It can be applied to almost all lecture situations. It is a means to an end to master the ideas put forth in a lecture. It avoids the common error of being so complicated and formal that hardly anyone can use it. Its keynote is simple efficiency.
Every step is designed to save time and effort.
There is no retyping or rewriting in this system. Each step prepares the way for taking the next natural and logical step in the learning process. The key to the Cornell System is to draw a vertical line about two and one-half inches from the left edge of the paper. This is the recall column. Key words and phrases to help you recall the notes will be written in the recall column.