Using the Cornell Notetaking Method
June 25, 2026
Posted by STLCC in Reading Resources
Many students find notetaking challenging. The Cornell Notetaking method allows students to organize their notes while they take them, making them more useful and easier to review later. This method works for both lectures and text.
This graphic organizer explains the Cornell Notetaking method and provides space for you to apply it to a lecture or required reading.
Organize Your Notes With the Cornell Method
Organizing your notes using the Cornell Notetaking method will make them a more useful, interactive study tool.
First, start by recording important information at the top of the page, such as the date, class or text and title or topic. Next, divide your paper into two columns, leaving space at the bottom of the paper to summarize what you have learned.
The left column should be labeled with something such as questions, key themes/main idea or topic. The right column should be labeled with something such as answers, lecture details or supporting details.
Cornell Notes Template
Date: ____________________ Class/Text (chapter): ____________________ Topic: ____________________
Chapter or Lecture Summary
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Cornell Notes Example
Date: January 28, 2026
Text: American Gov and Politics Today (ch. 3)
Topic: Federalism
| Clues Key words, questions |
Notes Important details from lecture or text |
|---|---|
| What is a Unitary System? | “A centralized governmental system in which ultimate governmental authority rests in the hands of the national or central government” (page 52). |
| What are some examples? | Britain, Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Sweden |
| What is a Confederal System? | “A system consisting of a league of independent states, in which the central government created by the league has only limited powers over the states” (page 53). |
| What are some examples? | U.S. during the Articles of Confederation European Union |
| What is a Federal System? | “The Federal System lies in between the unitary and confederal forms of government. In a Federal System, authority is divided, usually by a written constitution, between a central government and regional, or subdivisional governments” (page 53). |
| What are some examples? | U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico |
| How do the types of government differ? | Three different forms of government include unitary, confederal and federal and differ in how power is distributed between central government and individual local and state governments. |
Chapter or Lecture Summary
This chapter covers three different forms of government, including unitary, confederal and federal, and explains how they differ, why the United States adopted federalism and how federalism works in the United States in terms of the ways power is distributed.
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