Cornell notes noun[plural only]2 •A note-taking method where a sheet of paper is divided into three sections: one for questions (taking a left half of the sheet), one for notes related to the question (taking a right half), and one for a summary of the page (taking up a bottom section).Your notes must follow the Cornell notes format. •Notes taken using this method.Taking Cornell notes is a real pain because I have to draw the lines on the paper every time.