Three experiments examined note-taking strategies and their relation to recall. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed either to take organized lecture notes or to try and transcribe the lecture, and they either took their notes by hand or typed them into a computer. Those instructed to transcribe the lecture using a computer showed the…

Despite the importance of good lecture notes to test performance, very little is known about the cognitive processes that underlie effective lecture note taking. The primary purpose of the 2 studies reported (a pilot study and Study 1) was to investigate 3 processes hypothesized to be significantly related to quality of notes: transcription…

Note-taking functions (encoding, encoding plus storage, and storage) and note-taking techniques (conventional, linear, and matrix) were studied for 96 college undergraduates. Results are explained in relation to repetition, generative processing, note completeness, and the potential of note-taking techniques to facilitate performance. (SLD)

How lecture note taking influences writing processes was studied in 4 experiments involving 392 undergraduates. The writing model of L. S. Flower and J. R. Hayes (1981) served as theoretical foundation. Results support the effects of external storage and encoding plus internal storage on writing processes. (SLD)

Two experiments were performed to examine the encoding function of note taking and processing differences between successful and less successful college students in lecture situations. Memory differences between these two student groups were interpreted as the result of factors occuring during note taking. Successful students engaged in greater…

Students tend to emphasize important information more than less important information in their lecture notes. Whether this strategy changes with lecture repetition was investigated in 3 experiments with 71 undergraduate students. Students' assessments and shifts of strategy with lecture repetition are discussed. (SLD)

Forty-four undergraduates received different types of notes for review of a lecture (complete text, linear outline, or matrix), or received no notes. Any form of notes increased performance over no notes, with matrix and outline notes producing higher recall and matrix notes producing greatest transfer. (SLD)