MARGE & Cornell Note-Taking

MARGE and Cornell Note-Taking

Cornell note-taking is another useful study tool that can be used to create notes that facilitate effective revision. While there are many templates that exist, they all follow a similar format.

How Cornell works

The page or paper is divided up into key sections which focus on:
- The overarching topic
- Key questions
- Brief notes
- A summary of the page
Changes in the topic should be signified through effective use of bullet points.

Using Cornell

While there is no prescribed way to use Cornell note-taking, its effective use as a study tool generally relies on the following:
- A complete, legible, and accurate set of notes.
- The summary should be completed once the notes section is completed, sometimes after a period of delay.
- The key questions should be used to test understanding, either through elaboration or retrieval practice.

Using Cornell (cont)

Physics teacher and blogger Gethyn Jones wrote about how ideas from the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve can be implemented into Cornell note-taking.
Jones’ blog contains a process that begins with students completing their notes based on the main question.
They then wait 24 hours before completing the key questions and keywords section. After a further 48 hours, students then write a summary of what they have learned.

Spaced practice in Cornell

By building in this idea of review after an interval, spaced practice has become part of the process.
Spaced practice is an effective technique to encourage students to engage with generating links between areas of knowledge.

Linking MARGE and Cornell

Shimamura discusses the link between MARGE and other study tools.

Linking MARGE and Cornell

The MARGE model of learning can be linked to areas of the Cornell notes template:
- The ‘big question’ motivates students by providing them with the big picture.
- The keywords and key questions focus students on what areas of knowledge they need to attend to.
- The notes section allows students to relate knowledge and generate learning by applying the three Cs and elaborating on key points, as well as using diagrams to aid explanations.

Linking MARGE and Cornell (cont)

The summary section allows students to evaluate their learning and look at how spaced practice can be used to assess the robustness of their knowledge.
Students could also use the summary section, along with the keywords and key questions to construct flashcards that can be used to assess their learning.

1MARGE Model

1.1The Brain

1.1.1Introduction

1.1.2Parts of the Brain & MARGE Conclusions

1.1.3Motivation

1.1.4Focus

1.1.5Relating Information

1.2The MARGE Model

1.2.1MARGE

1.2.2Applying MARGE

1.3A Whole-Brain Model of Learning

1.3.1Introduction to the Whole-Brain Concept

1.3.2Questions for MARGE

1.3.3MARGE & Knowledge Organisers

1.3.4MARGE & SQ3R

1.3.5MARGE & Cornell Note-Taking

1.3.6MARGE & the Feynman Technique

1.3.7Conclusions

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