 Note-taking
- THE CORNELL SYSTEM
The Cornell system for taking notes is
designed to save time but yet be highly efficient. There is no rewriting or
retyping of your notes. It is a "DO IT RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE"
system.
1. First Step - PREPARATION
Use
a large, loose-leaf notebook. Use only one side of the paper. (you then can lay your notes out to see the direction of a
lecture.) Draw a vertical line 2 1/2 inches from the left side of you paper.
This is the recall column. Notes will be taken to the right of this margin.
Later key words or phrases can be written in the recall column.
2. Second Step – TAKING NOTES FROM
SOURCES
Record
notes in paragraph form using YOUR OWN WORDS. Capture general
ideas—summarizing, paraphrasing or quoting main points. Put “quotation marks”
around direct quotes. Skip lines to show the end of ideas or thoughts. Using
abbreviations will save time (see “Simple Abbreviations” on the following
page). Write legibly.
·
Summarize
means to briefly explain the
information in your own words. A
summary
condenses the content of a lengthy passage.
When you write a summary,
you
reformulate the main idea and outline the main points that support it.
·
Paraphrase
means
to restate the content of a short passage.
When you write a paraphrase,
you reconstruct the passage phrase
by phrase, recasting the author’s words in
your own.
·
Quote
means to
use the exact words of the author.
Quotes are enclosed in quotation
marks.
3. Third Step - AFTER TAKING NOTES
Read
through your notes and make them more legible if necessary. Now use the
column. Jot down ideas or keywords
from your notes. Also, write any
questions you may have. The
information in the left-hand column may be used for arranging your notes
according to topic before writing your paper or for organizing information
before creating PowerPoint slides or a pamphlet.
Simple Abbreviations
+ and 4
for
> increase 2 to
< decrease & or / and
w/ with - minus less
w/o without = equals
w/I within ǂ diff/not equal
ø no, not ever prt part
b be b/w
between
i.e. that
is Symbols ! @ # $ % > <
Additional
Suggestions:
· Use symbols, diagrams,
or drawings to simplify ideas.
Example: Draw arrows
to show connections between ideas.
· Make names
and titles into acronyms after writing them once.
· Write first few syllables of long words and
complete the word when reviewing
notes.
~ collect coll
~ communicate comm
· Write words deleting vowels until notes are reviewed.
~ speak spk ~
communicate commnct
~ community
commnty
Can you think of some of your own short cuts?
1.
_____________________________________ 6. ___________________________________
2. _____________________________________ 7.
___________________________________
3. _____________________________________ 8.
___________________________________
4. _____________________________________ 9.
___________________________________
5. _____________________________________10.___________________________________
From Virginia Tech – Reading and
Study Skills: Note taking
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/cornell.html
The information in this
lesson focuses on taking notes from sources. The
following sites have additional information on Cornell Note-taking:
Cornell
Note-taking system
http://www.mccallie.org/DaveHall/notes.html
http://www.byu.edu/stlife/cdc/Learning_Strategies/study_skills/note-tak.htm
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