Cornell Notes are a systematic, structured way for students to take organized notes. Perfect for college prep classes. (Step 1) On the right-hand side, students should paraphrase important ideas. These notes can be taken from any source of information, such as fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, lectures, text books, etc. Symbols or abbreviations should be used instead of long sentences. (Step 2) After reviewing the notes, students record key vocabulary, facts, people, and places on the left-han