Made for PaperOpen studio
Cornell notes

Cues on the left, notes on the right, summary at the foot.

The Cornell layout divides a page into three: a narrow left column for cues and questions, a wide right area for notes taken during the lecture, and a bar across the bottom for a summary written afterwards. The structure is the method.

2 spacings, two paper sizes

Every sheet is drawn as vector geometry at an absolute measurement. Print at 100% scale and the spacing on the paper is the spacing on the label.

StandardRuled note area with the classic proportions.
LetterA4
UnruledSame three zones, no rules — for diagrams and sketch notes.
LetterA4

What it is for

  • Lecture and seminar notes
  • Reading notes where the cue column holds your questions
  • Meeting notes with actions in the summary bar
  • Revision, by covering the notes and answering from the cues alone

Print at 100% scale

This is the one setting that matters. Choosing “fit to page” rescales the sheet and the spacing no longer matches the label — a 5 mm grid comes out at 4.7 mm and every measurement taken from it is wrong. Set scale to 100% and pick the paper size that matches your printer. The print guide covers the rest.

Common questions

How do you use Cornell notes?
Take notes in the large right-hand area during the lecture. Afterwards, write cues and questions in the left column that the notes answer. Then write a short summary in the bottom bar in your own words. To revise, cover the notes and answer the cues.
What goes in the left column?
Questions, keywords and prompts — written after the lecture, not during it. Distilling your own notes into cues is where most of the learning happens.
Why is there a bar at the bottom?
For a summary of the whole page in one or two sentences, written from memory. If you cannot write it, you have not understood the page yet.

Other paper

  • Graph paper — Square grids from 1/8 inch to 1 cm, drawn to exact measure.
  • Dot grid paper — Light dots at 5 mm, 1/4 inch or 1 cm — guides without lines.
  • Lined paper — Wide, college and narrow ruled, drawn to notebook measurements.
  • Isometric paper — A 30-degree triangular grid for 3D sketching and drafting.
  • Hex paper — Tessellating hexagons for game maps and chemistry.
  • Manuscript paper — Five-line staves — 10 or 12 per page, plus grand staff.
  • Handwriting paper — Baseline, midline and top line in three age-appropriate sizes.
  • Storyboard — 16:9 panels with a notes block under each frame.

There are also free printable planners, sudoku, and calendars for 2026 through 2030.