Which step in the Cornell process is most associated with retaining about 80% of the material?

• A. Recite
• B. Review
• C. Record
• D. Question

Answer: (B)

Retrieval practice through spaced review drives the strongest long-term retention in the Cornell note-taking approach. After you Record your notes during class, you return to them later for the Review step. In this phase you use the left-hand cues to test yourself, recite the key points from memory, and summarize what you’ve learned. That act of actively recalling information over time solidifies it in memory much more effectively than simply rereading.

The Recite activity is part of this retrieval process, and the Cue column helps you practice with targeted prompts, but it’s the ongoing Review that compounds learning and tends to produce that higher retention level. Recording simply captures information; relying solely on recitation without a structured review cadence won’t be as effective for long-term retention.