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Transforming Cornell Notes with Obsidian: A Comprehensive Guide

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Chapter 1: Understanding the Cornell Note-Taking Method

Recently, I had the opportunity to explore TfTHacker’s demo vault for the Cornell note-taking method in Obsidian. My curiosity stemmed from the fact that I had previously thought of this method as primarily suited for handwritten notes on paper, where one has the liberty to sketch various sections.

Before delving into the specifics of how TfTHacker adapted this approach for Obsidian, let's clarify what the Cornell method entails.

The Cornell method is a well-established technique for note-taking that benefits students and learners alike. It encourages active engagement with the material by prompting users to distill keywords and summaries from their notes.

In practice, this method divides a page into three distinct areas: a margin (either on the left or right), the main note-taking section, and a summary area at the bottom.

In the main section, you jot down regular notes, while keywords or significant points are placed in the margin. The summary section allows you to condense the main ideas from your notes into a brief overview.

This technique supports memory retention; as discussed in the book Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown, summarizing or pinpointing key concepts enhances retention, which aligns with the purpose of the margin and summary sections in the Cornell Method.

Using the Cornell Method in Obsidian

Now, how has TfTHacker integrated this method into Obsidian? The Cornell vault employs CSS snippets to create the margin and summary areas. This necessitates adding a cssclass property in the YAML metadata of the notes where you wish to utilize the Cornell approach.

Within this property, you can designate values such as cornell-left, cornell-right, and cornell-border, depending on whether you prefer the margin on the left or right and if you want to include a summary section.

Once your note is set to display keywords in the margin and a summary at the bottom, you can begin adding content.

This is accomplished using the callout feature when writing your notes. To create a keyword cue in the margin, you would write:

>[!cue] Here is the cue

This command will render the text ‘Here is the cue’ in the designated margin once you switch to Reading Mode. A nice feature is that the CSS aligns the keyword with the corresponding line of text, making it clear which part of the note it refers to.

Keep your keywords concise, as the sidebar has limited space, and longer phrases may overlap.

Creating summaries follows a similar process. A summary can be generated using:

>[!callout] Here is the callout

> - It can have multiple lines

> - Because a summary might contain several points

This will generate a summary box at the end of your note when you enter reading mode. TfTHacker suggests positioning the summary at the top of your document for easy access when using Live Preview for editing.

One feature I appreciate is that the summary remains visible at the bottom of your screen while you scroll through the note, aiding in keeping key points at the forefront of your mind.

Additionally, there’s a banner image feature. You can add this using the callout:

>[!banner-image] ![[banner-image.jpg]]

This creates a visually appealing banner across the top of your note in Reading View. While not directly related to the Cornell method, it enhances the visual appeal.

Integration with the Templater plugin allows for individual addition of these elements. You can use the command ‘Cornell Note — add cue to document’ to prompt for inserting a cue, and the same applies to summaries and banner images.

There’s also the option to create a brand new Cornell note using Templater, guiding you through the choice of margin placement and summary inclusion. Based on your selections, Templater inserts the appropriate cssclass values into the note's YAML.

To summarize, my exploration of TfTHacker’s Cornell note-taking vault has revealed a well-crafted digital version of a timeless note-taking strategy. If you’re interested in downloading the demo vault, you can find it linked here. I hope you’ve found valuable insights in this overview, and thank you for reading!

A comprehensive guide to taking Cornell Notes using Obsidian, complete with practical tips and a full workflow.

Learn how to effectively utilize the Cornell note-taking method with practical examples in this informative video.

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