How to Take Cornell Notes

I kept saying this statement all year, and I will keep repeating it now: Kiddos grow up too fast. My students, who I’ve worked with since they were in 6th grade, are going off to high school next year! The school year ends soon, so to send them off on this new chapter in their lives, I am preparing some parting lessons before they go to high school.

One of these lessons is how to take effective notes for class. I used the Cornell Notes system throughout high school, college, and even during important meetings/trainings at work now. There’s a reason why this note-taking system is so effective. From what I know, it’s a research-based method that helps students interact with their learning, enforces critical thinking and communication, better synthesize and analyze information, as well as increase retention of material.

HOW TO TAKE CORNELL NOTES

I use these FocusNotes legal pads, because they’re already in the Cornell Notes format. In high school, I use to draw the format in a regular notebook, so this particular notepad is very nifty and saves time.

STEP 1: RECORD

In the biggest section (Notes), take notes in class as you normally do.
Mini Tip: Use abbreviations, symbols, bullets, etc. to write faster.

STEP 2: REDUCE

In left section (Cue Column), jot down key ideas and themes in a list-form with bullets, dashes, stars, or whatever rocks your boat.
Mini Tip: This part takes practice, but the more you do it, the more you’ll naturally start to notice certain concepts that just keep coming up.

STEP 3: REFLECT & REVIEW

In the bottom section (Summary), synthesize and summarize the lesson in your own words. Write down why this information is important and any conclusions or questions that you have.
Mini Tip: I do this part at the end of class, or at the end of the day. This step is key to making learning fruitful and retaining information more effectively in the long run. After all you, you are making connections with the material and building up your data of knowledge.