Free Cornell notes · PDF
Cornell Notes Template
A Cornell notes page has a cue column on the left, a notes column twice as wide on the right and a summary area of about 2 in at the bottom. Pick the line spacing and Letter or A4, then download the PDF.
Live preview of the page that will be in your PDF.
How do you take Cornell notes?
- During the lecture or reading: write the main ideas in the wide right column. Keep it short and use abbreviations.
- Right after: write questions or key words in the left cue column, next to the notes they belong to.
- At the bottom: sum up the page in a few sentences in the summary area.
- When you review: cover the notes column and try to answer the questions in the cue column from memory.
Studies of the method point both ways: some found better results, others no clear difference. It is a structure that helps many students review, not a guaranteed grade boost.
What options does the template have?
- Line spacing: college ruled, wide ruled, narrow or A4 ruled (8 mm), or any custom spacing from 4 to 15 mm.
- Columns: lines across the cue column or a blank cue column, and lines in the summary area or a blank box.
- Layout: US Letter or A4, portrait or landscape, margins you choose and a name and date line at the top.
Need plain ruled paper instead? Use lined paper, or graph paper for math notes.
How do I print the PDF at the right size?
Open the PDF and choose Actual size or 100% in the print dialog. Do not choose “Fit to page” or “Shrink to fit”, which rescales the paper and changes the square size. In Adobe Acrobat and Reader this is under Page Sizing & Handling; in Chrome and Edge set Scale to Default (100%); in Safari and Firefox set the scale to 100%. Pick the same paper size in the printer settings as in the generator (US Letter or A4).
To check, measure a few squares with a ruler: 10 squares of 1/4 in should be 2½ in, and 10 squares of 5 mm should be 50 mm. Home printers cannot print right to the page edge, which is why the generator keeps a margin (0.5 in or 10 mm by default).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cornell note-taking format?
It is a page split into two columns and a bottom area. Notes go in the wide right column, questions or key words go in the narrow left column, and a short summary goes at the bottom. The method was devised in the 1950s by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University.
How wide should the cue column be?
In the common two-column style, the note-taking column is twice as wide as the question or key word column, so the cue column is one third of the writing width. This template draws it that way on both Letter and A4.
How big is the summary area?
The usual advice is to leave five to seven lines, or about 2 in, at the bottom of the page. The template uses 2 in (50.8 mm).
Can I print Cornell notes on A4?
Yes. Switch the paper size to A4 and pick the A4 ruled (8 mm) preset or another line spacing. The PDF page is exactly 210 × 297 mm.
Can I leave the cue column without lines?
Yes. Untick “Lines in the cue column” to keep it blank for diagrams or short questions. You can also switch off the lines in the summary area.
Is this a Google Docs or Word template?
No. It is a PDF you print or write on with a PDF app. It is made in your browser, so there is nothing to sign up for.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Cornell Notes. Devised in the 1950s by Walter Pauk (Cornell University); the note-taking column is twice the size of the questions/key word column, and five to seven lines or about 2 in are left at the bottom. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Notes
- Wikipedia: Letter (paper size). Letter (ANSI A) is defined in ANSI/ASME Y14.1 and measures 8.5 by 11 inches (215.9 by 279.4 mm). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_(paper_size)
- Wikipedia: ISO 216. A4 is 210 × 297 mm; the standard defines the A, B and C series. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_216
Last checked: October 14, 2026. Last updated: October 14, 2026. If you spot a mistake, email info@papergenerator.app.