Note forms to aid review and recall - The Cornell/Jeopardy Method
Before the Lecture
1. Complete assigned readings before class and/or review notes from the previous class
2. Bring all necessary materials (notebook, pen, handouts). Prepare at least 20 sheets of note paper in the following format: Draw a line down a sheet of paper allowing for a 3-inch margin on the left-hand side of the page. Write lecture notes in the wide right-hand column and reserve the 3-inch margin for questions derived from the lecture notes.
3. Date and number each day's notes.
During the Lecture
1. Listen carefully to the teacher/lecturer and take notes that focus on main ideas and supporting details. Be alert for signals that indicate the importance of information.
2. Condense the main ideas and supporting details into short phrases or sentences using abbreviations whenever possible.
3. Use an indenting form for writing notes (linear notes). Start main points at the margin and indent secondary ideas and supporting details. Further indent material that is subordinate to secondary points.
4. When the instructor moves to another idea or topic, show this shift by skipping two lines.
(see the example of linear notes on this blog)
After the Lecture
1. Add any important information you remember the instructor saying but you didn't write down.
2. Locate information you didn't understand in the lecture from the instructor, another student, or the textbook.
3. Play a form of academic Jeopardy and think about notes as answers to questions. Shortly after class, read the notes over carefully. Write the questions that the notes answer in the left-hand column of your note paper.
4. Once a question has been identified, return to the lecture-note text and underline or highlight a key term or phrase that triggers an answer to the question.
For example in a lecture about memory: What is the IPS? Key words = Information Processing system. What are the the 3 parts to the IPS? Underline or highlight key words Short Term Sensory Store (STSS), Working and Long term memory.
5. Read the key terms or phrases to verify that they help you recall the information in the notes. If the key terms or phrases trigger only partial answers to the questions, underline more information.
6. Cover the notes with a blank sheet of paper and attempt to answer questions.
7. If appropriate, construct diagrams or mind maps to show how the material was organised in the lecture.
8. Write a summary question for the total lecture at the end of your lecture notes for the day.
Adapted from Dembo MH, (2000) Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach and Cherry, CW (1997) Excellence without Excuse – a Black Student’s Guide to Academic Success
1. Complete assigned readings before class and/or review notes from the previous class
2. Bring all necessary materials (notebook, pen, handouts). Prepare at least 20 sheets of note paper in the following format: Draw a line down a sheet of paper allowing for a 3-inch margin on the left-hand side of the page. Write lecture notes in the wide right-hand column and reserve the 3-inch margin for questions derived from the lecture notes.
3. Date and number each day's notes.
During the Lecture
1. Listen carefully to the teacher/lecturer and take notes that focus on main ideas and supporting details. Be alert for signals that indicate the importance of information.
2. Condense the main ideas and supporting details into short phrases or sentences using abbreviations whenever possible.
3. Use an indenting form for writing notes (linear notes). Start main points at the margin and indent secondary ideas and supporting details. Further indent material that is subordinate to secondary points.
4. When the instructor moves to another idea or topic, show this shift by skipping two lines.
(see the example of linear notes on this blog)
After the Lecture
1. Add any important information you remember the instructor saying but you didn't write down.
2. Locate information you didn't understand in the lecture from the instructor, another student, or the textbook.
3. Play a form of academic Jeopardy and think about notes as answers to questions. Shortly after class, read the notes over carefully. Write the questions that the notes answer in the left-hand column of your note paper.
4. Once a question has been identified, return to the lecture-note text and underline or highlight a key term or phrase that triggers an answer to the question.
For example in a lecture about memory: What is the IPS? Key words = Information Processing system. What are the the 3 parts to the IPS? Underline or highlight key words Short Term Sensory Store (STSS), Working and Long term memory.
5. Read the key terms or phrases to verify that they help you recall the information in the notes. If the key terms or phrases trigger only partial answers to the questions, underline more information.
6. Cover the notes with a blank sheet of paper and attempt to answer questions.
7. If appropriate, construct diagrams or mind maps to show how the material was organised in the lecture.
8. Write a summary question for the total lecture at the end of your lecture notes for the day.
Adapted from Dembo MH, (2000) Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach and Cherry, CW (1997) Excellence without Excuse – a Black Student’s Guide to Academic Success
posted by Miz John at 4:39 PM
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