SPED 5326 LILIANA RAMIREZ #18

CORNELL NOTES
STRATEGY RESEARCH

Structured note-taking strategy STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Strategy used for taking lecture notes 1. Model (Use something like a think-aloud
Applicable across all content areas to demonstrate to students how to
Aids in comprehension, recall, critical thinking, and
organize and filter through information)
studying
2. Guided Instruction (Allow students the
Requires active participation opportunity to try the strategy with a
developed originally for college students by Walter template and allow them to ask
Pauk, a Cornell University professor, in the 1950s questions)
3. Collaboration (Have students work
together to complete their own notes by
comparing with peers)
4. Independent Practice (continual
practice)
*Include gradual release of responsibility/
scaffold
*Give students time to review notes and reflect
on material
divided into 3 sections
designed to be a study tool
Requires extended practice and
scaffolding Questions
Students may create their own template or Notes
be given a template with cues as to what Vocabulary
Details
information to put and where Main Ideas
Requires students be taught short-hand Stressed
[Cite your Information
strategies to not list all information source here.]
verbatim; to listen for main ideas; and to 2.5
summarize
Answers to 6
Questions
WHO ITS FOR:
[Cite your
*College Students source here.]
All students 3rd-12th Including: 2
Summary
Students with and without Learning Disabilities,
including: ADHD, LD, ED, MID, OHI, ASD, [Cite your
CD source here.]
*May exclude or require other accommodations for
students with orthopedic impairments, visually impaired,
and deaf/hard of hearing

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SPED 5326
RESEARCH FINDINGS
WHAT SUPPORTS IT?
Boyle, & Rivera (2012) conducted a review of research
on note-taking techniques for students with disabilities. They
found that the use of lectures within classrooms requires
students to acquire good note-taking skills. For students with
Learning Disabilities (LDs) this is often more challenging as
they found students with LDs recorded few notes and often
missed key information in their notes. Boyle (2012), found that
note-taking hinders students with learning disabilities in two
instances, first as they take down the information and second as
they study the incomplete information. For students with
learning disabilities affecting working memory note-taking is
especially difficult. Further research finds that for students with
executive function disabilities, the complexity of taking notes
through listening, filtering information, and recording is often
challenging. These students may find themselves
disadvantaged (Boyle, Forchelli, Cariss, 2015). While note-
takers, having other students take notes, and altering
presentations are alternatives to assist these students, Cornell
notes can be used across all content area classes and have a
long-term use (Boyle & Weisharr, 2001).
The use of support strategies for comprehension and
understanding lecture notes is helpful for students with and
without disabilities. Stringfellow & Miller (2005) conducted a
study on four strategies: guided notes, visual organizers, lecture
pauses, and structured questioning. These were found to
facilitate acquisition and enhance engagement. The study
supports the teaching of lecture note-taking strategies through
evaluation of strategies that contain aspects of Cornell Notes.
Further research supports strategic notetaking in aiding students
with learning disabilities recall and comprehension of lectures
(Boyle & Weisharr, 2001). Strategic notetaking requires active
engagement from the student and when taught effectively can
aid students with understanding the content.
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LILIANA RAMIREZ #18
Strategic notetaking was found to
increase long-term and short-term recall.
Extended practice is recommended however.
Boyle & Weisharr found that activities,
such as strategic notetaking, which engage
students during notetaking result in improved
notes, improved recall, and improved
comprehension on tests (2001, p.139). Their
study included identifying several main points,
vocabulary, and summarizing information; all
aspects found within Cornell Notes.
Lecture is often utilized as a teaching
method especially in high school thus it is
important for students to have good notetaking
strategies (Boyle & Weisharr, 2001). The
research shows that teaching a note-taking
strategy and the active participation involved
from students is an effective long-term strategy
for students with LDs (Boyle, Forchelli, Cariss,
2015). These studies found that note-taking is
effective for assisting students both with and
without LDs in retaining and understanding
information from lectures.
REFERENCES
Boyle, J. R. (2012). Note-taking and secondary students with learning disabilities: challenges and
solutions. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (Wiley-Blackwell), 27(2), 90-101.
doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2012.00354.x
Boyle, J. R., Forchelli, G. A., & Cariss, K. (2015). Note-taking interventions to assist students
with disabilities in content area classes. Preventing School Failure, 59(3), 186-195.
doi:10.1080/1045988X.2014.903463
Boyle, J. R., & Rivera, T. Z. (2012). Note-taking techniques for students with disabilities: A
systematic review of the research. Learning Disability Quarterly, 35(3), 131-143.
doi:10.1177/0731948711435794
Boyle, J.R., & Weishaar, M. (2001). The effects of strategic notetaking on the recall and
comprehension of lecture information for high school students with learning disabilities.
Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 16 (3), 133-141. doi:10.1111/0938-
8982.00014
Donohoo, J. (2010). Learning how to learn: Cornell notes as an example. Journal Of Adolescent
& Adult Literacy, (3), 224. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.54.3.9
Pauk, W., & Owens, R. J. Q. (2011). How to study in college. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning.
Stringfellow, J.L. & Miller, S.P. (2005). Enhancing student performance in secondary
classrooms while providing access to the general education curriculum using lecture
formats. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 1(6). Retrieved 6/27/2017 from
http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol1/iss6/1
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