the room speaking,
presenting a PowerPoint, or
writing on the board
that information should be taken down.
Your instructor has taken the time to write it down, so why shouldn’t you?

10. Why should one use Cornell Notes?
Look at the example of Cornell University, who tried it with more than 10,000 students…

11. Why?
University professors discovered that students who took notes did better in class and understood the material more.

12. Could someone please tell me what those are?
Why?
By unifying the university with one particular style of taking notes, students studied using their
spatial,
linguistic,
kinesthetic, and
visual intelligences.
That is three intelligences more than most students apply to class lectures alone.
Could someone please tell me what those are?

13. Why? SPATIAL – “picture smart” LINGUISTIC – “word smart”
KINESTHETIC – “body smart”
VISUAL – “learn by seeing”

14. Why?
Lastly, using the Cornell style note taking allows students to ask critical questions that can later be answered either through studying or asking the instructor.
It’s a “dialectical journal”, remember? You write your questions down as they pop into your head, so you won’t forget to ask about it later!

15. How does one take Cornell Notes?
Take a piece of binder paper and fold it one inch to the left of the margin.
The right 2/3 is for definitions, text info or class lecture notes.
The left 1/3 of the paper is for key terms, concepts, or questions.
Notes on
this side
Questions on
this side

16. How?
Draw a line across the bottom of your paper at the conclusion of class.
In the upper right corner, place your name, date, period, and subject.
The lower section of last page is to summarize that day’s activities
Name:
Date:
Period #:
Summarize
here!

17. Where should one keep Cornell Notes?
All class notes should be kept in a binder, divided by subject tabs.

18. More about Dialectical Journal Entries
Your dialectical journal may include, but is not limited to:
Reading notes
Lecture notes
Homework
Daily reflection
Sectional reflection
Test review notes
Vocabulary
Questions to ask in class
Notes on oral presentations by classmates

19. Journal Entries How to do it
Notes on what you’re reading
Set up a piece of paper to take Cornell notes
First preview the reading, identifying words you do not know. Write down the words on the left side of the paper, and then look up the meaning. Record the definition with the word.
Read the first sentence of each paragraph so you know where the text is going.

20. Journal Entries How to do it
Notes on what you’re reading
Read the complete assigned text as fast as you can.
Write one sentence for each paragraph on the right side of the paper.
In your own words write one paragraph on the right side summarizing the reading.
Then, write any questions you have for your teacher on the left side next to your notes.

21. Once your teacher answers your questions, jot the answers here!
This is how your
Cornell reading
notes might look!
Ima Student US History 10/12/08
FOLD
Assignment: Read Ch. 2 Section 1
Par 1: Women did not have the right to vote.
Par 2: Many women led a movement.
Par 3: The Constitution was amended.
Summary: Many women felt that they needed the right to vote. Some felt so strongly that they fought for years to win that right. In 1920, the U.S. Constitution was finally changed with the 19th Amendment.
p. 104 suffrage Def: the right to vote
p.105 amended Def: to change formally
My question: Why didn’t women have the right to vote from the beginning?
Once your teacher answers your questions, jot the answers here!

22. Journal Entries How to do it
Notes on a lecture
Set up a piece of paper to take Cornell notes
On the right side of your paper, note key terms and details, and sketch any diagrams or graphs. Write what the teacher writes or draws on board.
You do not need to write everything exactly as written or said. Use symbols for words. CA for for at, = for is, -> for then, etc.

23. Journal Entries How to do it
Notes on a lecture
Write out any examples, the main ideas, and applications.
On the left side, write down page numbers from your book that go with the information, questions you want to ask later, and words you need to look up.

24. FOLD Use symbols! c a b 3 c 4 This is how your Cornell lecture
Ima Student Geometry 9/30/08
FOLD
Lecture notes: Pythagorean Theorem
Used to find the area of a right
a2 + b2 = c2
Practice:
HOMEWORK!
p ODD
What is a theorem?
Can it be used with other kinds of ‘s?
Notes on p.59 of book
Use symbols! c a b 3 c
= c = c = c2
√25 = √c = c
This is how your
Cornell lecture
notes might look! 4

25. Journal Entries How to do it
Questions to ask in class
If you are unsure of something, place a “?” on the left side, by the spot in your notes.
Ask the question the next time you’re in class, and record the response.

26. What Now? TAKING NOTES is the first step to actual STUDYING.
The second step is to REWRITE THEM. Redo some homework problems to make sure you know how to do each style of problem.
The third step is to then REREAD the notes each weekend to review the week’s learning.

27. A Final Word… You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.
Dr. Seuss