How Cornell notes work
- 1
Take notes in the wide column.
During the lecture or while you read. Short lines, your own words, gaps are fine.
- 2
Write cue questions on the left, within a day.
For each chunk of notes, write the question it answers. Writing them yourself is the part that makes you think.
- 3
Sum it up at the bottom.
Two or three sentences on the whole page, in your own words.
- 4
Cover the notes and answer the cues.
This is the review that makes Cornell notes work: try to answer from memory, then uncover and check.
Using the template on paper or an iPad
- Paper: print the Letter or A4 PDF, lined, dotted or blank. The cue column is 2.5 inches wide, the way the method describes it.
- GoodNotes or Notability: download the PDF and import it as a page or template, then write on it with your pencil.
- In the browser: paste notes you typed, and the page lays them out with a cue box beside each part, ready to print or keep.
Why the review matters more than the layout
Common questions
Do I need an account?
No. The templates and the in-browser layout work without one, and you can get suggested cue questions once a day. With a Qenot account you get more suggestions, and you can keep your Cornell notes and review them later.
Will it write the cue questions for me?
It can suggest a few for each part of your notes, which you can use or change. Writing at least some yourself is what makes the method work, so the page leaves a box for your own first.
How wide is the cue column?
2.5 inches on Letter and about 6.4 cm on A4, with a summary box across the bottom of the page.
Can I use it in Google Docs?
Print or download the PDF, or paste typed notes into the in-browser layout. If a Google Docs copy is offered on this page, it opens as your own copy in Google Drive.