Note Taking

When listening to a lecture or while reading extensive assignments, many students have difficulty separating the major concepts from the supporting ideas and details. They believe that everything is as important as everything else and so their notes look more like a lengthy shopping list than an organized discussion of major concepts with supporting material. This may be the fault of the lecturer as much as the student trying to assimilate the material.

The Cornell Method or two-column note-taking procedure encourages the student to think about the material in a different way. First, there are two people in the lecture: the lecturer and the lecturee. So your notes should allow both of you to be able to respond. You can either buy notepaper with a line down the middle or draw the line yourself. On the right side, you write down the details, terminology and definitions, lists, and names, dates, and places - basically all the information the lecturer provides that you think is important to support the main ideas. The left side is reserved primarily for you. Here should be what you consider the main point or conclusion. Maybe write a key word to give you a tab. If you associate the information on the right with something in you own life or something you have previously learned, write it down. Also if you have a question, write it down so you can ask it at the appropriate time.

The left side can also contain a main point or a conclusion that the professor may have given you: "The most important thing you need to remember about ......or "The main point is ...." Write it down on the left side. Remember the left side should not be as filled as the right side. Leave a lot of space to give your brain a little rest. In fact, the left side may be almost empty when you leave class. Take some time that night to fill in main points and summaries (keep them short and sweet).

When you study for tests, keep in mind that information for multiple choice and objective questions will usually come from the right-hand column, while essay questions usually are developed from the left-hand column. Study groups are an important tool in assisting you with this type of note taking.