EFFECTS OF NOTE-TAKING FORMAT AND STUDY TECHNIQUE ON RECALL AND RELATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Two experiments investigated how different note-taking formats influen ced student note taking. Experiment 1 investigated how different note- taking formats in combination with review activities affect recall and relational learning. During a 19-min lecture, participants either too k notes in their conventional manner, on an outline framework, or on a matrix framework. Following the lecture, approximately half of the pa rticipants in each note-taking group prepared for performance tests by using their notes to write a comparative essay about the lecture topi cs. The others reviewed notes in their standard manner. Results indica ted that essay writing was less effective than standard review practic es for relational learning and that note-taking on an outline increase d test performance beyond other note formats. Performance differences might have resulted from quantitative differences in note-taking favor ing outline note-takers. Experiment 2 reexamined whether various note- taking formats influence student note taking. Students recorded lectur e notes on various outline or matrix frameworks or without aid in thei r conventional manner. It was reconfirmed that a ''flexible'' outline framework, whose ordering of subtopics correspond to their order of le cture presentation, produces more note taking than a ''collapsed'' mat rix framework presenting fewer subtopics to guide note taking. (C) 199 5 Academic Press, Inc.