THE CORNELL NOTE-TAKING SYSTEM explained + 3 advanced tips for the Cornell method, by Mariana Kaiser on YouTube. 8 min 19 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 19 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Rule your page into three parts. Draw a vertical line about 6 cm (2.5 inches) from the left edge, and a horizontal line about 5 cm (2 inches) up from the bottom.
Label the top of the page with the date, the course or subject, and the topic of the lecture or chapter. Do this before you start writing notes.
Use the large right-hand column for your notes. Write short phrases and keywords rather than full sentences, and skip a line between ideas so you can add detail later.
After class, fill the narrow left column with questions or cue words that match each block of notes. A good cue is something you could be asked in an exam.
Write a summary of the whole page in the bottom strip. Do this within a day, in your own words, in two or three sentences.
To revise, cover the right-hand column and read only the cues. Answer each one out loud from memory, then uncover the notes and check what you missed.
Review the page again a week later, repeating the cover-and-recall step. This is what turns the layout into actual learning.
Tips and common mistakes
Leave the cue column empty during the lecture so you can write notes quickly and add cues afterwards.
Keep one page per lecture or chapter, so each summary covers a single topic and stays easy to find.
Use the same abbreviations every time, and write a key at the front of the notebook if you invent many.
Write the summary from memory first, then check the notes, because that shows you what you did not understand.
Questions
How wide should the columns be?
About 6 cm for the cue column on the left and the rest of the page for notes. The summary strip at the bottom is roughly 5 cm deep.
Can I use the Cornell method for reading and textbooks?
Yes. Take notes from each chapter in the right column as you read, then write cues and a summary the same way.
Do I need a special notebook?
No. Any lined paper works, and you can draw the lines yourself or buy pre-printed Cornell pages if you prefer.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
