Outline notes template: free printable
Outline notes put the main topics at the left margin, numbered I, II, III, with supporting points indented underneath and details indented once more. Print the free outline notes template below or save it as a PDF, write the topic on the top line, start a new Roman numeral for each main idea and keep every point to a few words.
Prints on one A4 or Letter page without the website around it. Pick "Save as PDF" in the print dialog to get a PDF.
Example: outline notes on the French Revolution
StudyPDF turns a lecture file into a summary with key points, and every point links to its page. Make notes from my materials
How to use it
- 1
Print the blank sheet or save it as a PDF. Fill in your name, the course and the date, and write the lecture or chapter topic on the top line.
- 2
When a new main idea starts, write it next to the next Roman numeral. If you are unsure, use the slide titles or the chapter's subheadings.
- 3
Under each main idea, add the supporting points. Write keywords, names, dates and numbers, not full sentences.
- 4
Need a deeper level? Indent once more and number the details 1, 2, 3. Stop at three levels, or the page gets hard to read.
- 5
When you miss something or do not understand it, write it in the questions box and keep going.
- 6
Within a day, cover the points and try to explain each main idea from its heading alone. Fill the gaps and answer your questions from the textbook or the slides.
Outline notes put the main topics at the left margin, numbered I, II, III, with supporting points indented underneath and details indented once more. Print the free outline notes template below or save it as a PDF, write the topic on the top line, start a new Roman numeral for each main idea and keep every point to a few words.
The outline method works because the indents do part of the thinking. Whatever sits further left matters more. One glance shows how the big ideas and the small details hang together, which is why outlines suit lectures and textbook chapters that follow a clear order.
The classic levels are I, II, III for main topics, A, B, C for subtopics, 1, 2, 3 for details and a, b for examples. On paper, two or three levels are enough. The sheet prints the Roman numerals and the bullets for you. Write A, B or 1, 2 in front of a point when you need the extra level.
Outlines struggle when the lecturer jumps between ideas, and in maths or diagram-heavy subjects. Then the Cornell method or a mind map copes better. For a plain notes page without the numbered levels, use the note taking template.
Or let StudyPDF fill it
StudyPDF does not draw a Roman numeral outline, but its Summary comes close. Upload your slides, lecture notes or a textbook chapter, press New material and pick Summary. You get a TL;DR, key points and a prose summary, each point citing its source page. Ask Bo when something is unclear. A free account is enough, and the summary exports as PDF.
Questions and answers
What is the outline method of note taking?
A way of writing notes in levels. Main topics sit at the left margin, numbered I, II, III, and the supporting points and details are indented under them. The indents show what is important and how the ideas connect.
What do outline notes look like?
Like a table of contents with details: a topic at the top, Roman numerals for the main ideas, indented points under each one and sometimes a third level of numbered details. The filled example on this page shows notes on the French Revolution.
What are the disadvantages of outline note taking?
It needs a clear order. If the speaker jumps around, you end up crossing out and moving points. It also handles diagrams, formulas and links between topics poorly. For those, Cornell notes or a mind map work better.
How do I turn my notes into an outline?
Read your notes and mark the three or four main ideas. Write them next to Roman numerals, then sort every other point under the idea it belongs to and drop the repeats. Keep each line to a few words.
