Cornell Notes Template Generator
Build a printable Cornell note-taking sheet — set the cue and notes column split, summary height and ruling, then print or save as PDF.
About this Cornell notes template generator
The Cornell method splits a page into three working areas: a narrow cue column on the left for questions and keywords, a wide notes column on the right for what you capture during the lecture or reading, and a summary band across the bottom that you fill in afterwards in your own words. The point of the layout is what it makes you do later — you can cover the notes column, use the cues as prompts, and test yourself, which is why the format has stayed in use since Walter Pauk introduced it at Cornell University.
This generator gives you the layout rather than the content. Drag the cue column between 15% and 45% of the page width: around 30% is the traditional split, narrower suits dense technical notes where you mostly need writing room, and wider suits question-heavy revision where the cues are doing the real work. Set the summary band anywhere from a couple of lines to a deep block, or take it to zero if you would rather use the whole page for notes.
Ruling is up to you — lined for ordinary handwriting, grid for diagrams, equations and anything where alignment matters, or blank for sketching and mind-mapping. Line spacing is set in real millimetres rather than an approximation, so 8 mm on screen prints as 8 mm on paper. The rules run continuously across both columns and the divider is drawn on top, which keeps every line aligned across the split instead of the two sides drifting apart.
An optional header adds write-in lines for name, date and topic, and you can pre-fill the topic if you are printing a stack of sheets for one particular subject. Section labels can be switched off entirely for a cleaner sheet once you know the format by heart.
Everything is generated in your browser and your settings are remembered locally — nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three sections actually for?
The wide right column is for notes taken during the lecture or reading. The narrow left column is for cues — questions and keywords you add afterwards. The bottom band is for a summary in your own words, written once you have reviewed both.
How wide should the cue column be?
About 30% is the traditional split and a good default. Go narrower if you need maximum writing room for dense notes, wider if you plan to write a lot of revision questions in the cue column.
Can I remove the summary section?
Yes — set the summary height to 0 and the notes area expands to fill the page. Bear in mind that writing the summary is the step that does most of the work in this method, so it is worth keeping if you can.
Will the line spacing print at the exact size I set?
Yes, provided your print dialog is set to 100% scale or "actual size". Spacing is defined in real millimetres, not pixels, so it does not drift with screen or printer resolution — but a "fit to page" setting would rescale the whole sheet.
My rules or divider are not printing
Most browsers can strip background colours from printed pages. If the sheet prints blank, look for a "Background graphics" or "Print backgrounds" option in the print dialog and switch it on.