The Battle of the Notebooks
You are sitting in class, the teacher is talking fast, and your hand is cramping. You are writing everything down, but are you actually learning?
Most students just copy what is on the slide. That is not note-taking; that is transcription. To study better, you need a system.
The two biggest contenders are the Cornell Method and Outlining. One is visual and structured for review; the other is logical and organized. Which one should you use? Let’s break it down.
Step 1: The Outlining Method (The Logical Choice)
Outlining is what most people do naturally, but better. It focuses on hierarchy—big ideas at the top, details below.
How it looks:
I. Main Topic
A. Sub-topic
Detail
Detail
B. Sub-topic
When to use it:
Structured Lectures: If your professor uses PowerPoint slides that are already numbered (1, 2, 3), outlining is perfect. You just follow their structure.
Math and Science: It is easy to group formulas under specific chapter headings.
The Downside: If your teacher jumps around a lot or tells random stories, your outline will become a mess. It requires the lecture to be organized.
Step 2: The Cornell Method (The Reviewer's Choice)
The Cornell Method was invented to force you to review your notes. It divides your page into three sections.
How it looks:
Right Column (The Notes): This is where you write your normal notes during class.
Left Column (The Cues): After class, you write keywords or questions here (e.g., "What is the mitochondria?").
Bottom Section (The Summary): You write a 2-sentence summary of the whole page at the very bottom.
When to use it:
History and Literature: Great for connecting themes and ideas.
Exam Prep: The "Cue" column turns your notes into instant flashcards. You can cover the right side and try to answer the questions on the left.
The Downside: It takes more time. You have to go back after class to fill in the cues and summary. If you are lazy with homework, this method might fail.
Step 3: Which One Wins?
It depends on how your brain works.
Choose Outlining if: You want your notes to look clean and you are good at listening to structure.
Choose Cornell if: You struggle to study for tests. The Cornell method forces you to study as you create the notes.
Step 4: The "Hybrid" Approach
You don't have to pick just one. Many 'A' students use a hybrid. They use Outlining to write the notes inside the right-hand column of the Cornell layout.
This gives you the best of both worlds: organized structure plus a built-in review system.
Summary
Don't stick to a method just because you have always done it. Try Cornell for one week and Outlining for the next. See which one helps you remember more during the test.
If you struggle to summarize your notes after class, which is the hardest part of the Cornell method—you can use the Summarizer Specialist at Vertech Academy. You can paste your rough class notes into the tool, and it will generate the perfect summary and key points for you to write in your notebook.
For a visual guide on exactly how to set up your paper for both methods, check out this helpful breakdown of effective note-taking examples.
This video is relevant because it walks you through an entire example of taking notes on the same topic using both the Cornell and Outline methods so you can see the difference side-by-side.
