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A Handout for Students on Note-taking

Motivating Students Self-regulated Learning

A Handout for Students on Note-taking

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note taking
When it comes to class notes, we all know that students would much rather get the teacher’s notes or PowerPoints than write their own for lots of reasons. They’re getting the content straight from the expert. It makes note-taking less work, and they don’t have to decide what to write down. Further, lots of students don’t like to take notes, and many don’t take very good ones. Having the teacher’s notes keeps students covered if they don’t feel like taking notes or attending class, but the research on note-taking is clear: students need to take notes for themselves. I wrote this article to help you explain to your students not only why they need to take notes but how to take good notes—the kind of notes that become valuable resources when studying for an exam.

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When it comes to class notes, we all know that students would much rather get the teacher’s notes or PowerPoints than write their own for lots of reasons. They’re getting the content straight from the expert. It makes note-taking less work, and they don’t have to decide what to write down. Further, lots of students don’t like to take notes, and many don’t take very good ones. Having the teacher’s notes keeps students covered if they don’t feel like taking notes or attending class, but the research on note-taking is clear: students need to take notes for themselves. I wrote this article to help you explain to your students not only why they need to take notes but how to take good notes—the kind of notes that become valuable resources when studying for an exam. Dear Students: My policy on note-taking: You’ll learn the content better in this course if you take your own notes. I know, I know; many students have told me they “like” or “need” my notes. My notes make sense to me, but you need notes that are meaningful to you. I will leave my PowerPoint slides up long enough for you to get down what’s on them. Consider it a perk of coming to class. Moreover, I am committed to helping you with your notes. I will give you time to write things down. I will suggest things that should be in your notes. I will encourage you to look for things in your notes. Reviewing notes will be a regular activity in this course, and anytime you have a question about something that’s in your notes, you are welcome to ask it in class, online, or during office hours. Here’s a set of evidence-based suggestions on taking notes and using them to study. If there was a technique that would help you study, make it easier to learn, and improve your exam scores, wouldn’t you want to know about it? That’s where note-taking comes in. “Researchers have studied note-taking, and these are the strategies shown to make notes a valuable resource:” I’m including a reference to a College Teaching article that offers an interesting note-taking intervention that improved student exam scores. This article is well-referenced and includes seven citations documenting that neither posting notes nor copying PowerPoints verbatim improves student performance. Reference Cohen, D., Kim, E., Tan, J., & Winkelmes, M., (2013). A note-restructuring intervention increases students’ exam scores. College Teaching, 61(Summer), 95–99. Additional articles on note-taking Note-Taking Strategies to Improve Learning Why Students Should be Taking Notes How to Help Students Improve Their Note-Taking Skills