Note-Taking
The Cornell method splits a page into three zones: cues on the left for keywords and questions, notes on the right for the main content, and a summary at the bottom written in your own words. Your notes save automatically in this browser.
Using it well
The Cornell layout has three areas: notes on the right, cues on the left, a summary at the bottom. During class, only the notes area gets used, and it should be used fast: phrases and abbreviations, not sentences. The other two areas are for afterward, ideally the same evening. That after-class step is what turns a page of notes into a study tool, and it is the step nearly everyone skips.
The cue column should hold questions, not keywords. "Photosynthesis" prompts a vague feeling of familiarity. "Where does the light reaction happen, and what does it produce?" can be answered or not answered, which is the whole point. Write one question per chunk of notes. Then write a two-sentence summary at the bottom in your own words. If you cannot summarize the page, you have found out something important while there is still time to ask.
To review, hide the notes area so only the cues are visible, and answer each one from memory. This template saves each page, so a week of lectures becomes a set of ready-made self-tests that take a couple of minutes each. The full method, including adaptations for math, languages, and lab classes, is in the Cornell notes guide.