Cornell Note Taking System

Below are the instructions for the Cornell Note Taking System given to us by our professor.  This is a great way to outline a chapter so that you can study for a test.  I used this to outline a chapter for one of our assignments and it was so easy.  Much easier than the traditional outline format.  I recommend this to any college student.

The Cornell Note Taking System

Recall Main

------2 1/2”-------- ----------------6”--------------------

Reduce

concise jottings and

summaries as cues for

ideas and facts toRecord the lecture as fully and as

Reciting, Reviewing,

and

meaningfully as possible.Reflecting.

The format provides the perfect opportunity for following through with the 5 R's of note-taking. Here they

are:

1.

Write legibly.

2.

Summarizing clarifies meanings and relationships, reinforces continuity, and strengthens memory. Also, it

is a way of preparing for examinations gradually and well ahead of time.

3.

you recall, say over facts and ideas of the lecture as fully as you can, not mechanically, but in your own

words and with as much appreciation of the meaning as you can. Then, uncovering your notes, verify what

you have said. This procedure helps to transfer the facts and ideas of your long term memory.

4.

point for their own musings upon the subjects they are studying. Such musings aid them in making sense

out of their courses and academic experiences by finding relationships among them. Reflective students

continually label and index their experiences and ideas, put them into structures, outlines, summaries, and

frames of reference. They rearrange and file them. Best of all, they have an eye for the vital-for the

essential. Unless ideas are placed in categories, unless they are taken up from time to time for reexamination,

they will become inert and soon forgotten.

5.

most of what you have learned, and you will be able to use your knowledge currently to greater and

greater effectiveness.

©Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001Record. During the lecture, record in the main column as many meaningful facts and ideas as you can.Reduce. As soon after as possible, summarize these ideas and facts concisely in the Recall Column.Recite. Now cover the column, using only your jottings in the Recall Column as cues or "flags" to helpReflect. Reflective students distill their opinions from their notes. They make such opinions the startingReview. If you will spend 10 minutes every week or so in a quick review of these notes, you will retain

S-RUN-R

S-RUN-R is a study system that helps with your retention on the information.

S- Survery.  You will survey the entire document, chapter, etc. paying attention to the headings as well as any highlighted text or subjects.
R- Read.  Write down the heading in your notes, to help you focus your thoughts on the specfici topic then read the section for comprehension.
U- Underline.  After reading each paragraph underline or highlight the important information.
N- Notes.  Take notes on the key information in each section.  You can do this in the margin of the text or on a seperate peice of paper.
R- Review.  When you finish the entire document, chapter, etc review.  Go over the key points, answers questions at the end of the chapter, review key terms.

I enjoy this study system because you are looking at the information more than once.  I noticed that I am able to answer more of the questions at the end of the chapter without having to look back in the text.

Microsoft Word

Using Microsoft Word is a basic skill that any student needs.  Taking online tutorials or using the help function within Microsoft Word are great places to start.  Microsoft has many tools that can help you format a paper correctly, insert information, and ensure you have correct spelling and grammar within your paper.  Microsoft Word 2007 is different from Microsoft Word 2003.  2007 has updated features which allow the user to use all funcations in an easier manner.  2007 is more user freindly for students who do not have much experince with Microsoft products.  Also in 2007 you can save documents in a compatible format so that users with the older version of Microsoft Word can open your files.  If you are new to Microsoft Word I would recommend 2007 and the different online tutorials available.  It is very user freindly and a great asset for your learning.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a huge topic among college students today.  Many wonder what exactly plagiarism is and others are not sure if they are citing information correctly.  I believe that the problem with plagiarism is a lack of education in high schools regarding this.  Many students enter their first year of college unaware of what exactly plagiarism is and how they need to correct the problem until it to too late.  Many students are unaware that their actions are inappropriate until they are being disciplined for it.  I believe that plagiarism is very wrong and credit should be given to the appropriate parties; however I do also believe that students need more education on plagiarism and correct citing techniques while they are still in high school.  In the state of Georgia the no child left behind rule has gotten in the way of teaching students all they need.  The fact that teachers have to cater to the students who are falling behind more, rather than challenging the students who are getting bored is part of the problem.  The high school just does not allow room for the education students need for plagiarism and appropriate paper writing skills.

9 Habits for Successfull Online Learning

There are 9 habits for successful online learning that I must incorporate into my learning process.
1. Get an early start.  I must use time management skills to make sure that I allow plenty of time to complete my assignments with an understanding that blocking more time than needed is a plus.
2. Organize. In order to be successful I must stay orgranized, this includes my notes, printed text, any online discussion information, etc.  Keeping all information organized will allow me to be able to find everything in a timely manner when needed again.
3. Plan.  Planning out a how, when, where, etc is key to success.  Having assignments on my calendar and time block to work on them will keep my plan of attack in order.  I have to remember that life is life, I have a son and another one on the way...things happen.  Allowing myself some extra time will ensure that I can complete all assigned tasks and have time for my family.
4. No Procrastination!!  I must stick to my plan.  If my time is blocked for reading than reading is what I need to be doing, not watching NCIS which is my favorite TV show.  I need to maintain control of my learning and not procratinating helps with this.
5. Stay in touch and ask for help.  By knowing who my resources are from my teacher to my advisor.  Also keep in touch with classmates.  If I need help any of these people should be able to help me.  Remember that no question is a "dumb" question, especially with online learning.  I do not have the ability to look at the teacher in the face and ask a question and get the non-verbal communication.  This can create a challenge if something is misunderstood so I will always ask questions.
6. Communicate clearly.   Communicate as clearly as possible in all writing.  If I find that I have trouble conveying the point I desire I can take advantage of the writing lab or get in touch with my professor for other options.  Most of all do not be afraid to ask for help with my writing since this is the only communication I will have between my class and the teacher.
7. Keep good records.  Keep copies of all assignments.  If something is lost or does not post correctly I will always have a back to email to the professor in case the online learning system goes down.  Also I will keep track of my grades so that I have a clear understanding of where I stand in a class.
8. Know your program of study.  Understanding my program and the requirements I must meet to graduate is vital.  I do not want to take courses that will only give me elective credit, or not be able to use a course I have taken.  Keeping up with my classes and the class requirements will allow me to be successful in completing the courses I need to graduate without extra expense on wasted classes.  Knowing who my advisor is and maintaining a relationship with her will be helpful as well.  Also some professors are great resources for future classes, knowing who taught me what and what their speciality is can be helpful with work in the future.  Teachers are one of my best assets as far as bouncing ideas around, or proofing a project, or a letter of recomindation for a job after graduation.
9. Believe in yourself.  Believing in myself will give me the confidence to be successful.  I must maintain that I understand and I am able to do this.  If I ever start to doubt myself my assignments and grades will suffer.

My Learning Style

This course has given me a chance to look into my learning style and how my mind processes information received.  I am a visual learner so naturally I need to be able to see things in order to process them at the best of my ability.  I have to underline and highlight important facts in the text and take notes.  I understand that with online learning these things may present a challange, for example my text book for this course is online.  I have been able to download the text so I can read it, but I do not have the book in front of me to write in the margins and highlight information that I feel is important.  I have printed out some of the text that I thought would be benefical, however in a "green" world I am trying to save as much paper as possible.  I have adapted to reading with a spiral notebook.  I keep my notes in the notebook with the page number of the online text.  This has allowed me to know exactly where to go back and find the specfic information I was looking at when I made the note.  I have also done this with the online discussion from the professor, minus the page number of course.  I feel that these adaptations will allow me to be successful.