Cornell Notes provide a format (a cue column, a note-taking area, and a summary area) to help students make sense of readings or lectures. Here is one way Cornell Notes can be used to focus on key terms and ideas in a text: In the cue column on the left, students write key terms or heading titles. Teachers can help students focus appropriately by recommending key terms for the cue column. Then, during or after reading, students write notes on the terms in the note-taking area next to the cue column. There is also a space at the bottom for summarizing the main ideas of the text or lecture.