To take good notes in a lecture, write down ideas, not sentences: the main points, definitions, examples, and anything the lecturer repeats or flags for the exam. Use short phrases and abbreviations, leave space on the page, and mark what you did not understand. The most important part comes after class: turn your notes into questions and test yourself. The Cornell system builds all of this into one page layout, and a recording (with permission) or a spoken recap can fill the gaps.
What to write down in a lecture
| Write it down | Skip it |
|---|---|
| The topic and structure (often on the first slide) | Everything that is on the slides word for word, if you get the slides |
| Definitions and key terms | Full sentences and filler words |
| Examples the lecturer works through | Stories you will remember anyway |
| Anything repeated, stressed or called "important" | Tangents and announcements you can look up |
| "This will be on the exam" | |
| Your own questions and what confused you | |
| Homework, deadlines and reading |
Signals worth writing down: "the key point is", "remember", "a common mistake is", "in the exam", a slide the lecturer stays on for a long time, or something written on the board.
The Cornell note-taking system
The Cornell system was developed by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University, and is taught by Cornell's Learning Strategies Center. You split each page into three parts:
| Part | Where | What goes in |
|---|---|---|
| Note-taking column | Right, about 6 inches wide | Your notes during the lecture, in short "telegraphic" sentences |
| Cue column | Left, about 2 1/2 inches wide | Questions and key words you add after class |
| Summary | Bottom, about 2 inches high | A few sentences summarizing the page, written after class |
Then you work through the five Rs:
- Record. During the lecture, write your notes in the note-taking column in short sentences.
- Questions. As soon after class as possible, write questions about your notes in the cue column.
- Recite. Cover the note-taking column, look only at the questions and cue words, and answer them out loud in your own words.
- Reflect. Ask yourself what the facts mean, what principle they are based on and how they fit with what you already know.
- Review. Spend at least ten minutes every week reviewing all your previous notes.
Lecture notes template
Copy this into your notes app or print it as a page layout. Replace everything in square brackets.
[Course] | [Lecture topic] | [Date] | Lecture [number]
CUE COLUMN (after class) | NOTES (during the lecture)
------------------------------+------------------------------------------
[Question about this block] | [Main point]
| - [Detail, example, definition]
| - [Detail]
[Question] | [Main point]
| - [Detail]
[Key word] | [Formula or diagram, slide number]
|
? [What I did not understand] | [Homework, deadline, reading]
SUMMARY (after class)
[Two or three sentences: what was this lecture about, and what matters most?]
Before, during and after the lecture
Before
- Skim the slides or reading for the lecture, if they are available. You will recognize the key terms.
- Write the course, topic, date and lecture number at the top of the page.
During
- Write main points and definitions. Use abbreviations you will still understand next week.
- Leave space. You will add to your notes later.
- Mark confusion with a "?" instead of stopping to figure it out.
- Note slide numbers, so you can match your notes to the slides.
After (the same day)
- Fill in gaps from the slides, a classmate or a recording, if you have permission to record.
- Write questions in the cue column and a summary at the bottom.
- Cover your notes and answer the questions out loud.
Laptop, tablet or paper?
Use what lets you keep up and still think about what you hear. On a laptop it is easy to type the lecture word for word; resist that and write in your own words. A tablet with a stylus lets you draw diagrams and formulas. Paper has no notifications. Whatever you use, the steps after class matter more than the tool.
Back up your notes with a recording or a spoken recap
A recording helps when you miss a definition or a formula. Two rules:
- Ask the lecturer first. Recording rules depend on where you are and on your school's policy. Record only with a yes, and never share the recording. Our guide on recording a lecture and turning it into notes explains the rules in more detail.
- Keep writing. A recording does not decide what matters. Your notes do.
No permission? Right after class, speak a two-minute recap into your phone: topic, main points, definitions, exam hints, homework. Saying it out loud is already a first round of recall.
Retexta, a cloud voice to text and AI writing app for Android, turns that recap or a permitted recording into structured notes. Tap New task, then More templates and Lecture notes, and record your recap or import the recording. The notes come with sections such as Key Concepts, Definitions and Study Questions, which you can copy into the cue column of your Cornell page. Lecture notes and importing audio are part of Retexta Pro. Retexta is free to try: new users get a few free Pro results to view in the app. Copying, sharing and exporting need Retexta Pro or credits, and so does everything after the free results.
Speak your recap like this
"Organic chemistry, lecture eight, nucleophilic substitution. Two types, SN1 and SN2. SN2 happens in one step, the rate depends on both reactants. SN1 goes through a carbocation. Exam hint: know which one gives inversion. Problem set four by Friday." Say the course and number first, then the ideas in order, then deadlines.
Keep reading
From a recording or recap to study notes, step by step: record a lecture and turn it into notes. How AI can help with your studies without writing your assignments: voice to text for students. Recorded with another app? See how to transcribe a voice memo on Android.
Sources
Checked by FLAME Apps on September 25, 2026.
- Cornell University Learning Strategies Center, The Cornell Note-taking System (PDF, adapted from Walter Pauk, How to Study in College): page layout and the five steps.
- Cornell University Learning Strategies Center, The Cornell Note Taking System: origin of the method.
- Retexta: goal names, note sections and plans as shown in the app strings and on its Google Play listing.
