How to Use a Cornell Notebook for Reading Notes

The Cornell note-taking method is everywhere.  You can find notebooks with this structure at Target or Barnes and Noble in popular brands like Moleskin, and they’re in abundance online.  I first fell in love with these MYO A5 Memoire Des Jours notebooks from Mochi Things.  This post is in no way sponsored and these aren’t affiliate links, I just love them that much.  

They come in eight colors, and as of today (September 25, 2018), they’re only $3.46.  As someone who usually shells out $20+ for her bullet journals, this alone excites me.  

These notebooks come in beautiful covers, and the paper doesn’t bleed through with my PaperMate Ink Joy Gel pens or Mildliners.  

I use these notebooks particularly for my reading-heavy classes.  I have a Literature course where we’re reading 50+ pages of fiction a night, in addition to further discussuion notes.  My Biblical Literature class comes with a hefty textbook that we read cover to cover with weekly quizzes on that expanse of information.  By using this active method of notetaking, I’m able to organize my thoughts more concisely for easier discussions, papers, and studying.  

Here’s what the Cornell-method notebook paper looks like before use.  It has space for the date, day of the week, a “title” column and heading space, notes space, and a small box at the bottom. 

Here’s a filled-out page of my notes for my actual Biblical Literature class.  I label the “title” portion with Chapter 1 for this class; this space also works for identifying which short story you’re reading, which lecture you’re in, etc.  

As I read through the assigned text, I write important notes in the main lined section.  I highlight vocab terms or important words, using different colors for each quiz material as it cycles weekly.  

If the next line of information relates directly to the line above it, I use a dropdown arrow as seen in line two.  

If at all possible, I break up information into subheadings of bullet points and numbered lists; it’s easier to process the notes on the page this way when you’re later referencing a certain topic.

Once discussion with the reading, I utilize the lefthand “title” column to jot down where certain information is recorded.  This can be as simple as writing “Where” to describe a list of locations, “3100 BC” for a certain year, or any other signifying word that lets you find what you’re looking for at a glance.  During a discussion, I just scan this column rather than hunting through all of my notes for information.

This picture demonstrates notes for a scientific class, where the student put the basic formula in the “title” column with more detailed information in the main portion.  

I use the bottom box for a one-sentence summary of the material, or the biggest takeaway I can bring to in-class discussion.  If you’re taking notes that will later be developed into a paper, this is a good place for your thesis idea.  

I love using these notebooks for their beautiful covers, good paper quality, portable size, and organized note structure.  Have you tried the Cornell note-taking method?  What other ways do you take notes on your reading?