Geek to Live: Take study-worthy lecture notes
by Gina Trapani
Copying class notes after the fact is a time-consuming way to study for an exam, but it was the only thing that truly worked for me back in college. But next week I'll be in a classroom again for the first time in 8 years, pen poised over notebook, and this time I'm going to perfect a strategy that gets my notes right the first time: the Cornell Note-taking method.
We've mentioned the Cornell method in passing here and there, but today we'll dive deep into how to transcribe a lecture in a way that makes studying and cross-references a breeze throughout the semester - no copying involved.
Lay out your page for the Cornell Method
Using the Cornell method, you split your notes page into three sections, as shown below.
- Notes column (right) Record the lecture here during class using short sentences and fragments that transcribe the facts you'll need. Eliminate all unnecessary words. Use bulleted lists for easy skimming, and as much shorthand as possible (without sacrificing readability.) Develop a vocabulary of abbreviations you always use, like "ex" for "for example," "v." for "very," "tho" for "though," "1st" and "2nd" for "first and second." See this useful list of common abbreviations that can help you get lecture points down as quickly as possible. Finally, leave lots of whitespace between points and paragraphs so you can go back and fill in sections later.
- Cues column (left) After class, review your notes and jot questions and memory joggers in this narrow column that help connect ideas listed in the notes section. When you're studying, you will look at these cues to help you recall the salient facts in your notes, so keep that in mind when you create your cues.
- Summary area (bottom) After class while you create your cues, sum up the notes on each page in one or two sentences that encapsulate the main ideas in the bottom area. You'll use the summary section to skim through your notes and find information later.
An example of a page of notes taken with the Cornell method, shamelessly ripped off from a Temple University page, is shown below. (Click to enlarge.)
Study and review your Cornell-formatted notes
The Cornell Note-taking method's creator, Walter Pauk, outlined a six-step study system to use along with this note format. The BYU web site breaks down the 6 R's: Record, Reduce, Recite, Reflect, Review and Recapitulate. While those steps are worth a read, personally I think this system boils down even further.
In short, once you've attended class and filled in the notes area, that evening, review them and fill in the cues and summary area. When the time comes to study for an exam, read through your notes. To quiz yourself, cover up the right side and use the cues on the left to jog your memory and help you rebuild the factual narrative in your mind. When you've got a paper to write, use the summary section of each notes page to flip through and find relevant facts to cite in your paper.
In essence, with the Cornell method, instead of straight transcription, you're creating your study guide as you go instead of waiting till it's time to cram for the test.
Pre-formatted Cornell Notepaper
Unless you like messing around with a ruler and pen or pencil, there are a few templates and notepaper generators that will print out pre-formatted Cornell notes-style pages. Two mentionables include:
- The Cornell Method PDF Generator creates printable PDF's split into the Cornell notepaper style with unlined, ruled, or graphed sections. Optionally include your name, the date, and the name of your class, and up to 4 punch holes for use in a binder. Also, choose the line darkness on a scale from gray to black.
- Cornell Word Templates are perfect for students who take their notes with Microsoft Word. This page includes instructions for creating your own Word Cornell template, and a sample you can tweak to your own needs.
How are you taking notes this semester? Had any good or bad experiences with the Cornell method? Let us know in the comments.
Gina Trapani, the editor of Lifehacker, is sharpening her Ticonderoga Number 2's for class. Her semi-weekly feature, Geek to Live, appears every Wednesday and Friday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Geek to Live feed to get new installments in your newsreader.
Adam_Toy says: Muchas Gracias for the Cornell Word template!
Last year I began taking notes with my iBook, and have enjoyed the Notebook layout in Word 04 for Mac, but have wanted to integrate the Cornell method. Now I can!
Thanks LH!
dabombdgd says: I have been transferring notes from my paper pad into Microsoft OneNote, but I am going to try this method.
J L Borghead says: This looks fantastic - I wish I knew about this when I was in college!
When I *was* in school, I really benefited from transcribing my notes (minus all the doodles) as well. But this way seems much better. You might be able to try this for notes about books/readings:
Write anything that seems useful when you read through something, and the next day you can fill out the summary & cues or re-read things that need clarification. I tried taking notes for readings and I feel like it was a step up from my chronic highlighting, but I bet this method would be more effective.
Jake Ludington says: While I haven't been to college in ages, one thing I found that makes it easy to follow-up on notes is Microsoft's OneNote. Recording the lecture and being able to search both audio and video and hear the lecture at the point where I wrote down a note makes a huge contextual difference in reviewing information.
There's also the advantage of turning bad penmenship into a legible screen font that doesn't hurt either.
quixote says: Nothing to do with taking notes, but it will help you take much better ones. As with all these helpful hints, it takes time :-{
Skim the subject matter in the textbook (or wherever) BEFORE the lecture. Don't try to understand or know everything in the book. That's what the lecture is there to help you do. But do get oriented.
Try it. The difference in the ability to follow what the prof is saying, and her or his, shall we say, leaps of logic, and the difference in the ability to take notes rather than gibberish is like night and day.
evenodds says: If you do prefer writing notes on actual paper, any law school bookstore will offer plenty of notebooks with the width-columning in place.
I used them throughout law school, and it makes a huge difference to capture information usefully.
uncballzer says: I've seen a post similar to this before but have yet have the chance to try it out; but just starting med school, I've had to try new methods of taking notes and I've found the best for me thus far: Usually the professor (or textbook) will give a list of objectives before s/he starts to lecture. That tells you exactly what is going to be on the exam (that's the practical application; they tell you it's what you should know).
I've started to copy those objectives down and fill in the answers as the lecture procedes. This both allows you to study the main points and details later but also it has kept me focused in subjects like histology (boring!). Even if you don't get the objectives completely filled out, you will always be able to go back and fill in the objectives from text/other sources.
jeik15 says: I'm really glad you posted this. I was looking for an easier method of notetaking. I've tried to teach me some shorthand, but I'm not as successful at it as I want to be. Thanx !!!
没有评论:
发表评论