Encoding benefits (DiVesta & Gray, 1972) of graphic-organizer and outline note-taking using spaced study and review (Robinson, Katayama, Dubois, & DeVaney, 1998) were investigated. In 2 40-min periods separated by 2 days, 117 undergraduates studied a chapter-length text along with a set of complete, partial, or skeletal graphic organizers or outlines. Two days later, the students reviewed their materials for 10 min and then completed factual and application tests. On the factual test, there was no effect for either study notes or amount of information. However, on the application test, graphic organizers were better than outlines and partial notes were better than complete notes. Having students take notes using partial graphic organizers may be preferable to giving them complete notes because of encoding benefits.WHEN COLLEGE STUDENTS are required to read and study chapters of text, many take notes so they may review those notes at a later time. Furthermore, the information becomes more meaningful when students actively involve themselves in taking notes (as opposed to not taking notes) than when the notes are provided to them by, for example, their instructor. Note-taking serves two important functions: encoding and external storage (DiVesta & Gray, 1972;Hartley, 1983;Kiewra, 1989). The encoding function posits that the activity of taking notes leads to better test performance than not taking notes. The external storage function posits that reviewing notes is better than not reviewing notes. For students to take full advantage of both functions, they must both take notes and review them. That seems simple enough, so what is the problem? The problem is that generally, students are poor note-takers, recording less than half of the criti-

In 3 quasi-experiments using intact classrooms and 1 true experiment using random assignment, students completed partially complete graphic organizers (GOs) or studied complete GOs that covered course content. The partial task led to increased overall examination performance in all experiments. Also, the authors measured students' notetaking style (linear vs. graphic) at the beginning and end of the course. In all experiments, GO note taking increased. The increases were greatest when the authors presented the partial task in a computer environment with a timed, forcedchoice task. Implications for using the partial GO task in the classroom, as well as future note-taking research directions are discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

We investigated the differences between (a) copying and pasting text versus typed note-taking methods of constructing study notes simultaneously with (b) vertically scaffolded versus horizontally scaffold notes on knowledge transfer. Forty-seven undergraduate educational psychology students participated. Materials included 2 electronic chapter-length texts, 2 sets of computerized study notes, 2 tests (fact and application), and an attitudinal survey. Only the application test revealed a significant main effect for notes format. We conclude that keying in notes leads to higher retention of knowledge transfer than copying and pasting notes after a 1-week delay.