The Cornell method
The three-zone system built for active recall, better than a map for linear content.
When the map is not the right tool
Mind mapping excels on content structured as a tree. It is less suited to sequential, dense content: a mathematical proof, a legal argument, a step-by-step process, a very verbal lecture.
For that kind of content, the Cornell method, developed at the university of the same name in the 1950s, is better.
The structure
The page divides into three zones: a CUES column on the left, about a quarter of the width, a NOTES zone on the right, the remaining three quarters, and a SUMMARY strip at the bottom, five lines deep.
Use, in three stages
During, the NOTES zone
Normal note-taking but telegraphic: abbreviations, symbols, one blank line between each idea.
The rest is part of the Mind Mapping & Note-Taking module
Unlock this lesson and the other 14, with the 4 practical resources and the complete protocol.
Lifetime access · Instant access
Would you rather try first? Read the free lessons