ORGANIZATION:NOTE TAKING

Week 5 – September 9, 2008

Cornell-StyleNote Taking

What?Who?When?Why?How?Where? & What Now?

What? “Cornell Notes” is a style of note taking

that was developed and adopted by all Cornell University professors in order to hold all students accountable for taking notes.

It is also called a “dialectical journal” entry.

What? “DIALECTICAL” in this case means:

A formal system of reasoning or thought

In a “dialectical journal”, you not only write down the information that

the teacher is giving or summarize what you are reading, but you also write notes TO YOURSELF…comments or questions on the information you have just been given or have just read.

Who?

Anyone who wants school to be interesting should be taking notes.

School can be boring when the information is “over your head”. The more you understand, the more you will end up liking school.

Who should use Cornell Notes?

Who? Anyone who does not want to be

poor should take notes. Jobs that pay well require people to take notes as a form of quick communication.

Who?

Anyone who wants to go to college should take notes as practice for the rapid note taking that college courses require.

Who? Anyone who wants to pass this class

and graduate high school.

When?

Lecture time: Any time a teacher is in front of the room speaking, presenting a PowerPoint, or writing on the board

that information should be taken down. Your instructor has taken the time to

write it down, so why shouldn’t you?

When should one use Cornell Notes?

Why?Why should one use Cornell Notes?

Look at the example of Cornell University, who tried it with more than 10,000 students…

Why? University professors discovered that

students who took notes did better in class and understood the material more.

Why? By unifying the university with one

particular style of taking notes, students studied using their spatial, linguistic, kinesthetic, and visual intelligences.That is three intelligences more than most

students apply to class lectures alone.

Could someone please tell me what

those are?

Why? SPATIAL – “picture smart”

LINGUISTIC – “word smart”

KINESTHETIC – “body smart”

VISUAL – “learn by seeing”

Why? Lastly, using the Cornell style note

taking allows students to ask critical questions that can later be answered either through studying or asking the instructor. It’s a “dialectical journal”, remember? You

write your questions down as they pop into your head, so you won’t forget to ask about it later!

How? Take a piece of binder paper and fold it

one inch to the left of the margin. The right 2/3 is for

definitions, text info or class lecture notes.

The left 1/3 of the paper is for key terms, concepts, or questions.

How does one take Cornell Notes?

Notes onthis side

Questions onthis side

How? Draw a line across the bottom of your paper

at the conclusion of class.

In the upper right corner, place your name, date, period, and subject.

The lower section of last page is to summarize that day’s activities

Name:Date:Period #:

Summarizehere!

Where?

All class notes should be kept in a binder, divided by subject tabs.

Where should one keep Cornell Notes?

More about Dialectical Journal Entries

Your dialectical journal may include, but is not limited to:

Reading notes Lecture notes Homework Daily reflection Sectional reflection Test review notes Vocabulary Questions to ask in class Notes on oral presentations by classmates

Journal EntriesHow to do it

Notes on what you’re reading Set up a piece of paper to take Cornell notes First preview the reading, identifying words you do not know. Write down the words on the left side of the paper, and then look up the meaning. Record the definition with the word. Read the first sentence of each paragraph so you know where the text is going.

Journal EntriesHow to do it

Notes on what you’re reading Read the complete assigned text as fast as

you can. Write one sentence for each paragraph on

the right side of the paper. In your own words write one paragraph on

the right side summarizing the reading. Then, write any questions you have for your

teacher on the left side next to your notes.

FOLDIma StudentUS History10/12/08

Assignment: Read Ch. 2 Section 1

p. 104suffrageDef: the right to vote

p.105amendedDef: to change formally

Par 1: Women did not have the right to vote.

Par 2: Many women led a movement.

Par 3: The Constitution was amended.

Summary: Many women felt that they needed the right to vote. Some felt so strongly that they fought for years to win that right. In 1920, the U.S. Constitution was finally changed with the 19th Amendment.

My question: Why didn’t women have the right to vote from the beginning?

Once your teacher answers your questions, jot the answers

here!

This is how yourCornell reading

notes might look!

Journal EntriesHow to do it

Notes on a lecture Set up a piece of paper to take Cornell notes On the right side of your paper, note key

terms and details, and sketch any diagrams or graphs. Write what the teacher writes or draws on board.

You do not need to write everything exactly as written or said. Use symbols for words. CA for California, @ for at, = for is, -> for then, etc.

Journal EntriesHow to do it

Notes on a lecture Write out any examples, the main ideas,

and applications. On the left side, write down page

numbers from your book that go with the information, questions you want to ask later, and words you need to look up.

FOLDIma StudentGeometry9/30/08

Lecture notes: Pythagorean Theorem

What is a theorem?

Can it be used with other kinds of ‘s?

Notes on p.59 of book

Used to find the area of a right .

a2 + b2 = c2

Practice:

HOMEWORK!

p. 61 1-36 ODD

This is how yourCornell lecture

notes might look!

a

b

c

Use symbols!

3

4

32 + 42 = c2

9 + 16 = c2

25 = c2

√25 = √c 5 = c

c

Journal Entries How to do it

Questions to ask in class If you are unsure of

something, place a “?” on the left side, by the spot in your notes.

Ask the question the next time you’re in class, and record the response.

What Now? TAKING NOTES is the first step to

actual STUDYING. The second step is to REWRITE

THEM. Redo some homework problems to make sure you know how to do each style of problem.

The third step is to then REREAD the notes each weekend to review the week’s learning.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.

Dr. Seuss

A Final Word…