Notes - How To
Taking Notes
Students are often asked to take notes but very few have been taught how to do it!
One style of notes is called Cornell or Two Column Notes.
Set up your note page like this.
Cornell or Two Column Note Taking is a useful tool for recording notes and learning key information. It is divided into three parts― main ideas or questions, details and summary.
Use the following checklist to help point you in the right direction
First, skim the text to note the headings and subheadings. Watch for subheadings, etc. that often point to the main idea of the passage/chapter.
Read the text, underline/highlight information and jot down important details on the right side of the note page. Only write words and phrases, not sentences or word-for-word copying. The first and last sentences of a paragraph can point to the main idea. Skip a line between ideas and topics.
Read back over these notes and pick out main ideas and keywords/concepts. Write these on the left side of the note page. The left column can be used for main ideas, key concepts, key words, steps, etc. and also questions.
Finally, write a summary of the text based on the notes.
Example Note Page
