Cornell Notes Template: Printable Layout and Example (2026)

Cornell notes split a page into three parts: a narrow cue column on the left for keywords and questions, a wide notes column on the right for what you hear or read, and a summary box across the bottom. Print the template below, or copy the text version into Word or Google Docs. Further down is a filled example and a way to build the notes from a lecture recording.

Printable Cornell notes template

Print this template On your phone, choose Print from the share menu, or save as PDF.

Text version to copy

TOPIC: [Topic]        CLASS: [Class]        DATE: [Date]

CUES (fill in after class)        | NOTES (write during class)
[Keyword or question]             | [Main idea, fact or example]
[Keyword or question]             | [Main idea, fact or example]
[Keyword or question]             | [Main idea, fact or example]

SUMMARY (fill in after class)
[Two or three sentences in your own words: what was this page about?]

Copy text version

Make a Cornell notes template in Word or Google Docs

1. Insert a table with 2 columns and 3 rows.
2. In the top row, type Topic, Class and Date. Keep it one line tall.
3. Make the left column about a third of the page width. Label it Cues. Label the right column Notes.
4. Merge the two cells of the bottom row and label it Summary. Make this row taller, about a fifth of the page.
5. Set the middle row height so the table fills the page, then save it as your template.

Example: filled-in Cornell notes

An example from an invented biology lecture, to show how the three parts work together.

Summary: Photosynthesis has two linked stages. The light reactions capture light energy as ATP and NADPH in the thylakoids, and the Calvin cycle in the stroma uses that energy to build sugar from carbon dioxide.

How to take Cornell notes in five steps

1. Set up the page. Add the topic, class and date.
2. Take notes during the lecture in the right column only. Use short phrases, not full sentences.
3. Write cues within a day. For each block of notes, add a keyword or a question in the left column.
4. Write the summary at the bottom in your own words.
5. Review by covering the notes. Read a cue, try to answer from memory, then check the notes.

Build the page from a lecture recording

If you cannot keep up while writing, record the lecture and fill in the page afterwards.

1. Ask whether recording is allowed, then put your iPhone near the front and start a recording in Audio Notes AI. It keeps recording with the screen locked, up to 90 minutes. For a longer lecture, start a new recording at the break.
2. When you stop, you get a transcript, a summary and a list of action items such as homework and exam dates, usually in about 30 seconds.
3. Copy the key points from the summary into the notes column, and write your own cues and summary. The cues are the part that helps you learn, so do not skip them.
4. Ask the chat questions like "What were the main terms in this lecture?" to check what you missed.

Honest limits: transcription runs on a server, so you need internet, and the transcript has no speaker labels. See how to record a lecture on iPhone, the best lecture recorder apps and recording in Notability.

Try Audio Notes AI free on the App Store — your first 3 notes or 60 minutes of transcription are included, no card required.

FAQ

What is the Cornell note-taking method?

A way of dividing a page into a cue column, a notes column and a summary box. It was developed by Walter Pauk at Cornell University.

How do I make a Cornell notes template in Word or Google Docs?

Insert a table with two columns and three rows, make the left column about a third of the width, merge the bottom row for the summary, and keep the top row for the title and date.

When do I fill in the cue column and the summary?

After the lecture. During class you write only in the notes column. Within a day, add cues in the left column and write the summary at the bottom in your own words.

Can I take Cornell notes from a lecture recording?

Yes. Record the lecture, get a transcript and summary, use them to fill the notes column and summary, and write the cues yourself. Ask your instructor whether recording is allowed.

More: meeting minutes template, transcribe lecture videos, best free transcription apps.

Download Audio Notes AI free on the App Store — your first 3 notes or 60 minutes of transcription are included, no card required.