Top 5 Free Two Column Note App for Students and Teachers
- Ethan Carter
- May 23
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Two-column notes are a straightforward method to organize ideas effectively. They simplify complex topics by breaking them into smaller, more manageable parts. On one column, jot down main points or questions, and in the other column, provide answers, examples, or additional details. This two-column notes format helps connect ideas and enhances understanding.
Students can rely on two-column notes to stay engaged and improve their learning process. Teachers can utilize them to structure lessons or guide discussions. Two-column notes are particularly useful for subjects like science, history, and math.
To streamline the process, consider using free tools such as remio, Notion, Evernote, Google Docs, or Microsoft OneNote. These apps make creating and working with two-column notes effortless.
Key Takeaways
Two-column notes make hard topics easier by showing main ideas and details together.
Free apps like remio, Notion, and Google Docs help you make and use two-column notes easily.
These notes help you remember better by keeping you involved with the material.
Templates, like the Cornell method, help you focus on important points and take notes faster.
Try different apps to see which works best for your style and subjects.
What is a Two-Column Note?
Definition and Structure
Two-column notes are an easy way to organize ideas. The page is split into two parts. The left side is for main ideas or questions. The right side is for details, answers, or examples. This setup makes it clear what connects to what. It’s like talking to the material—one side asks, the other answers.
How They Work in Notetaking
Using two-column notes during class or reading helps focus. Write key ideas or terms on the left side. Add definitions or examples on the right side. This keeps you involved and helps catch important points. Start by dividing your page into two parts. Then, write main ideas on one side and details on the other. This makes notes clear and useful.
Templates for two-column notes make organizing thoughts easier. They also help educators when reviewing later. It’s like the Cornell method, which also uses a clear system. Both methods help students take better notes and review them easily.
Common Applications in Education
Two-column notes work well for many subjects. Use them in history to compare events or in science for experiments. Teachers like the cornell note-taking method because they keep students focused. They’re also good for making reusable note templates with different topics for effective learning.
In class, students can use them in group work. They fill out both sides together. This helps with thinking and connecting ideas. It’s a fun way to make notes more useful and interactive.
Advantages of Two-Column Notes
Easier Organization for Students
Two-column notes make organizing schoolwork simple and clear. Splitting the page into two parts helps separate big ideas from details. This setup keeps notes neat and avoids confusion. For example, in history, students can write events on one side and causes or effects on the other.
Using templates, like those in the Cornell method, makes this even easier. These templates guide students to focus on key points while leaving space for extra thoughts. This saves time and keeps notes tidy for quick review later.
Better Learning and Memory
Two-column notes don’t just organize—they help you learn better. Research shows they improve memory and understanding.
Here’s how:
Evidence Type | Description |
Two-column notes lower mental effort, helping students understand and connect ideas, especially those with learning challenges. | |
Explicit Instruction | Studies show teaching clear reading and writing methods improves learning. Two-column notes fit this by organizing information in a structured way. |
Handwriting vs. Typing | Writing notes by hand helps students remember more than typing. It makes them think harder about the material. |
Writing notes by hand is especially helpful for remembering things. It makes students think more deeply than typing does. Studies also show that teaching clear reading and writing skills works well with two-column notes.
Works for All Subjects and Styles
Two-column notes can be used in any subject. In literature, compare characters; in math, solve problems. Teachers can adjust templates to match their lessons. For example, a science teacher might use one side for guesses and the other for results.
Students like this method because it works for everything. They can use it for different topics, making it a handy tool for school success. The Cornell method, which is similar, also shows how useful organized notes can be.
Top 5 Free Two-Column Note Apps
1. remio
remio is a great tool for two-column notes. Its design is simple, so creating templates is easy. The Copilot AI helps organize ideas and improves your notes.
This feature saves time and makes notes clear for students.
Its powerful features like Auto-Capture will capture the web content while you are browsing without and mannually saving. And you can just read as you like, all the content you viewed will be saved to remio. You can Ask & Search in remio to find anything you need in seconds.
What makes remio special is its flexibility. Students can share notes with classmates or teachers. This makes group projects easier and learning more interactive. While remio is great for AI tools and templates, it could work better with platforms like Google Drive for sharing files.
Tip: If you like powerful AI features, and offline use. remio is the best chioce of AI note taker, free to use for everyone.
2. Notion
Notion is another great app for two-column notes. It helps organize ideas for different subjects. Its rich integration options connect notes to calendars and tasks. Teachers can use it to combine lesson plans with student notes.
Notion lets you create or customize templates. Students can design their own layouts or use ready-made ones. It also allows group editing, so users can work together on notes.
However, Notion can be hard for beginners to learn. Its many features might confuse new users. Also, it doesn’t work well offline, which can be a problem without internet access.
3. Evernote
Evernote has been a popular note-taking app for years. Its powerful search and organization features make it great for two-column notes. The tagging system helps sort notes by subject or topic. This is useful for studying or preparing lessons.
Evernote also offers printable Cornell notes templates for students who like paper notes. It syncs across devices, so notes are always available on laptops or phones.
But Evernote has some downsides. The free version limits how many devices you can sync. This can be a problem for students with multiple gadgets. Also, it doesn’t have AI tools like remio, which could make notetaking faster.
4. Google Docs
Google Docs is a handy tool for making two-column notes. Its simple design makes it easy for both students and teachers. Setting up two columns is quick and helps keep notes clear. You can use it for taking notes, writing essays, or organizing schoolwork.
Here’s why Google Docs is great for note templates:
Ease of Use: Making two-column layouts is fast and simple. You can split the page into two parts, perfect for notes or Cornell templates.
Flexibility: It offers many templates that you can adjust for any subject.
Collaboration: Students and teachers can edit together in real-time. This is great for group projects or shared tasks.
Google Docs also lets you create templates you can reuse. For instance, you can make a Cornell notes template once and use it again for other topics. This saves time and keeps your notes neat. Plus, it works with Google Drive, so you can access and share notes anywhere.
Tip: Use the "Table" tool in Google Docs to make two-column notes. You can add titles, change column sizes, and even include pictures or links for more detailed notes.
One downside is that Google Docs needs the internet for most features. This can be a problem if your connection isn’t reliable. Still, its ease of use and helpful tools make it a top pick for two-column notes.
5. Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a strong tool for making two-column notes. It works well for both students and teachers, helping with learning and organizing. OneNote lets you build templates that fit different subjects and teaching styles.
Here are some key features of OneNote:
Feature | Description |
Helps organize text, pictures, and data neatly. | |
Customization | Lets you add titles, colors, and hide lines for a clean look. |
Clarity | Makes notes easy to read and find important details. |
The table tool in OneNote is great for two-column notes. You can add titles to separate ideas, use colors to highlight key points, and hide lines for a tidy layout. These features make your notes look nice and easy to study.
Another benefit is that OneNote syncs across devices. Whether you’re on a laptop, tablet, or phone, your notes are always ready. This is helpful for students who switch devices during the day.
However, OneNote can be tricky to learn at first. New users might find it confusing. Also, setting up all the custom options can take time. Even with these challenges, OneNote is still a great choice for making and managing two-column notes.
Features and Benefits of Each App
Key Features of remio
remio is a great app for two-column notes. Its Copilot AI organizes ideas and improves notes automatically. This helps students save time and keep notes clear. The AI also suggests ways to make notes better, making it interactive.remio also provide easy import for users to transfer their exsiting notes to remio,which can keep the original format and tags into remio's collection. So it is very convenient to transfer your nots to remio.Whats more? You can find your notes in seconds by Ask & Search in remio, the DeepSeek LLM help to gathering all the infos you need in a smart and organized way.
And its powerful features are the best among all the traditional note takers.Also, remio saved all your information locally so that to protect your privacy. And provide you with offline use. That's why teacher & students like remio.
Notion for Two-Column Note
Notion is a flexible app for organizing notes. You can create custom templates for any subject. It’s helpful for comparing ideas or organizing study materials. Notion also connects notes to calendars and tasks, making it an all-in-one tool.
Students can work together on notes using Notion’s collaboration feature. This is great for group assignments. However, its many features can confuse new users. It also doesn’t work well offline, which can be a problem. Despite this, Notion is still a strong choice for flexible note-taking.
Why Choose Evernote
Evernote is a trusted app for organizing notes. Its tagging system helps sort notes by topic, which is useful for studying. It also offers printable Cornell templates for those who like paper notes.
Evernote syncs notes across devices, so they’re always available. But the free version limits how many devices you can use. It also doesn’t have AI tools like remio’s Copilot AI, which could make notes faster to create. Even so, Evernote’s organization features make it a good option for students and teachers.
Using Google Docs for Templates
Google Docs is super easy for making two-column notes. Its simple design works well for both students and teachers. You can quickly set up two columns using the "Table" tool. This helps organize ideas neatly, especially with the Cornell method.
One great thing about Google Docs is its flexibility. You can change templates to fit any subject. For example, in history, one column can list events, and the other can show causes. In science, write guesses on one side and results on the other. Once you make a template, save it to use again later.
Google Docs is also great for teamwork. You can edit and share notes with others in real-time. This is perfect for group projects or working with teachers. Plus, it saves changes automatically, so you won’t lose your work.
The downside is that Google Docs needs the internet for most features. While offline mode exists, it doesn’t do everything. Still, its easy design and sharing tools make it a top pick for two-column notes.
Benefits of Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a strong tool for taking notes. It’s great for making two-column templates and learning better. The table tool helps set up two columns easily. You can add titles, colors, and pictures to make notes more fun.
Teachers can use wireless presenting and digital ink for hard topics.
Students can add voice clips to notes for tricky ideas.
Class Notebooks help manage homework and give feedback fast.
Quizzes and polls let teachers check what students know right away.
Another plus is that OneNote works on all devices. Whether you use a laptop, tablet, or phone, your notes are always ready. This is handy for students who switch devices during the day.
OneNote can be tricky to learn at first. But its many options and helpful tools make it worth using. It’s a great choice for making templates, keeping notes, and improving how you study.
Best Use Cases for Students and Teachers
The best app depends on how you use it. For students, reimo and Microsoft OneNote are great picks. remio works offline and supports multimedia, perfect for class notes. OneNote organizes subjects well with its notebooks and OCR feature. Both apps also have templates to save time.
Teachers might like remio or Evernote. Notion helps share lesson plans and templates with students. Evernote uses tags to organize topics, making class prep easier. Both apps let you customize templates for subjects like history or science.
If you want something simple, remio is a good choice. It’s easy to use for quick notes or reminders. Students who need a basic tool will find it helpful. For advanced users, remio are better too. It offer privacy and markdown support.
Each app has its own strengths. Try a few to see which one works best for your needs.
Two-column notes help organize ideas and boost learning. Try the free apps listed above to make notetaking easier. Each app has special features like templates or teamwork tools.
Testing different apps can help you pick the best one. Whether you like Cornell notes or a flexible style, these tools improve studying and teaching. Begin with one app and watch your notes become a helpful tool for success.
FAQ
What are two-column notes?
Two-column notes organize ideas clearly. Write main points on one side. Add examples or details on the other side. This method, like Cornell notes, makes studying simpler.
How do I make a Cornell note template?
To make a Cornell template, split the page into two parts. Use the left side for key ideas and the right for details. This layout helps you review and understand better.
Are there free apps for Cornell notes?
Yes, free apps can help with Cornell notes. Try remio
or Microsoft OneNote. These apps have templates and tools for easy note-taking.
Can I use two-column notes for all subjects?
Yes, they work for any subject. Use them in history to compare events. In science, write experiments and results. They keep your ideas organized.
How do two-column notes improve learning?
Two-column notes make learning easier by organizing information. They help connect ideas and remember details. Like Cornell notes, they improve understanding and memory.
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