A Cornell notes template you can print right now
The template
Press Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac. Everything except the sheet below is hidden from the printout. Works on Letter and A4.
The measurements, if you would rather draw it
Honestly, this is the faster option once you have done it twice. Two lines on ordinary ruled paper and you are done.
- Cue column: 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) from the left edge. Vertical line, full height.
- Summary strip: horizontal line 2 inches (5 cm) up from the bottom, running the full width.
- Outer margin: 1 inch (2.5 cm) all round.
- Line spacing: whatever your handwriting needs. Wider than you think, so you can add to notes during review.
The 2.5 inch figure is not sacred, but keep the cue column narrow on purpose. If it is wide enough for full sentences you will write summaries in it, and then there is nothing to test yourself against.
Making one in Word or Google Docs
Insert a table, 2 columns by 2 rows. Merge the two cells in the bottom row so the summary runs the full width. Drag the middle divider until the left column is about 2.5 inches. Set the top row height to fill the page, then set the borders to a light grey so they do not dominate the page.
Save it as a template rather than a document, or you will end up copying an old file every week.
Templates do not work on a PDF
This is where most people get stuck, and it is worth being clear about why. A blank template assumes an empty page. Lecture slides, journal papers and chapter scans already have content across the full width, so there is nowhere to lay the grid.
You have three options, and only one of them is good.
- Print it small. Scale the PDF to about 70% and print with wide margins. It works. It also uses a lot of paper.
- Keep a separate page. Notes in one file, source in another. The link between a note and the line that caused it is lost immediately.
- Widen the page. Add real margin space either side of the existing content, so the cue column and notes column appear beside the original rather than on top of it.
The third is what SidePDF does. It expands the page geometry of the PDF itself, so you get a narrow column on the left and a wide one on the right, and the notes stay part of the document when you open it anywhere else. It is free, and it is the closest thing to running this template over a file you did not write.
Related reading
If you want the method rather than the layout, start with how the Cornell method actually works. The template is the easy part. The recite step is the part that does the work.
Frequently asked questions
What are the correct Cornell notes template dimensions?+
On US Letter or A4: a cue column about 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) wide down the left, a notes column filling the rest, and a summary strip about 2 inches (5 cm) tall across the bottom. Leave a 1 inch margin around the outside.
Do I need a printed template at all?+
No. Two ruled lines on any lined paper gives you the same thing in about ten seconds. A pre-made template is a convenience, not a requirement, and plenty of people who use the method daily just draw it.
How do I make a Cornell template in Word or Google Docs?+
Insert a 2 by 2 table, merge the bottom row into one cell, then drag the middle divider so the left column is roughly 2.5 inches. Set the row height so the table fills the page and turn the borders down to a light grey.
Can I get a Cornell layout on a PDF I already have?+
Not with a blank template, since the PDF already has content on the page. You need to add margin space around the existing page, either by printing it smaller or by widening the page itself so a cue column and notes column appear beside the original.
Is there a standard number of lines?+
There is no official count. Around 25 to 30 lines in the notes column suits most handwriting. Fewer, wider-spaced lines work better if you plan to add to your notes during review.
Cornell layout on a PDF
Widen the margins of any lecture slide or paper and take notes beside the text, not on top of it.
See how SidePDF works