Note-Taking: Cornell Notes Free Template

The Cornell note-taking system has been around since the 1950s, and it's still around for good reason--it works! In my Success class for incoming freshman,  I pass out this template and do a mini-lecture to let students practice. It's not for everyone, but it works for many, and can vastly improve a student's comprehension.

The idea is that the students takes notes in the "Notes" section during the lecture. Then, within twenty-four hours (I always recommend as soon as possible), they will fill out the Questions and Key Points section and the Summary section. This keeps things organized and easy to find when studying for exams.

You can certainly have students draw the form themselves, but I find it's much better to hand out three-hole punched copies of the template above. Click here or on the picture to download the free template.