What are Cornell Notes?
- A simple way to get students to take notes interactively.
- A simple way to get students to review notes systematically.
- A simple way for students to practice higher level thinking skills.
- A simple way for students to think actively as they learn.
- Two inches from the left edge of your paper, draw a vertical line from the top of the page to about three inches from the bottom of the page.
- Draw a horizontal line about three inches from the bottom of the page.
- Congratulations, you just made your own Cornell Notes page.
Cornell Notes Sections
Notes
The largest of the three sections for Cornell Notes is the "notes" section. In this section students write the notes.
Questions
The "questions" section is the area on the left. I recommend taking the notes first and then using the notes to create questions. The answers to the questions can either be found directly in the notes or they can require information in the notes combined with higher level thinking. In some cases, students may write subheadings instead of questions in the left column.
Summary
This is a two to three sentence summary of what the students learned. It is the most important and the most difficult section for students. It should encapsulate the central issue of the notes. It should not begin with phrases such as "these notes are about...," "today, I learned....," etc.
Notes
The largest of the three sections for Cornell Notes is the "notes" section. In this section students write the notes.
Questions
The "questions" section is the area on the left. I recommend taking the notes first and then using the notes to create questions. The answers to the questions can either be found directly in the notes or they can require information in the notes combined with higher level thinking. In some cases, students may write subheadings instead of questions in the left column.
Summary
This is a two to three sentence summary of what the students learned. It is the most important and the most difficult section for students. It should encapsulate the central issue of the notes. It should not begin with phrases such as "these notes are about...," "today, I learned....," etc.