Template · Study
Free Cornell notes template for lectures and reading
Take notes the Cornell way: notes in the right column during class, cues and questions in the left column after class, and a short summary at the bottom to lock it in.
Cornell notes · Oct 5
Course:
Topic:
Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
During class, take notes in the right column. After class, write questions or key words in the left column, then the summary at the bottom.
Notes
| Cues and questions | Notes |
|---|---|
Summary
Three to five sentences, in your own words, without looking at the notes.
To review
Cover the notes and answer the cues
Review again in a week
Free. Barside asks before it adds the template, then makes a new note from it. Needs Barside 1.50 or newer.
Nothing opened? Barside may not be installed yet. Download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
The Cornell method turns notes into a study tool. The cue column becomes questions to test yourself, and the summary forces you to understand.
Who it is for
It is for students in lectures and seminars, and for anyone learning from talks, courses or books. The method dates back to Cornell University in the 1950s and works for almost any subject. Plan your study week around it with the study planner.
What is in the cornell notes template
- Course, Topic and Date: the date fills in when you create the note.
- Notes: a two-column table, Cues and questions on the left and Notes on the right.
- Summary: three to five sentences in your own words.
- To review: a checklist for testing yourself and reviewing a week later.
An example
In a biology lecture, Sam takes notes on cell division in the Notes column, one idea per row. That evening she adds a question beside each, such as "What happens in metaphase?" She writes a four-sentence summary without looking. Before the exam, she covers the notes, reads each question aloud and answers it, marking the rows she got wrong for another review.
How to use the cornell notes template
- Choose Open in Barside above. Barside opens and asks before it adds anything.
- Pick the workspace for the note, and leave Keep it in my templates ticked to use the template again.
- Choose Create note. A new note called "Cornell notes · Oct 5" opens, ready to fill in.
- Next time, start one from New note from a template, or let Barside make it on a schedule as a repeating note.
No Barside yet? It is free for Windows, Linux and Mac: download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.
How to study with Cornell notes
- During class, write only in Notes. Keep it short.
- Within a day, write a question in Cues for each important note.
- To review, cover the notes and answer the questions out loud.
- Write the summary without looking. Gaps show what to study.
Make it yours
- Add rows for long lectures.
- Make a note per class from this template, in a workspace per course.
- Read the full method in our Cornell note-taking guide.
FAQ
Questions and answers
Why a table instead of two columns of text?
A table keeps each cue on the same row as its note, so they stay together when you add or move rows. You can also sort or filter it.
Is the cornell notes template free?
Yes. The template and Barside are both free. Barside Plus is optional and adds cloud backup and sync between computers; templates do not need it.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. Barside runs on your computer without an account, and the notes you make from the template stay in your library on your computer.
Can I change the cornell notes template?
Yes. Edit the note it makes like any other note: rename columns, add rows, delete sections. To keep your version, open the note and choose Save as template in its options.