How to take Cornell notes (with a free template)

The Cornell method was developed at Cornell University and is widely taught in middle and high schools. Its strength is not the layout itself but what you do with the page after class.

The three parts of the page

Notes (right, the biggest area): what you write during class or while reading.
Cues (left column): questions and key words you add afterwards.
Summary (bottom): two to four sentences in your own words about the whole page.

Step by step

During class, write only in the Notes area. Use short phrases, abbreviations and bullet points. Skip a line between ideas so you can add things later.
Within 24 hours, fill in the cue column. For each chunk of notes, write a question it answers ("What causes the seasons?") or a key term.
Write the summary. If you can't summarize the page, that is a sign of a part you don't understand yet.
Review by covering the notes. Fold the page or cover the right side, read the questions in the cue column, and answer them out loud. Uncover to check.

Common mistakes

Copying everything word for word. Notes should be shorter than what was said. Listen for the main points and examples.
Leaving the cue column empty. Without questions, Cornell notes are just regular notes with a wide margin.
Writing the summary weeks later. It works best on the same day, while the lesson is fresh.

Using them before a test

Go through the cue columns of every page in the unit and answer the questions without looking. Mark the ones you got wrong and reread only those notes. This turns a stack of notes into a ready-made quiz.

Topic and date at the top of every page make it much easier to find things later. Number the pages if you keep them in a binder.