English Writing Teacher

Note-taking is one of those skills that some teachers assume students know.  But many students have never been taught this skill essential for school success.  Below is one note-taking method.

The Chart Method of note-taking is recording information in chart or table form.  It is a good method to note data or facts.  Below is an example of a Chart Method of note-taking.

Ages of US Presidents

*President Grover Cleveland was inaugurated two times with a gap of four years between his two inaugurations.  He is counted twice in this category for an age of 47 at his first inauguration and an age of 55 at his second.
**Several past presidents are alive and are not included in this category.

To use this method of note-taking, the notetaker first determines what the main categories of the chart are.  These become the headings of the columns.  Next the notetaker draws the table.  In rows labeled to the left, the notetaker lists key points to be included under each column.

The chart method of note-taking has many advantages:

• The chart is a clear visual representation of information.
• The layout allows a quick comparison of the data.
• Usually, no sentences need be written, streamlining the note-taking.
• Anyone can quickly retrieve information from the chart.
• Charts are adaptable to many subjects.
• Charts aid in pattern recognition.
• Charts are well organized.

The chart method of note-taking has disadvantages:

• Information which is not readily broken down into categories is not well suited for chart note-taking.
• At the start of a lecture, a student might not realize a chart is useful for the material to be covered, so the student might not draw one.
• Some categories might have no relevant data, and other categories might have numerous data.

Teachers can help students learn to take notes in chart form by modeling charts or by alerting students that a chart might be a good way to write the information about to be presented.

The Cornell Method of note-taking

Note-taking is one of those skills that some teachers assume students know.  But many students have never been taught this skill essential for school success.

The Cornell Method of note-taking consists of sectioning off a piece of notebook paper (or a computer screen) to be used for various purposes.  A visual example and explanation are below.

The Cornell Method has advantages as a note-taking pattern:

• Because the notes are paraphrased versions of the original, the note-taker needs to understand the original lecture or text as he or she takes notes; the note-taker is not merely a transcriber but an analyzer.
• If the note-taker rereads the notes a few minutes after taking them, his or her chances to memorize the information increase since it is stated two or three times in the notes.
• White space leaves room to fill in or clarify original notes.
• If tests come weeks after the note-taking, the note-taker has sufficient notes to study from.
• The unvarying structure of the method appeals to organized people.

The Cornell Method also has disadvantages:

• Creating the blocks and using them properly is an advanced skill inappropriate for young students and even for some high school students.
• Sticking to the format is challenging for students in a hurry, for perfectionists, and for creative types who want less imposed structure in their learning.
• Many students will not reread their notes immediately after writing them, a key factor in the success of this method.