The Cornell method is an effective way to take notes because it enhances learning and retention by forcing you to review the material three times in one sitting: 

Once when you take notes during class and two more times when you write cues and summaries after class.

What are the strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths:

• Incorporates active recall
• Easy to review
• Able to identify main ideas
• Reduce complex information into digestible parts
• Relevant information is grouped together
• Works well with theoretical and technical classes
• Can be used as a study guide
• Can be used to generate practice questions

Weaknesses:

• Takes time to prepare pages
• Difficult to type on a computer
• The cues and summary sections are time-sensitive
• Requires time after class to complete

The Cornell method is a great option for students studying for exams because it can be used as a study guide and can help generate practice questions.

Why?

Its main ingredient is active recall (not simply recognition).

But what really makes the Cornell method stand out is its flexibility. Unlike its counterparts, this method works well with both theoretical and technical courses.

However, there are a few limitations worth mentioning.

First, you must prepare the pages before you can use this method but you can quickly do it by eyeballing the notes, cues, and summary sections if you’re short on time.

Second, it is difficult to use this method with a computer because it follows a unique format, however, using a tablet or touchscreen device can overcome this issue.

The final limitation is its time sensitivity since the cues and summary sections must be completed as soon as the class is over. This is because the quality and quantity of what you can remember decreases over time. 

In this case, try to complete them within 12 hours of taking notes or record the lecture if this isn’t possible. 

Overall, the Cornell method is a great choice for students who want to learn more efficiently and more effectively.

Best time to use this method:

• Theoretical classes
• Technical classes
• Structured lectures

The Cornell method is compatible with any subject because it can include complex equations, detailed graphs and figures, and series of notes.

So whether you’re taking a course in calculus, physics, accounting, psychology, or business, this method is a great option for you.

Do it yourself:

1. Divide the page into three sections.
2. Write notes in the “notes” section.
3. Fill in the “cues” section.
4. Fill in the “summary” section.

Step 1. Divide the page into three sections.

Try it yourself: Divide the page so that the cues section is 2.5 inches and the notes section is 6 inches wide and the summary section is 2 inches tall.

The Cornell method has three sections:

1. Cues section (left)
2. Notes section (right)
3. Summary section (bottom)

First, prepare the page by drawing a vertical line so that the left column (cues section) is 2.5 inches and the right column (notes section) is 6 inches wide. 

Finish by drawing a horizontal line at the bottom of the page to create a 3-inch tall row (summary section).

If you’re left-handed, you can reverse the columns so the notes section is on the left rather than the right side of the page.

Step 2. Write notes in the “notes” section.

Try it yourself: Write notes in a way that feels natural to you. You can use heading and bullet points (like the outline method) or just bullet points (like the sentence method).

This is the only step you do during class.

Here, you have a lot of flexibility in terms of how you structure your notes. For example, you can choose to have headings (like the outline method), use bullet points (like the sentence method), or use your own system – it’s entirely up to you.

As you take notes, remember the goal is to write down the main points and to do so as clearly and concisely as you can. It is also good practice to use abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols. 

Lastly, consider writing in shorthand which is basically a written language you create that only you can understand – the point is to write faster.

Check out this short video to learn how to create your own shorthand system (skip to 3:05).

Step 3. Fill in the “cues” section.

Try it yourself: Write keywords, practice questions, or main ideas in the cues section for each note entry.

This is the first step you should take after class (or within 12 hours of finishing your notes). To begin the cues section, review each note entry to get a general idea of what it is about and write a “cue.” 

Examples of cues include:

• Keywords
• Terminology
• Practice questions
• Main ideas
• Concepts
• Events
• People

Once it’s time to study for exams, cover the notes section and recite as much relevant information as you can just by referring to the cues you wrote.

Keep in mind that this section aims to help you better understand the material by forcing you to actively recall the information. 

It also gauges how well you understand the subject so you can focus on the areas you need the most improvement.

Step 4. Fill in the “summary” section.

Try it yourself: Review the notes and cues sections for a few minutes and write a short summary (1-3 sentences) of the main points.

This is the second and final step you should take after class and is the most informative part of your notes.

Here, you want to condense all of the information from the page into a few main ideas so keep it simple and get to the point.

The summary section is a valuable study resource because it summarizes the whole page and breaks down complex information into easily digestible parts.

Follow the 5 R’s.

Below are the five steps you should follow from the time you take in-class notes to when you’re reviewing them in preparation for an exam.

• Record
• Reduce
• Recite
• Reflect
• Review

Record:

Paraphrase important ideas, facts, and details into the notes section. Remember to write clearly and concisely – and don’t copy everything verbatim!

This is where you apply everything you have learned about taking effective notes, such as using abbreviations, symbols, and writing shorthand.

Reduce:

After class, condense your notes into cues and summaries. 

The goal of the cues section is to encourage recall or trigger a memory when you review them later so do your best to write high-quality cues.

The summary section, on the other hand, is intended to provide an overview of the main points in a few short sentences.

Recite:

When studying for an exam, cover your notes and refer only to the cues section. 

Do your best to recall everything you know about each cue in your own words so don’t regurgitate what you just memorized.

You want to actually think about the material and teach it to yourself as if you’re not familiar with the subject. How would you explain it effectively but in simple terms?

Reflect:

Reciting represents only half of the learning process; the other half is reflecting on the material.

Use your understanding to make connections with other subjects you’ve taken and consider the overall conclusion your professor is trying to convey.

Review:

In general, it is important to use the extra time you have before an exam to refresh your memory. 

I recommend spending 10-15 minutes each day to review the material beginning with older notes and working your way towards recent ones.

Should I use this method on a computer or paper?

I recommend using a tablet or touchscreen computer (but paper also works fine). 

Why?

It’s because this method was created to improve WRITTEN notes and requires a specific format that isn’t easy to do by typing.

But what makes touchscreen devices a better option than paper is the advantage of using two different modalities: digital and written notes.

Unlike paper, many apps allow you to convert written notes into text, which you can then search for keywords by using the search function (Ctrl + F).

Can be used with:

• Outline method
• Sentence method
• Q/E/C Method
• Box and Bullet Method

The Cornell method can be combined with other note-taking methods to gain the advantages of using more than one. 

Of course, this method can be used on its own so whether you choose to combine it or not is up to you.

However, if you haven’t used the Cornell method before, I recommend using it on its own first and then combine it with others when you feel more confident.

Outline Method:

Try it yourself: Put outline headings into the “cues section” and subheadings and notes into the “notes section” of the Cornell method.

You can combine the two methods by adding headings into the cues section, which works well with headings because it is typically used for keywords and main ideas.

Next, incorporate the outline structure into the notes section by using bullet points and the “Tab” button to add notes and subheadings.

Finally, provide a short summary of the main points in the summary section. You can do this by using bullet points or writing in sentences – it’s completely up to you.

Sentence Method:

Try it yourself: Use bullet points to add notes into the “notes section” of the Cornell method.

The sentence method can be used with the Cornell method because they both use bullet points to add concise notes. 

Where the sentence method differs, however, is that notes are also written in full sentences. This is its main advantage because your notes are more detailed and can help with memory recall.

Note: When writing notes, you are only paraphrasing the main ideas into full but concise sentences.

But if you want an option that is more structured, you can use my sentence-to-outline method in the notes section instead. This is a variant of the sentence method that uses headings. 

Q/E/C Method:

Try it yourself: Put your questions in the “cues section” and evidence and conclusions in the “notes section” of the Cornell method. You can also use bullet points to structure your notes. 

The Q/E/C structure has three parts:

1. Question
2. Evidence
3. Conclusion

When taking notes, put questions in the cues section and evidence and conclusions in the notes section.

Your questions should focus on BIG and IMPORTANT ideas because the goal is to condense the material into chunks that are easy to study later.

Why?

It is much easier and less overwhelming to study a few large topics than it is to study many small topics. 

Keep in mind that the majority of your time will be spent providing evidence to your questions with the goal of answering them.

Finally, provide a conclusion for each note entry by highlighting the main points and important takeaways.

Don’t forget to complete the summary section – this is the place to summarize ALL main ideas from the page.

Note: The Q/E/C conclusion summarizes one specific question while the summary section summarizes all of them.  

Box and Bullet Method:

Try it yourself: Use bullet points to add notes in the “notes section” and draw a box around keywords, main ideas, and topics in the “cues section” of the Cornell method.

All you need for the box and bullet method:

• Boxes
• Bullet points

Using these two methods together is really simple and doesn’t require anything beyond the basic Cornell method and a few extra steps.

Start with the Cornell method, which means using bullet points to add notes during class and completing the cues and summary sections after class.

The last step is to draw a box around all main ideas/keywords in the cues section. Don’t do this for practice questions; I recommend you write them in red ink instead. 

These changes will make it easier to differentiate between different types of cues (main topics vs questions), which will come in handy when you study your notes later.

Best Note-Taking Apps:

There are many apps that work well with the Cornell method but…

…below is a list of the best note-taking apps:

• Evernote
• Microsoft Excel
• Google Sheets

Evernote:

Try it yourself: Press the green “+” icon and select the “Lecture Notes” option.

Evernote has a template of the Cornell method that you can use, however, it is formatted differently from the traditional version.

If you want the traditional version of the Cornell method, you can get it by pressing the green “+” icon and then select the “Lecture Notes” option. 

This will automatically create a cues section, notes section, and summary section by default.

Microsoft Excel:

Try it yourself: Put cues and summaries in the first column and notes in the second column then readjust their size.

Microsoft Excel is another app that works well with the Cornell method because it already has columns you can use for cues, summaries, and notes. 

For this method, you will ONLY need the first two columns.

The first step is to label these columns. I usually name them “Cues Section” and “Notes Section.” It is also a good idea to highlight or bold them so they stand out.

Tip: You can center the cues section because it makes your notes more organized and easier to review. 

Next, readjust the width of the columns by clicking and dragging the corresponding column letter (A or B) at the top of the spreadsheet.

Now your Excel sheet is ready to take notes. However, you can only type in sentences because Excel does not offer bullet points.

The final step is to wrap the text in the cues and summary sections so they don’t cut off or spill into the notes section. You can do this by selecting the text and clicking the “Wrap Text” option.

Note: You can also wrap your notes if they get too long but it’s not necessary because the next column is blank anyway plus this improves your note’s readability.

One important consideration relates to the summary section. Since Excel sheets are infinitely long, you should use multiple summaries to break up the material. 

I recommend adding a summary for every 10-15 cues.

Google Sheets:

Try it yourself: Put cues and summaries in the first column and notes in the second column then readjust their size.

Like Excel, Google Sheets is another spreadsheet app that can be used to take notes with the Cornell method. 

However, I prefer Google Sheets because it has more practical features than Excel, such as automatic save to Google Drive. This way, you don’t have to worry about losing your notes if something happens to your computer.

To use the Cornell method on Google Sheets, all you need are the first two columns.

The first step is to label these columns. I usually name them “Cues Section” and “Notes Section.” It is also a good idea to highlight or bold them so they stand out.

You can also use this opportunity to pin the first row so your headings are still visible even when you scroll down.

Second, resize the width of the two columns by clicking and dragging the corresponding column letter (A or B) at the top of the spreadsheet. 

Now you can take notes on your Google Sheet but keep in mind that you can only type in sentences since you can’t use bullet points.

You can move on to the last step after class once you complete the cues and summary sections. It is important to note that since Google Sheet has infinite pages, you should use summaries to break up the material. 

I recommend adding a summary for every 10-15 cues.

Finally, wrap the text in the cues and summary sections. You can do this by clicking the drop-down bar next to “Text wrapping” and choosing the “Wrap” option. This is to prevent cues and summaries from spilling into your notes.

Note: You can also wrap your notes if they get too long but it’s not necessary because the next column is blank anyway plus this improves your note’s readability.

Examples:

Below are some examples of my notes from past courses I took in college…

• Platform used: Evernote
• Note-taking method: Combined Cornell-Outline Method

• Platform used: Evernote
• Note-taking method: Combined Cornell-Sentence Method

• Platform used: Google Sheets
• Note-taking method: Combined Cornell-Sentence Method (notes section wrapped)

• Platform used: Google Sheets
• Note-taking method: Combined Cornell-Sentence Method (notes section NOT wrapped)

• Platform used: Microsoft Excel
• Note-taking method: Combined Cornell-Sentence Method (notes section wrapped)