CUNY JUSTICE ACADEMY | ACADEMICS | SUCCESS STRATEGIES

Cornell Note Taking System

In the Cornell method, start with a blank piece of notebook paper. Use only one side. Draw a column one third of the way in from the left margin. Leave this space blank as you take notes. Write down lecture notes in the large section on the right and use the smaller left-hand column to write questions and key words that will help you recall your notes. Use the bottom of the page to summarize your notes.

First

, write the subject and date of the lecture here.

Third

, in this column write down

Key words and phrases from your notes
Questions based on your notes.

These will be cues to help you study later.

Fourth

, use this column to recall the lecture. To study,

Cover the large right-hand column and look at the questions and key words in this column.
Answer the questions, and recite the facts and ideas based on these cues as fully as you can.
Think about what is important about these facts and how they relate to other material.

Second

, during the lecture take notes in this column.

Write down

main ideas
meaningful facts
supporting details
examples

Tips:

Do not try to write down every word.
Use abbreviations and telegraphic sentences.
Write legibly!

Fifth

: Use this space to summarize the notes on this page.

EXCERPT

Cell Division I: The Cell Cycle

Example

You can take notes on a lecture or a reading. Click on the excerpt button to your left to see an excerpt from "Cell Division I: The Cell Cycle," Visionlearning. Then explore the sample notes below taken in the Cornell method by moving your mouse over the colored text.

You Write:

Cell Life Cycles 9/26/xx
Eukaryotic cell division	Phases of eukaryotic (?) cell division
What are the 4 phases? mitosis cytokinesis	G1 phase – cell grows to prepare for split S phase – DNA inside nucleus copies itself G2 phase, cell checks/corrects errors in DNA duplication M phase (mitosis) – nucleus splits into 2 identicalnuclei. Cytokinesis – cell division follows immed. Phases -- Different length/frequency for diff. cell types.
What are eukaryotic cells?	plants, animals, fungi, and Protists (= eukaryotic cells)
What are prokaryotes?	very different than prokaryotes—includes bacteria. Why? No nucleus in bacteria and others so process simpler.
Division in prokaryotes	Prokaryotes no nucleus division simpler, no phases. divide by binary fission no mitosis
Summary: Eukaryotic cells (plants, animals, fungi, Protists) have 4 cell cycle phases: (1) G1 – cell grows; (2) S – DNA copied in nucleus; (3) G2 – cell checks/corrects DNA duplication errors; (4) M (mitosis) – nucleus splits and cell divides (cytokinesis). Phases have different length and frequency. Prokaryotic cells (bacteria and others) have no nucleus so simpler cell division called binary fission: no phases, no mitosis.