The Cornell Note Method

The Cornell Note Method has been covered pretty extensively across the internet, but as your “one stop shop” for maximizing (hacking) your college experience, we’re obligated to cover it. Since adopting Cornell notes this semester, processing and reviewing my lecture notes has become a systematized and painless task.

Developped in the 1950’s by Walter Pauk, author of How to Study in College, the Cornell Note Method splits an ordinary piece of paper into 3 sections; notes, main points and summary. As you listen to the lecture, all notes are written under the notes section (duh...). If any main points can be identified right away you may write them in the main points section on the left hand side of the page. When processing your notes, additional main points are added to the main points section and finally a summary of the material covered is added to the bottom of the page.

By following this system you are forced to consider the big picture and avoid getting caught up in the finite details. When completing your weekly review, you simply review the main points section and the summary of the lecture. 

I’ve gotten plenty of odd looks and questions about the paper I use when taking notes, but those who I’ve convinced to give it a shot now swear by it. Here’s a link to a Word, Pages and PDF templates to print off for yourself. You can also purchase spiral bound Cornell notebooks here. 

Give the Cornell Method a shot in the next lecture you attend and post your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Comments

[Danny Davis]

I have heard different reviews about the Cornell Note Taking Method. Some people argue that it is too weighty and complicated to be efficient during a typical professor lecture. I read Cal Newport's How to Become a Straight-A student and he recommends writing out your notes in a Question-Evidence-Conclusion approach, in this way you are able to capture the big idea but without the stress of trying to figure out the main idea of the lecture in the first place. While I respect anyone who successfully uses the Cornell Note Taking Method I personally find the method extremely stressful because trying to find out the main idea of a rambling of a professor is too much to consider while trying to learn as much as possible.

[bash:~$]

This might be helpful for my advanced ochem notes. Thanks.

[Luke Turcotte]

@Danny Davis

I understand exactly how you feel. When I use cornell notes I ignore the main points column entirely unless a main point is super obvious. When I am reviewing and processing my notes I extract the main points and jot them in the main points column. Essentially using Cal's QEC method while ignoring the C until I process my notes. The main points column may have many points per lecture, I reserve the holistic main point of the lecture for the summary.

Cornell notes certainly cater better to certain kinds of courses. They certainly don't work for the intro calculus course I'm taking right now, so instead I explain the example question steps in words in the left margin.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Stefan | StudySuccessful.com]

I think it looks pretty cool, and it actually is something I've never seen before.

I'm not sure they also deliver outside the US? I should check that, I might buy a notebook.

[Luke Turcotte]

@Stefan

I print my notes onto 32lb paper and file them in binders for each class. The other option is to send the PDF to office depot or your schools copy store and have them do up a spiral bound notebook for you.

[Bob]

Looks like a pretty good method. I'm surprised I haven't heard of it before.

Thanks, yet again, Hackcollege

[Hanna Hobbynutten]

just great!

[Erika]

Would it be possible to post the Microsoft Word template in 2000 format? I only have Word 2000. :(

[Luke Turcotte]

@ Erika

I uploaded a Word 97-2004 version of the template to http://drop.io/cornellnotes

Another option is to use one of the online template makers, they allow extensive customization (for example, you may prefer to have blue margins and lines or grid squares). A simple google search should bring up several.

[Kelly Sutton]

I think I might put together some Cornell-style, HackCollege-branded PDFs :)

[Stefan | StudySuccessful.com]

@Luke
Thanks! That sounds nice and should work. Gonna try it!

[Fawky]

The link to the word template seems to be not working, could you maybe upload it again?