NOTE TAKING: CORNELL METHOD
WHY USE THE CORNELL METHOD
Cornell note taking method is a really helpful technique when you want to:
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Revise your class notes
Gather together a lot of information in an organized way
Create a glossary of terms for your subject
Structure your notes as you read your textbook
WHAT MAKES A “GOOD” SET OF CORNELL NOTES?
A “good” set of Cornell notes:
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Includes headings to make your notes clear
Has no more than nine pieces of information per key word
Keeps each dot point short
Can contain definition (word-for-word) and diagrams
At the end write a summary of what you studied. It must be in your own
words. This shows you what you’ve understood, and what needs more study
EXAMPLE – English (Catcher in the Rye)
CHAPTER ONE:
KEY
INFORMATION
WORD
Holden
 Smoker
Caulfield
 Likes goodbyes
 Lies a lot (good at it)
 Likes attention
D.B
 Holden’s brother
 Lives and works in Hollywood
Pency
 “Clear thinking” students
Prep
 People are phony (Holden doesn’t like them)
 Football is a big deal
Plot
 Holden lost the fencing equipment
points
Themes/
 N/A
Symbols
Setting
 Mental institution
 Pency Prep
SUMMARY Holden is in therapy and begins to tell his story…
EXAMPLE – Science (Mitosis)
MITOSIS:
KEY WORD
Interphase
INFORMATION
 Preparing for cell division
 46 chromosomes
Prophase
 92 chromosomes
Prometaphase  Nucleus dissolves
 Mitotic spindles attach to centromeres
Metaphase
 Chromosomes align at middle of cell
Anaphase
 Separated chromosomes pulled apart
Telophase
 Mitotic spindles disappear
 Cell division begins
Cytokinesis
 Two daughter cells
 Each has 46 chromosomes
SUMMARY
When two cells split apart mitosis occurs. There are
seven stages of mitosis…
HEADING:
Key word
Summary
Information
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