Viet Nam national university
Ha noi university of languages and international studies
Faculty of post-graduate studies

phạm thị kim liên

Students perceptions of note-taking
skills to prepare for the TOEFL iBT test
at Equest English center
(nhận thức về kỹ năng ghi chép thông tin của học sinh
đang tham gia các lớp luyện thi TOEFL iBT tại Trung
tâm tiếng Anh Equest)

M.A. MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 601410
Supervisor: Văn Th Thanh Bình, M.A.

Hanoi, 2011


i

CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT
I hereby certify that the thesis entitled “Students’ perceptions of note-taking skills to prepare
for the TOEFL iBT test at EQuest English Center” is the result of my research for the Degree
of Master of Art at College of Language and International Studies, Ha Noi National University,
and the thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or tertiary
institution.


50 students who are currently studying for the TOEFL iBT at EQuest English Center, Hanoi.
Findings from questionnaires revealed that (i) most of the students hold positive attitudes
towards note-taking skills; (ii) many students perceived major benefits of note-taking skills
such as concentrating on lectures, remembering information in the lectures, organizing the
information after the lecture is over, answering the test questions better, feeling at ease; (iii)
they encountered some challenges in taking notes like listening to the talks and at the same
time take notes, missing important information while taking notes. Besides, findings also
showed that students perceived a lot of note-taking strategies and frequently employed those
strategies such as writing down important information for each main point; significant details;
using abbreviations, symbols; paraphrasing (using easier words); using outlining; organizing
notes visually; separating different ideas from each other; highlighting particularly important
information. Some suggestions for improving the effectiveness of note-taking skills have also
been given in this study. It is hoped that the study would contribute a small part to the
improvement of English teaching and learning, particularly to the training of note-taking skills
at EQuest English Center as well as to those who concern this issue.


iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration ………………………………………………………………………..

i

Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………

ii

Abstracts…………………………………………………………………………… iii
Lists of abbreviations ……………………………………………………………...

5

1.2. Benefits of note-taking …………………………………………………..

5

1.3. Difficulties in taking notes ………………………………………………. 8
1.4. Strategies of note-taking ………………………………………………… 8
1. 5. Relevance of the problem to the TOEFL iBT …………………………... 9
1.5.1. Introduction to the TOEFL iBT test …………………………………… 9
1.5.2. The importance of note-taking skills in the TOEFL iBT test ………….

12

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………… 13
2.1. The context of the study …………………………………………………

13

2.2. Methodology …………………………………………………………….

14


v

2.3. Participants ………………………………………………………………

15


3. 6. Summary ……………..……………..……………..……………………. 33
PART C: CONCLUSION ……………..……………..……………..…………..

34

1. Summary of the study ……………..……………..……………..…………. 34
2. Implications of teaching note-taking skills ……………..…………………. 35
3. Limitations of the study ……………..……………..……………..……….. 37
4. Suggestions for further studies ……………..……………..……………….

38

REFERENCES……………..……………..……………..……………………….

39

APPENDIX ……………..……………..……………..…………………………...

I


vi

LISTS OF CHARTS
Chart 1: Students’ attitudes towards note-taking skills

16

Chart 2: Students’ perceptions of the benefits of note-taking skills


HULIS: Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies
L1: English as the first language
L2: English as the second language
TOEFL iBT:

Test of English as Foreign Language, internet-Based Test

28


1

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale
Note-taking is regarded as a useful study skill because it can assist students not only in
remembering what they have heard or read, keeping them focused on the subject area and to
the task at hand (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1982), but also extending their attention
span during lectures (Rowntree, 1976). The reason is when taking notes, they use multiple
senses and multiple activities including reading or listening then writing, using brain and
muscles, etc. Besides, note-taking skill is considered an indispensable tool in preparing for the
exams in general, and the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) in particular. With
the emergence of the TOEFL program in which test-takers are not allowed to take notes, notetaking has become an interesting topic to a handful of researchers. They mainly concern
whether note-taking has facilitative effects on test takers' performance and to decide whether
note taking should be allowed or not. Some researchers are in favor of the view that notetaking is effective because it serves to focus on the main point of the lecture or conversations,
students are, thereby, more likely to answer questions accurately. Others are against notetaking because taking note during listening distracts learner's concentration ability, and that
they will miss a substantial number of major details. Not to mention some arguments
supporting the idea that note taking does not help students since they often answer the
questions based on their memory without referring the notes at all. In other words, it is
unimportant whether to take notes or not. However, in 2005, the new version of TOEFL,

- Examining students’ perceptions of note-taking strategies;
- Giving some recommendations for EQuest teachers to help students improve the
effectiveness of note-taking skills.
It is hoped that the study will be useful for teachers and students in general and for those at
EQuest English Center in particular.


3

To reach the aims of the study, the following questions are given:
1. What are EQuest students’ attitudes towards note-taking skills to prepare for the TOEFL
iBT test?
2. What are students’ perceptions of benefits of note-taking skills to prepare for the TOEFL
iBT test?
3. What are students’ perceptions of difficulties in practicing note-taking skills to prepare for
the TOEFL iBT test?
4. What are students’ perceptions of note-taking strategies to prepare for the TOEFL iBT test?
3. Scope of the study
Because of the framework of a minor thesis, the author only focuses on 50 students currently
preparing for TOEFL iBT test at EQuest English Center to figure out their perceptions of notetaking skills to prepare for the TOEFL iBT test.
4. Methodology
The aim of this research is to find out the students’ attitudes towards note-taking skills and
perceptions of the benefits of note-taking skills, students’ difficulties in note-taking skills and
their note-taking strategies. A descriptive research is carried out as it is the most suitable
method to obtain the aim. Although this method has its own limitation, specifically, the results
collected may not reflect the matter proposed precisely. To lessen the invalidity and unreality,
the researcher explained instructions meticulously to students, and collected questionnaires
right away to make sure that students answered each questions themselves. The answers are
completely objective and not controlled by the researcher.


facilitates the process of learning and remembering lecture material (Cleverhan, 1995;
Crawford, 1925; Dunkel, 1988; Dunkel & Davy, 1989; Kiewra, 1987; McKenna, 1987;
Palmatier & Bennet, 1974). While, Peck and Hannafin (1983) define note-taking as a process
involving listening, information encoding, cognitive processing, and recording information in
written form. Note-taking takes place at the third stage of listening, where listeners have to get
the relationships of sounds words into some forms meaningful to them. In others words, before
learners take meaningful notes, they first have to go through a meaningful thought process of
organizing and identifying.
1.2. Benefits of note-taking
In the literature, there has been an emphasis on two general functions of note-taking including
encoding and external storage (Divesta & Gray, 1972; Fisher & Harris, 1973). Di Vesta and
Gray (1972) stated that the encoding function of note-taking allows the learner to transcribe
whatever subjective and associations, inferences, and interpretations occurred to him or her
while listening. The encoding mechanism ensures that information that a listener receives is
first properly understood, and then encoded into memory. By the encoding process, a learner’s
awareness and concentration can be improved (Hartley & Marshall, 1974), attention to the
information can be increased (Frase, 1970), his or her awareness of the organization of the talk
can be enhanced (Dunkel & Pailorsi, 1982; Einstein, Morris, & Smith, 1985), and his or her
comparison between the information heard and prior knowledge can be induced (Di Vesta &


6

Gray, 1972). Learners can potentially benefit from the encoding function when they
experience deeper processing during the lecture while taking notes, and when the kind of notes
they take entails processing information helpful to them in examinations (Anderson &
Armbruster, 1986). Therefore, the mere act of taking notes without any opportunity to review
such notes will enhance performance. In other words, a learner’s memory for information can
be increased merely by recording lecture notes even without reviewing. On the other hand, the
external storage mechanism of note-taking provides a learner a resource for later study or

answering the questions better, making them feel more at ease, and Therefore, note taking can
offer L2 learners such affective benefits as the sense of security and comfort besides the
encoding and retaining functions.
In 2002, the study by Carrell, Dunkel, and Mollaun also showed a facilitating effect on L2
listening comprehension when a group of examinees with heterogeneous L1s was allowed to
take and refer to notes during mini-lecture listening. They revealed that a positive effect for
allowing note taking was found, shorter lectures produced a higher percentage of correct
scores than longer lectures did. According to Carrier (2003), students could remember the
content easily from the key word notes, and note-taking could help students recall the content
easily.
According to Liu (2001), taking and having notes available during question answering had a
significant effect on students’ recognition of specific information (but not general information)
in both immediate and delayed multiple-choice test performance. Students could facilitate
their listening comprehension by taking notes because they could pay more attention to the
content (Yeh, 2004). Note-taking was also considered to be an effective strategy for students to
promote their listening comprehension because they could concentrate more on the content
and the process of note-taking in itself does enhance recall in Lin’s study (2005). One of the
most recent studies conducted by Shang (2007) indicated that taking notes did not distract
students from their listening process; instead then even paid more attention to the text and the
students could recall the content of listening passages easily by reviewing their notes.
Another study by Teng (2011) revealed that all participants considered note-taking to be
important, the reasons included remembering key points of lectures, retaining the learning
material better, organizing what the teachers said, and feeling more secure and confident
(pp.483).


8

1.3. Difficulties in taking notes
According to Shang (2007), the reasons why students could not concentrate on their listening

the focus from the text to the taking of the notes. Thus, skillful note-takers need to use
shorthand and other techniques to get down the main points without losing focus on the text.
Strategies are more concrete in the study conducted by Carrell (2007), participants’
perceptions were that note taking strategies related to the content of the notes were used most
frequently and were the most helpful to them (getting the main ideas and important facts, as
opposed to writing down irrelevant comments or trying to write down everything the lecturer
said). The next most frequently utilized and helpful note-taking strategies were those related to
the efficiency of notes (using abbreviations, symbols, paraphrases, and omitting function
words and using only content words) and review of notes (after the lecture to confirm
comprehension and to answer test questions). Strategies involving the organization of the
notes were reported as least frequently used and less helpful (using diagrams, numbers, lists,
arrows, and highlighting). General note-taking strategies such as using neat handwriting and
writing down unconnected words were reported as being used least frequently and as being
least helpful. (pp.25). Chang (2007) also claimed that most of the students were aware of some
of note-taking tips such as using symbol/abbreviation, looking for big picture, using keywords,
and using space and heading.
1.5. Relevance of the problem to the TOEFL iBT
1.5.1. Introduction to the TOEFL iBT test
There are a large number of resources providing information of the TOEFL iBT test, yet this
study takes information from the official website of the TOEFL test, www.ets.org/toefl. The
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is an examination that is administered by the
Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is used to evaluate a nonnative English speaker's
proficiency in the English language. First introduced in 2005, the new TOEFL iBT is being
gradually popular throughout the world. Unlike other TOEFL tests, the new TOEFL iBT tests


10

all four language skills that effective communication requires: Reading, Listening, Speaking,
and Writing. Some questions require the test taker to use more than one English-language skill

details; to follow the lecturers’ speed as well.
The Speaking section requires examinees to respond to two independent tasks about familiar
topics and four integrated tasks. In the independent speaking tasks, test takers give responses
basing on their own ideas, opinions, and experiences within 45 seconds. The difficulty lies in
fifteen-second-preparation for the response, so note-taking skills are essential to address to the
task fully within the time allotted. In the remaining four integrated tasks, test takers must read
a short passage; listen to a short talk; prepare in 20 seconds, after that respond within 60
seconds. In other words, they have to read and listen attentively, prepare and give a full
response under time pressure.
The Writing section measures a test taker’s ability to write two writing tasks in an academic
setting. The first writing task-Integrated- requires students to combine information they have
read in textbooks or other materials with they have heard in class lectures once only, and then
write an essay within 20 minutes. In this type of writing, if students take notes on what they
hear and read, they can use notes to organize information before writing; paraphrase, and cite
information from the source material accurately; write about the ways the information they
heard relates to the information they read. In writing task 2 – Independent- students express
opinions relying on their own knowledge and experiences in 30 minutes.
1.5.2. The importance of note-taking skills in the TOEFL iBT test
There are several supplementary skills that will help test takers succeed on the test as well as
in their academic studies. Note taking is considered one of the most effective tools to improve
their score. Also, note taking is an important skill for any student to develop. As mentioned in
previous part, taking notes is considered as the most effective way to organize and remember
what they hear in class, as well as what they read outside of class.


12

To prepare for the TOEFL iBT, note-taking skills play an important role for the following
reasons. First, taking notes will help examinees focus their attention on the content of the
listening passages (as mentioned in the previous part of benefits of note-taking). One obvious

EQuest English Center was founded in 2003 by a group of masters and doctoral graduates in
the U.S., UK, Australia, and Netherlands. EQuest is a provider of educational service for
pupils and students, including training and preparation for international standardized tests such
as SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS.
Among courses here, the new generation TOEFL, (TOEFL iBT) preparation courses are
known as the trade-name of EQuest. These courses often attract high school students in Hanoi
who desire to study abroad, especially in America or university students who also dream to
take master degree in U.S.A., even officials who long for further study abroad. Students’ age
may range from 16 to 30 years old. They have to take the placement test and get more than 75
out of 120 points in order to enroll in a TOEFL iBT preparation class.
The primary goal of this course is to help learners to earn outstanding points in the test, that is,
get more than 90 out 120 points; other purposes are to help them improve their English skills,
to familiarize them with learning styles in America universities. To achieve these goals,
training program for TOEFL iBT classes is comprised of syllabus, ready-made updated
materials and qualified teachers. In comparison with the old version of the TOEFL test, many
changes have been made to the new TOEFL test, TOEFL iBT, from format to test content, that
is, note-taking is only allowed in the TOEFL iBT test. Thus, teaching methodology here will
be remarkably different in accordance with the new trend. One of the helpful test taking
strategies which students are trained to tackle the TOEFL iBT is note-taking skill.


14

Each course lasts about 3 months, 3 sessions a week, and 2 hours a lesson. Materials used for
these courses are designed by EQuest (for in-house use only). Each lesson focuses on one
skill, Listening, Reading, Speaking or Writing, and each skill is taught by one teacher,
speaking is taught by a native instructor. Each lesson is carried out with the help of modern
technology such as computer, projector. Learning outcomes are evaluated by regular tests and
teacher’s daily reports. Students also have chances to take the final test organized like in a real
test site.

questionnaire will be delivered after at least 5 lessons because it is the time that students
have formed their perceptions of note-taking skills. The questionnaire consists of 4 main
parts. Part 1 includes 5 closed questions with yes, no options to find out students’ attitudes
toward note-taking skills. Part 2 consists of 1 closed question designed according to Likert
scale, whose options are from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These questions seek for
students’ perceptions of benefits of note-taking skills. Part 3 consists of 1 closed question
and 1 open question which clarify the students’ difficulties in taking notes. Part 4 is
comprised of 2 closed questions which aim to figure out student’s perceptions of notetaking strategies, how frequently they used those strategies. One Likert scale designed
question is used here with 5 options ranging from very infrequently to very frequently.


16

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter will present and analyze the data collected from the survey questionnaires. First,
the data will be analyzed based on four research questions. After that, findings and discussion
will be introduced.
3.1. Students’ attitudes towards note-taking skills
Students’ attitudes towards note-taking skills are summarized in chart 1 below
(N = 50):

Chart 1: Students' attitudes toward note-taking skills
0

100%

10

6

1

Take notes when studying for the TOEFL iBT test?

2

Use notes when answering the test questions?

3

Think that other students should take notes when taking the
TOEFL iBT test?

4

Think that note-taking is important to get a better score in the
TOEFL iBT test?

NO
YES


17

As can be seen from chart 1, all of the students chosen (100%) answered for question 1
that they take notes when studying for the TOEFL iBT test.
On the other hand, regarding question 2, not all of them use their notes to answer test
questions. 90% of the samples mentioned that they use their notes to address the tasks in the
TOEFL iBT test. 10% stated that they do not use their notes, yet they still take notes. Perhaps,
they may feel anxious without taking notes.

46

36

40
Agree

20

60
%

50

36
36

14

40
30
20
10
0

Agree strongly

24

26

1

2

3

4

No

Disagree

22

28

5

6

Neither agree
or disagree

24
4

Disagree
strongly

7