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Lecture notes template for university students

In short: A lecture notes template has a header for the course and date, a main notes area for key points and examples, a list of key terms, cue questions you can test yourself with later, a short summary in your own words, and a list of readings and deadlines. It follows the Cornell method of note-taking.

The template

Lecture notes

Lecture details
  • Course:
  • Lecture number and topic:
  • Lecturer:
  • Date:
  • Recording: yes / no (lecturer asked and agreed)
Before the lecture
  • What I already know about this topic:
  • Questions I want answered:
Main notes
  • Key point:
  • Explanation:
  • Example from the lecture:
  • Key point:
  • Explanation:
  • Example:
Key terms
  • Term: definition
  • Term: definition
Cue questions (add after the lecture)
  • Question I could be asked in the exam:
  • Question I could be asked in the exam:
Summary in my own words
  • Three to five sentences:
To do
  • Reading:
  • Assignment and due date:
  • Ask the lecturer or tutor about:

When to use it

Use this template for university lectures, seminars, online classes and training courses. It is built on the Cornell method: you take notes during the lecture, then add cue questions and a summary afterwards, which turns your notes into a revision tool.

Fill in the header and the “before the lecture” box a few minutes before class. During the lecture, write key points in your own words rather than copying slides. Within a day, add the cue questions and the summary, and cover the main notes to quiz yourself. If you want to record the lecture so you can listen instead of writing, ask the lecturer first and follow your university’s rules. Lecturers often switch between Arabic and English; our guide to Arabic dialects and transcription explains why that matters.

Filled-in example

Microeconomics, lecture 5: price elasticity of demand

Lecture details
  • Course: Introduction to Microeconomics
  • Lecture number and topic: 5, price elasticity of demand
  • Lecturer: Dr Fatima
  • Date: Monday 19 October
  • Recording: yes, Dr Fatima agreed at the start
Before the lecture
  • What I already know: when price goes up, people usually buy less.
  • Questions: why do some price rises change demand a lot and others hardly at all?
Main notes
  • Key point: price elasticity of demand measures how strongly the quantity demanded reacts to a change in price.
  • Explanation: elasticity = percentage change in quantity demanded ÷ percentage change in price (use the absolute value).
  • Example: a coffee shop raises the price of one drink and many customers switch to another drink on the menu.
  • Key point: what makes demand more elastic.
  • Explanation: close substitutes, luxuries rather than necessities, a large share of income, and more time to adjust.
  • Example: in the short run, drivers keep buying fuel after a price rise because they have few alternatives.
Key terms
  • Elastic demand: quantity demanded changes by a larger percentage than price (value above 1).
  • Inelastic demand: quantity demanded changes by a smaller percentage than price (value below 1).
  • Unit elastic: both change by the same percentage (value of 1).
  • Substitute: a different good that meets the same need.
Cue questions (add after the lecture)
  • How do you calculate price elasticity of demand?
  • Why is demand for fuel usually inelastic in the short run?
  • Name four factors that make demand more elastic.
Summary in my own words
  • Elasticity tells us how sensitive buyers are to price. If there are easy substitutes or the item is a luxury, demand is elastic and a price rise loses many buyers. Necessities with few alternatives are inelastic, at least in the short run. Time matters, because people find alternatives eventually.
To do
  • Reading: chapter 4, sections 4.1 to 4.3
  • Assignment: problem set 3, due Sunday 25 October
  • Ask the tutor about: how elasticity links to a firm’s total revenue

Tips

Frequently asked questions

What is the Cornell note-taking method?

The Cornell method splits a page into three parts: a wide column for notes during the lecture, a narrow column for cue questions or keywords you add afterwards, and a summary at the bottom. You revise by covering the notes and answering the cue questions. This template keeps those parts as separate sections, so it works in any document.

Should I type or handwrite lecture notes?

Both work. Typing is faster and easier to search; handwriting forces you to choose what matters because you cannot write everything. Whichever you use, the summary and cue questions you add after the lecture are what turn notes into something you can revise from.

Can I record my lectures?

Ask the lecturer first, and check your university’s rules, since policies on recording lectures differ between institutions and countries. Many lecturers agree when the recording is only for your own study. A recording lets you listen properly in class and check anything you missed afterwards.

Can Echo write my lecture notes?

With the lecturer’s permission, Echo records the lecture on your iPhone, Android phone or Mac and writes a transcript and a summary, in Arabic dialects, English or a mix of both. Its Lecture Notes template organises the notes for revision, and you can ask Echo questions about them. Echo is free for 30 minutes of recording a month, up to 15 minutes per recording.

Echo writes these notes for you from a recording. Free for 30 minutes a month.

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