🧠 Study Skills & Note-Taking · Lesson 2 of 6
Cornell notes and other note-taking systems
Cues, notes and a summary — and when to use outlines, maps or charts.
The Cornell page
| Notes column (right, wide) | During the lecture: key ideas, examples, diagrams — in your own words, abbreviated |
|---|---|
| Cue column (left, narrow) | After the lecture: questions and key words that the notes answer |
| Summary (bottom) | 2–3 sentences: what was this lecture about? |
How to use it
- Before class: skim the reading and write the date and topic
- In class: take notes on the right; skip lines between ideas
- Within 24 hours: write cue questions on the left and the summary at the bottom
- To study: cover the right side, read each cue question and answer it from memory
Other systems
| Outline | Well-organized lectures: I. Main point → A. sub-point → 1. detail |
|---|---|
| Mind map | Big-picture topics with connections between ideas |
| Charting | Comparing several things on the same features (e.g., theories, countries, drugs) |
| Annotated slides | When slides are posted: print or download, write only what the professor adds |
Don’t transcribe
Trying to type every word turns you into a stenographer and stops you from thinking. Listen for signals — “the key point is…”, “this will be on the exam…”, anything written on the board — and capture ideas, not sentences.
Tip
💡 Use abbreviations: w/ (with), b/c (because), → (leads to), ↑ (increase), ∴ (therefore), ≈ (about). Make a key so you remember them.
✏️ Practice: your turn
- Set up a Cornell page (paper or a document template) for your next lecture
- Take notes on the right side only during class
- Within 24 hours, add cue questions and a summary
- Cover the notes and answer the cue questions out loud
✏️ Study planner: turn your exam dates into a day-by-day plan
🧠 Quick quiz
Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.
0 of 4 correct
All lessons in Study Skills & Note-Taking
- 🧩 1. How memory worksEncoding, storage, retrieval — and why rereading fools you
- 📓 2. Cornell notes and other note-taking systemsCues, notes and a summary — and when to use outlines, maps or charts
- 🎯 3. Active recall: test yourselfPractice testing, flashcards done right and the blank-page method
- 📅 4. Spacing and interleavingSpread out review sessions and mix up problem types
- 📘 5. Reading textbooks and articlesSQ3R, reading for the main idea and keeping up with long readings
- 📵 6. Focus and your phoneDeep work blocks, the Pomodoro technique and a distraction-free setup