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How and Why of Cornell Style Notes Subject/period Essential Question: How are Cornell Notes an effective studying tool, and how can I support my student in the Cornell Notetaking Process?
Why should I take Cornell Notes?

Taking Notes in Cornell Style is recommended by many major universities, including Cornell (of course), Dartmouth, Virginia Tech, BYU, Baylor, San Francisco State, UC Davis, Utah State, and Syracuse. The point of Cornell Style Notes is that your notes are an effective study tool. By taking Cornell notes, and studying them later, you will retain most of what you were taught. Be sure to set up your paper, leaving the left 2 inches open. Record: During the lecture, take notes in paragraph, bullet, or outline style, your choice. Record as many meaningful facts as possible. Listen to the teacher, and write down things the teacher indicates you should know. Do not try to write every word. Paraphrase if you can! Write legibly!! Reduce: As soon as possible, after the lecture, write questions in the left column. Think of this as Jeopardy, the questions on the left, should be answered by the notes on the right. Or, imagine you are the teacher: if the notes are the test answers, what are the test questions? Recite: Now, when you study your notes, use your right hand to cover the notes column, or fold the paper to hide the answers, and do your best to answer the questions on the left. Then peek at your notes to verify that you can correctly answer the questions. Reflect: At the bottom of the page, leave a space for one paragraph. After you have studied your notes once, write out a summary that answers the questions on the left. By categorizing, summarizing, and reflecting on your learning, you are committing the information to long term memory. Review: For each class, spend 10 minutes reading through your notes the first day. Spend 5 minutes answering the left column questions the second day. Spend 2 minutes reviewing and reinforcing what you learned in each lecture, a week later. Remember 10, 5, and 2.
Now its your turn! In the left column, write a question for each section (Record, reduce, recite, reflect, review). Then write a short summary at the bottom of this page.