The Cornell method provides a systematic format for condensing and organizing notes. This system of taking notes is designed for a high school or college level student. There are several ways of taking notes, but one of the most common one is the "two column" notes. The student divides the paper into two columns: the note-taking column is twice the size of the questions/keyword column. The student leaves five to seven lines, or about, at the bottom of the page. Notes from a lecture or teaching are written in the note-taking column; notes usually consist of the main ideas of the text or lecture, and long ideas are paraphrased. Long sentences are avoided; symbols or abbreviations are used instead. To assist with future reviews, relevant questions or key words are written in the key word column. These notes can be taken from any source of information, such as fiction books, DVDs, lectures, text books, etc. When reviewing the material, the student can cover the note-taking column while attempting to answer the questions/keywords in the key word or cue column. The student is encouraged to reflect on the material and review the notes regularly.
Studies on effectiveness
A study published in 2010 by Wichita State University compared two note taking methods in a secondary English classroom, and found that Cornell Note taking may be of added benefit in cases where students are required to synthesize and apply learned knowledge, while the guided notes methodappeared to be better for basic recall. Another study published in the summer of 2013 found that "Students who were taught CN did take better notes than those who were not, but they did not have higher achievement results." The study also stated that "Through analysis of assessment scores, I found no significant difference between the intervention and base classes on achievement." Cornell note-taking can give students an effectiveness in organization of thoughts that they have been taught and give a better review in recollecting all the information that they have learned. The Cornell note taking system is not only a fast method of writing notes, but one is able to absorb the information that is given at a faster rate. This method can improve student's studying and listening skills.
