Effective Note Taking Techniques It takes more than a pen

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Effective Note Taking Techniques
It takes more than a pen!

• Learning Assistance Center
• 120 University Pavilion
• 513-556-3244
• www.uc.edu/learningassistance

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The Cornell System

• 2. Before the Lecture
• Read or skim text
• General overview
• New items and concepts
• Unclear material
• Gaps in information

• 1. Purpose of Note Taking
• Aids comprehension and retention
• Outline of important points
• Clarification of ideas
• Source for review

Effective Note Taking

• 3. During the Lecture
• Structure and organization
• Content

• 4. After the Lecture
• Immediate review
• Completion
• Retention
• Rewrite notes
• Outlining
• Mapping

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Introduction

• The Cornell method provides a systematic format
  for condensing and organizing notes without
  laborious recopying. After writing the notes in
  the main space, use the left-hand space to label
  each idea and detail with a key word or "cue."

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Method

• Rule your paper with a 2 ½ inch margin on the
  left leaving a six-inch area on the right in
  which to make notes. During class, take down
  information in the six-inch area. When the
  instructor moves to a new point, skip a few
  lines. After class, complete phrases and
  sentences as much as possible. For every
  significant bit of information, write a cue in
  the left margin. To review, cover your notes with
  a card, leaving the cues exposed. Say the cue out
  loud say as much as you can of the material
  underneath the card. When you have said as much
  as you can, move the card and see if what you
  said matches what is written. If you can say it,
  you know it.

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Note sheet format for the Cornell system
2.5
6
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During the lecture class the student writes notes
in the wide (6) column. To study from the
notes, the student writes either cue words or
questions in the narrow column and a summary in
the space at the bottom of the note sheet.
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Taking Lecture Notes

• To help you better understand and remember the
  content of lectures, record a speakers ideas
  while they are being presented. Several methods
  are used to take good notes.

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Preparation

• Use a large loose-leaf notebook. Use only one
  side of the paper, making sure that you label,
  number and date each sheet in topical or
  chronological order. Fit the note-filled sheets
  into the binder after each class. Draw a
  vertical line 2 1/2 inches from the left side of
  your 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. (Cornell System)

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During the Lecture

• Record your notes in simple paragraph form.
  Dont bother to make elaborate outlines. Strive
  to capture general ideas. Skip lines to show the
  end of thoughts and/or ideas. Use abbreviations
  or symbols to give yourself extra time. Write
  legibly. Your object should be to make your
  notes complete enough so they will have meaning
  for you weeks and months later.

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After the Lecture

• Read and consolidate your notes right after class
  or sometime that evening and make them more
  legible. Using the recall column on the left
  side of the page, jot down key words or ideas
  from the lecture. Overlap your notes showing
  only recall columns and you have your review.

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The Cornell Note Taking System Made Simple

• Step 1 Record
• (During Lecture)
• write down facts and ideas in phrases
• use abbreviations when possible
• (After Lecture)
• read through your notes
• fill in blanks and make scribbles more legible
• Step 2 Reduce or Question
• (After Lecture)
• write key words, phrases or questions that serve
  as cues for notes taken in class
• cue phrases and questions should be in your own
  words
• Step 3 Recite
• with classroom notes covered, read each key word
  or question
• recite the fact or idea brought to mind by key
  word or question

• Step 4 Reflect
• Thinking about and applying the facts and ideas
  that you have learned
• You reflect by asking questions
• Step 5 Review
• review your notes periodically by reciting
• think about what you have learned
• Step 6 Recapitulation
• (After Lecture)
• summarize each main idea
• use complete sentences    

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6 Steps of the Cornell System Explained

• Record
• Simply record as many facts and ideas as you can
  in the six-inch column.
• Do not be concerned with getting every word down
  that the lecturer says or with writing your notes
  grammatically correctly.
• Learn to write telegraphic sentences or a
  streamlined version of the main points of the
  lecture by leaving out unnecessary words and
  using only key words.
• To ensure that your notes make sense weeks later,
  after the lecture is over, fill in blanks or make
  incomplete sentences complete.
• (During Lecture) write down facts and ideas in
  phrases, use abbreviations when possible.
• (After Lecture) read through your notes, fill in
  blanks and make scribbles more legible

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6 Steps of the Cornell System Explained

• 2. Reduce or question
• After you read through your notes, your next step
  is to reduce important facts and ideas to key
  words or phrases, or to formulate questions based
  on the facts and ideas.
• Key words, phrases, and questions are written in
  the narrow column left of the six-inch column.
• The words and phrases act as memory cues so that
  when you review them, you will recall the ideas
  or facts.
• The questions help to clarify the meanings of the
  facts and ideas.

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6 Steps of the Cornell System Explained

• 3. Recite
• Recitation is a very powerful process in the
  retention of information.
• Reciting is different from rereading in that you
  state out loud and in your own words the facts
  and ideas you are trying to learn.
• It is an effective way to learn because hearing
  your thoughts helps you to sharpen your thinking
  process and stating ideas and facts in your own
  words challenges you to think about the meaning
  of the information.
• When reciting, cover up your notes in the
  six-inch column, while leaving the cue words and
  questions uncovered and readily accessible.
• Next, read each key word or question, then
  recite and state aloud, in your own words, the
  information.
• If your answer is correct, continue on through
  the lecture by reciting aloud.

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6 Steps of the Cornell System of Note Taking
Explained

• 4.Reflect
• Reflection is pondering or thinking about the
  information you have learned. Reflecting is a
  step beyond learning note content. It reinforces
  deeper learning by the relating of facts and
  ideas to other learning and knowledge.
• Questions like the following enhance reflecting
  How do these facts and ideas fit into what I
  already know? How can I apply them? How is
  knowing this important? What is the significance
  of these facts and ideas?

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6 Steps of the Cornell System of Note Taking
Explained

• 5. ReviewThe way to prevent forgetting is to
  review and recite your notes frequently. A good
  guideline to follow is to review your notes
  nightly or several times during the week by
  reciting, not rereading.
• Brief review sessions planned throughout the
  semester, perhaps weekly, will aid more complete
  comprehension and retention of information than
  will cramming the day before a test. It will cut
  on stress too!

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6 Steps of the Cornell System of Note Taking
Explained

• 6. Recapitulate
• The recapitulation or summary of your notes goes
  at the bottom of the note page in the two-inch
  block column.
• Taking a few minutes after you have reduced,
  recited, and reflected to summarize the facts and
  ideas in your notes will help you integrate your
  information.
• The summary should not be a word-for-word
  rewriting of your notes.
• It should be in your own words and reflect the
  main points you want to remember from your notes.
  
• Reading through your summary (ies) in preparation
  for an exam is a good way to review. There are
  three ways to go about summarizing
• 1. Summarize each page of notes at the bottom of
  each page.
• 2. Summarize the whole lecture on the last page.
  
• 3. Do both 1 and 2, in combination

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Standard Abbreviation and Symbols

• Symbols are helpful to students to take notes
  faster. You should use only the abbreviations
  that fit your needs and that you will easily
  remember.
• On the next slides are some abbreviations and
  some rules about abbreviations. You should use
  only those that fit your needs and that you will
  remember easily. A good idea is to introduce
  only a few abbreviations into your note taking at
  a time. Overuse may leave you with a set of
  notes that are difficult to read. Here are some
  examples

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Standard Abbreviation and Symbols
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Standard Abbreviation and Symbols
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Frequently Asked Question 1

• I often get sleepy in class do you have any
  advice on how I can stay awake?

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Answer

• When you become sleepy in class it may be due to
  lack of oxygen. There is a four step, 30 second
  exercise you can do if this occurs.
• Step 1. Straighten your spine. Put both feel on
  the floor, uncross your arms and legs, sit up
  straight and hold your head up straight.
• Step 2. Take a deep breath and hold it. While
  you hold it, tense the muscles in your body.
  Begin with the muscles in your feet, then legs,
  thighs, and so forth, steadily moving up your
  body, ending with the arms and hands. Hold these
  muscles tense for the count of five and then
  relax and exhale.
• Step 3. Breathe deeply three times. Inhale
  slowly and deeply, breathing into your belly as
  well as your chest. Pause momentarily at the top
  of the breath and then exhale completely. When
  you have exhaled as much as you can, force out
  more air by contracting your muscles. Do this
  breathing exercise three times.
• Step 4. Repeat the steps mentioned in Step 2.
  You have now successfully activated all of your
  muscles and filled your body with oxygen. With
  practice you can do this exercise in class
  without your classmates or professor noticing

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Frequently Asked Question 2

• I take notes in class, but cannot read my own
  writing. Can you help?

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Answer

• Get to the root of the problem. The problem is
  not bad handwriting, but the impact, you cannot
  read your notes and have difficulty studying the
  lecture materials.
• Set goals for improvement. Setting short term
  goals to improve your handwriting is a good step.
  Make sure you are specific about the results you
  intend on achieving.
• Use creative visualizations. Find a quiet spot
  during a time of the day when you are typically
  relaxed. Close your eyes and relax your entire
  body. Visualize yourself taking notes in class
  and writing legibly. Practice this daily and the
  results will come soon enough.
• Cross all the ts and dot all the is. The time
  you spend dotting and crossing will eliminate the
  time spent scratching your head trying to figure
  out what you have written!

• Change your pen to change your handwriting.
  Perhaps use two or three different types of pens
  and/or pencils to write your notes. Pens come
  with different ball points. Some are fine,
  others are medium. See which one is the better
  fit for you. If neither works, there is also a
  pen.
• Use your laptop. Some students have laptop
  computers. While you will be able to read your
  notes if you type them during lecture, one must
  also be able to type fairly quickly. Also this
  may disrupt others in the classroom or your
  professor. Ask your professors permission
  before choosing this as an option.
• When all else fails, PRINT! Printing is one way
  students can write lecture notes and limit the
  amount of misunderstanding that comes with
  illegible handwriting. Printed notes can also be
  read faster when it comes time to review for
  midterms and final exams.
• Photocopy notes. Ask one of your classmates if
  you can photocopy their notes.

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Frequently Asked Question 3

• My professor talks too fast, is what can I do?

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Answer

• Leave large empty spaces in your notes. You want
  plenty of room to fill in any information you may
  have missed during the lecture. Use
  abbreviations and symbols (some of which are
  listed in this booklet on page 10) and when you
  are rewriting your notes after class, write the
  full meanings of these items.
• See the instructor after class. Some professors
  are willing to help you with your note taking.
  Share your notes with the professor and ask if
  you have written the correct information. This
  is also an opportunity to ask questions that you
  were unable to during the class lecture.
• Use a tape recorder. Using a tape recorder is a
  good way to ensure you get all of the notes from
  the class lecture. These devices are pretty
  inexpensive for students to purchase. You are
  able to listen to the lecture whenever you choose
  to. Another benefit of tape recorders is that
  they enable you to slow the professors speech to
  a speed comfortable for you. All students should
  seek permission from the instructor before tape
  recording their lecture.
• Attend another section of the professors
  lecture. Many professors have more than one
  section. Get permission to attend a different
  section of the class and that provides you with
  the opportunity to hear the lecture again.
  Perhaps you can use this second time to fill in
  any missing notes from your normally scheduled
  lecture class.

• Take more time to prepare for class. If you are
  familiar with the subject, you are more likely to
  pick out key points during the lecture. A
  thorough preview of the class reading should be
  conducted before you attend class. This will set
  the stage for your understanding of the material
  and the lecture.
• Be willing to make choices. You can be consumed
  with the fact that the professor talks to fast or
  you can focus you attention on the key points of
  the actual lecture. Choose what you think is
  important, and revise your notes immediately
  after the class is over.
• Exchange photo copies of notes with your fellow
  classmates. There may be people in your class
  who are good at taking notes and following the
  lecture, though the professor talks fast. Ask
  one or two people in the class if you can
  photocopy their notes to ensure you have not
  missed any of the main points from the lecture.
  This exchange could prove very valuable to all
  parties involved, because you are helping one
  another.