RUNNING HEAD: NOTE-TAKING STRATEGIES FOR 12TH GRADE ELA

The Road to Successful Note-Taking: Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA
Donika Zherka
Manhattan College

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 2

Abstract
Two 12th grade classes for English Language Arts in the Bronx were observed on multiple
instances. Through the observations, it was evident that students lacked the necessary skill for
effective note-taking. As the teacher provided students with notes on the SmartBoard, the
students did not copy anything down. Additionally, students did not take notes as the teacher
spoke, and they did not take notes while reading. I proposed a plan to help students develop the
skill for note-taking. It is a valuable skill that the students will need in college next year. A lesson
was given to students about note-taking, and two different strategies were given to students to
see which works better. The Cornell Method and a Three Column Strategy were the selected
note-taking styles (Figure 1 and figure 2). After working with the students on note-taking,
specifically as they read their assigned text, the conclusion was unexpected. Students did not
prefer one strategy over the other. Both strategies were seen as valuable and helpful to the
students after reflection. After analyzing the collected data (notes), and reflecting on student
responses during class discussion of the assigned readings, a conclusion was made that both
note-taking strategies were beneficial for the students. It was proved that the skill itself is
necessary and must be taught.
Keywords: Note-Taking, The Cornell Method, Three Column Strategy, 12th Grade,
English Language Arts

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 3

The Road to Successful Note-Taking: Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA

What was the Problem?

Students go throughout their learning careers without a fundamental skill to aid in their
learning experience. The journey they take from Kindergarten to their senior year of high school
lacks the proper knowledge of successful note-taking. This inevitably effects the student after
high school when college begins. The students arent well equipped for a college classroom
where a professor is not worried about how well of a note-taker you are. These skills must be
built in the earlier stages of a students learning career. It has been observed that students are not
given the proper skills for note-taking. Instead, they are thrown into the class and expected to
already know how to take notes. Just like every other skill, note-taking must be taught. This was
the case for the 12th grade students in Mrs. Chansinghs English Language Arts class. The
students struggled in class because it was observed that they didnt take effective notes, or any
notes, to help them study. This directly affected their reading of the assigned text (The Kite
Runner).
What did the Teacher(s) Know?
The students in the urban high need school, In-Tech Academy, were observed for a week before
action was taken. In-Tech Academy is a magnet school that specializes in technology. Majority
of the students are Hispanic, with African Americans being the next highest, with a few
Caucasians and Asians in the mix. Mrs. Chansinghs sixth and seventh period ELA classes are
two classes in which I have experience with. I personally student taught these students every day

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 4

for a semester. During my student teaching experience with the students, I noticed their low
performance on quizzes, papers, discussions, and homework assignments. I had initially believed
that the students either didnt care to study as much as needed, or they didnt understand what
was being asked of them. Going back to just sit and observe opened my eyes to the root of the
problem. I noticed that although some students took notes, they didnt know how to take them
effectively. Other students took enough notes to satisfy the teacher. The root of the problem was
that not one teacher taught the students how to take notes. Although other skills are demanded to
be taught, this skill is seen as something that should just come naturally. Note-taking strategies
are overlooked and the students are left to figure out how to take notes effectively on their own.
What Had Others Found?
Note-taking skills are important across the globe in all different content areas and settings. It is
what aids others to do well in any setting that calls for it. For high school students it is a helpful
skill for all content areas and any testing that they may encounter. Having a skill in note-taking is
proven to aid students in studying. In a study conducted by Douglas Fisher, teachers stated that,
note-taking is not simply a way to record facts; it also leads to deeper student engagement
and reflection (Fisher 2002). The study was conducted in a high school in California. A
difference was seen in their students after implementing The Cornell Method into the classrooms
(Fisher, 2002). The teachers didnt have to teach the students how to study for each test after it
was implemented. The Cornell Method was used as a note-taking strategy but also as a study
tool. Students began improving and graduation rates began to rise (Fisher, 2002). A structured
note-taking skill is what the students needed to continue with their learning. This helped the
students graduate and even begin to attend highly respected colleges. The same issue was seen
with my 12th grade students. Student test scores were low and it was assumed that lack of

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 5

studying was the primary cause. It has been proven that a structured note-taking style improves
overall performance.
It isnt enough to say that a note-taking strategy can help improve student learning. There are
multiple note-taking strategies that can be used in the classroom. Each one is different and can be
used in different instances. A study done by Nancy Risch aimed to prove that one note-taking
style might be more beneficial than others. Junior High students were used to examine the effects
that different forms of note-taking had on their learning. The content and form of the notes were
manipulated in this study to facilitate multiple responses in regards to the notes. There are three
scenarios: students took and reviewed their own notes, took and reviewed expert notes, and
listened and reviewed expert notes. The results concluded that neither one of the note taking
strategies had a higher performance rate (Risch, 1990). Although there wasnt a specific notetaking strategy that was more beneficial for the 8th graders, these results contrast with research
done on college students in which expert notes were more beneficial for students. The limitations
of the study could be the age group (Risch, 1990). The eighth grade students dont know how to
properly use expert notes. Perhaps, the 8th graders dont have a preference on a note-taking
strategy, but higher level learners do.
The big reason as to why students do not take successful notes is because they miss the central
ideas and focus of the topic or reading. Students typically record less than half of the critical
ideas that are presented to them in the class, Unfortunately, students are incomplete note takers
(Risch, 1990). Note taking serves two functions according to the researcher: encoding and
external storage. When students take notes (encoding function) and miss a majority of the critical
ideas, they will not be able to effectively review the material so they dont benefit from the
external storage function (Robinson, 2006). The problem is important because the students are

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 6

jeopardizing their learning by not taking efficient notes. Without efficient notes the students will
underperform because they will not have the complete information from the lesson.
The researcher found that students who were given partially completed graphic organizers
performed much better than students who were given completed graphic organizers. The amount
of students who took graphic notes instead of linear notes also increased from the beginning of
the semester to the end. The use of graphic organizers bettered the grades for students overall and
students were introduced to a note taking strategy that was beneficial for them. Once again a
change in students was seen after a note-taking strategy was introduced into the classroom.
Grades improved and students began to understand how to study as well.
What was the Plan?
After observing students and talking to their teacher, I began to set a plan in motion. The
first day teaching the students was dedicated to note-taking and what it is. Students were asked to
list any note-taking strategies that they used. Generic answers were given, such as: highlighting,
circling words and/or phrases, annotating, and abbreviating. The students were then asked if they
constantly use these strategies and if they believe they are helpful. Collectively, students agreed
that they in fact do not implement these strategies too often and that it may not fully help them
but it is all they know. I then proceeded to provide students with facts on how successful notetaking can improve their overall learning experience. The data that was provided helped students
realize the helpfulness of note-taking.
Note-taking samples were collected from the students to evaluate how they take notes
and how well the notes themselves were. It proved that many were incomplete and not focused.
Main ideas were missing and there was no structure in the notes. This allowed me to figure out
the next step for the students. I chose two structured note taking strategies that were in the form

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 7

of a graphic organizer. Student work samples proved that there was a need for structure. The plan
was to use two different kinds of graphic organizers for notes, The Cornell Method and a 3
Column Strategy, and see which one worked best. This was a two day process.
Day one consisted of students being taught the Cornell Method and then implementing it
into their reading of The Kite Runner. Students read independently and were given a prompt to
follow. As students read they took notes using the Cornell Method for chapter eight of the book.
Afterwards, a discussion was held to answer the prompt that was given to them and students
were to use their notes during discussion. Day two consisted of students learning about the 3
Column Strategy. This strategy was then practiced during independent reading on the same book
but for chapter nine this time. Students were once again given a prompt and continued to take
notes. After the chapter had been read, students were then asked to participate in a discussion of
the chapter with the use of their notes. After each note-taking strategy was used, students were
also asked to write a reflection in regards to the strategy. They were to reflect on whether the
note-taking strategy was useful or not, and if it is something that they will use in the future.
How did the Plan Work?
The students at first were quite reluctant to break out of their old habits of not taking notes as
they read, or even when they were given notes on note-taking strategy. With a bit of
encouragement the students began the process. On both days I saw a tremendous improvement in
the students. Reading became more fun because they were engaged in the text through their
notes. Their notes also helped them comprehend the text fully, which caused the class
discussions to improve immensely. Students were participating and offering ideas and
interpretations. The prompt was fully answered and students seemed more confident in
themselves. Below in figures three and four, work samples can be seen from one of the students.

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 8

The plan was to figure out what kind of graphic organizer was more helpful for notes. The
Cornell Method had a linear aspect to it. There was more writing and summarizing of the text
than the 3 Column Strategy. That second strategy required more student thinking to produce their
own questions for the text. This helped promote critical thinking for the students. It was also a
beneficial way for artistic students to take notes because of column three which gave students the
option to draw a picture to help them remember the notes. The question was: Will students
respond better to a linear graphic organizer for note-taking, or a critical thinking and visual
graphic organizer for note-taking. The results proved that not one specific note-taking strategy
was preferred over the other.
After reviewing the notes, I was able to conclude that student learning improved. The notes on
both days were complete and completed the question that the prompts asked the students. The
student whose work samples were used for figures three and four improved very much. Her notes
are usually empty. Student discussion was also taken in to consideration which showed that the
text was understood more fully and that students were more engaged. Student reflections also
proved that not one note-taking strategy was preferred over the other. Figures six and seven
shows one student reflecting on both strategies. She stated that both were very helpful. The
reflections that were given showed that students though each strategy was beneficial and that it
did help them as they were reading the text. Even when asked if they preferred one over the
other, students claimed that both helped them equally. Figure five, as seen below, proves that
students success was not due to one note taking strategy but to both.
The next steps to take would be to continue having students use the note-taking strategies.
Students will be monitored to make sure that a strategy is being used and their discussions will
also be monitored to see if the conversations keep up. Eventually, there will be test given on the

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 9

text. The test will prove whether the note-taking strategy truly helps the student. If the students
do well then it shows that writing notes while reading helps, and that the notes are a good way to
study. Some limitations of the study would include the short amount of time that I am able to
spend with the students. If I were given more time, I would be able to continue working with the
students to truly see how note-taking affects them. Also, my visits to the school were not
consistent. Going every week was not realistic so the study was spread out too much. Other than
that, the topic researched is quite important in helping out our students. Results would benefit
them academically.

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 10

References
Fisher, Douglas, Frey, Nancy, & Williams, Douglas. (2002). Seven Literacy Strategies That
Work. Educational Leadership, 70-73.
Risch, Nancy Lindberg, & Kiewra, Kenneth A. (1990). Content and Form Variations in Note
Taking: Effects among Junior High Students. The Journal of Educational Research, 355
357.
Robinson, Daniel H., Katayama, Andrew D., Beth, Alica, Odom, Susan, Hsieh, Ya-Ping, &
Vanderveen, Arthur. (2006). Increasing Text Comprehension And Graphic Note Taking
Using A Partial Graphic Organizer. Journal Of Educational Research, 103-111.

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 11

Figure 1: The Cornell Method

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 12

Figure 2: The Three Column Strategy

Question

Answer

Symbol

Figure 3: Student Work Sample 1 (Three Column Strategy)

Question
1) Why is the kite
tournament so
important?

Answer
It is a part of their culture

Symbol/Example

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 13

2) Why doesnt Amir
want to eat? (pg 81)

3) Why is Amir not

He cant stop thinking about

Hassan

He wants Baba to himself

concerned about
Hassan, and thinks
Baba is ruining it
when he mentions
Hassan? (pg 82)
4) Why did Amir lie to
Ali?

Hes scared to tell him about

He avoided the question, and

the rape

then got defensive when Ali

asked again

Figure 4: Student Work Sample 2 (The Cornell Method)

Throughout the chapter, Amir ignores Hassan

Because of his guilt, Amir cant look

Baba and Amirs relationship improves

at him the same way.

It is improved ever since Amirs win
at the Kite tournament. The more he
interacts with Baba the more he

Amir wanted new servants

distances himself away from Hassan

Baba quickly yelled at Amir for saying
that he wanted new servants,
considering that Ali and Baba are
good friends.

Note-Taking Strategies for 12th Grade ELA 14

Summary: This chapter is filled with inner conflicts that Amir is experiencing. He is feeling
guilty for not helping Hassan in his time of need, but he wants Baba to himself and will do
whatever he can to keep that relationship growing.

Figure 5: Data based on student notes

+

The Cornell Method

36 students
10 students
2 students

Three Column Strategy

34 students
11 students
3 students

Figure 6: Student Reflection

Using the Three Column note-taking strategy helped me organize my notes and helped me
remember what I was reading. I would use this strategy in the future.
Figure 7: Student Reflection
This new note-taking strategy Ms. Z assigned us, The Cornell Method, was very helpful. We
can always go back to our notes and easily find out what has been going on in the book. Its an
easier way to write down important facts about the book or characters.