The Cornell Note Taking System template explanation

The Cornell Note Taking System

This system helps  students & professionals  during presentations, lectures and speeches for taking notes. It provides a framework which allows for quick reference and recalling information when used correctly.

The  top row  is used as a title bar, where the main subject and basic information about location, the nature of the attended event and date are registered. The column on the left is the  key-word column , allowing for noting down the key elements of discussed ideas. After the presentation or lecture, the ideas are summarized in  the recall column . This is the bottom part of the page. Here a short summary and the never to forget elements are written down in a short style.  Icons  for referencing and shorthand are encouraged. Some proposals are available for download on this site.

When filing out the paper, make sure all information about who, what and when are on the page. Also fill out the page number in the series on the bottom corners when using incremental notes, such as with lectures.

For the college notes, the abbreviations in the top right corner are: HC (Hearing Class), WC (Working Class) and PJ (Project) with the opportunity to strikeout the inappropriate, or circle the applicable.

Please download the templates here: The Cornell Note Taking System

The icons: Icons for referencing

The basic: A4 Lines

The technical: A4 Raster

The college variety

The college basic: A4 Lines College

The college technical: A4 Raster College

How To: 5 R's

  • Record: During a presentation or lecture, record as many meaningful or useful facts as possible. Focus on facts that are NOT on the slides or handouts.
  • Reduce: As soon after the presentation or lecture as possible, summarize ideas and facts concisely in the Recall Column at the bottom. Using such a summary pointing out meanings and relationships, reinforces continuity, and strengthens memory.
  • Recite: If you need to study the material, cover the note page and recall as much information as possible using the Recall Column. This procedure helps to transfer the facts and ideas to the long term memory.
  • Reflect: When studying, use your own opinion to be distilled from the notes. This also has the effect of training the mind to find and categorize vital information, leading to more efficient memorization.
  • Review: You review the notes briefly but regularly. Because of your own writing and the highly condensed nature of your notes, you remember a significant amount of material.

Creative Commons License
Cornell Note Taking System template by Jef Martens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.artens.nl.
© 2011 artens consultancy
 artens consultancy