National Economics University

Faculty of Foreign Languages

Department of Business English

The Application of Note-taking Skills to

Enhance BE Sophomores’ Productivity in
Studying English
Instructor: Ms. Nguy Thuy Trang
Authors: Nguyen Viet Anh – 11180412
Tran Ngoc Tram Anh – 11180494
Dao Hong Hanh – 11181572
Le Minh Quang – 11184163
Dao Minh Son – 11184302

Hanoi, April 24, 2020

 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In performing our research, we had to take the help and guideline of some
respected persons, who deserve our greatest gratitude. The completion of this
assignment gives us much pleasure. In addition, we would like to pay our special
regards to all individuals who have directly and indirectly guided us in writing this
assignment.
Firstly, we would also like to express our profound gratitude towards Ms. Nguy
Thuy Trang for the continuous support for our research paper throughout numerous
consultations, and for her patience, motivation and extensive knowledge. 
Besides our instructor, our sincere thanks go to BE sophomores intake 60 and
our team members, who have produced valuable recommendations on this study
regardless of their busy schedules so that we could improve our assignment. Had it not
been for their precious support, it would have been impossible to conduct this
research.
Thank you, again, for partnering with us on this important project.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................1
I. Rationale................................................................................................................................1

II. Aim of Research...................................................................................................................2

III. Scope of the research.........................................................................................................2

IV. Research Questions............................................................................................................2

V. Research Method.................................................................................................................2

VI. Design of the research........................................................................................................3

DEVELOPMENT...............................................................................4
Chapter 1. Literature review.................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

I.Productivity.............................................................................................................................4

I. 1. Definitions of productivity................................................................................................4

I.2. Elements impacting on educational productivity............................................................5

II. Note-taking...........................................................................................................................5

II.1. Definitions of note-taking.................................................................................................5

II.2. Process of note-taking.......................................................................................................6

II.3. Notable methods to take notes.........................................................................................7

II.4. Importance of note-taking...............................................................................................9

II.5. Difficulties in the note-taking process.............................................................................9

II.6. Essential qualities for note-takers.................................................................................10

Chapter 2. Data analysis.........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

I. Students’ background.........................................................................................................13

II. Impacts of effective note-taking skills on improving BE sophomores’ productivity in

studying English......................................................................................................................16

III. Principal difficulties students have when taking notes in English classes..................17

IV. Strategies for students to improve note-taking skills....................................................18

Chapter 3. Recommendations................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

CONCLUSION..................................................................................24
I. Summary of findings...........................................................................................................24

II. Limitations of the study.....................................................................................................25

III. Suggestions for further studies.......................................................................................25

 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Figure I. 1. Importance of taking notes in studying English.......................................13
Figure I. 2. BE sophomores' note-taking ability in studying English..........................13
Figure I. 3. Instruments used in taking notes during class..........................................14
Figure I. 4. Students' note-taking frequency (specified by classes).............................14
Figure I. 5. Reasons behind students' note-taking frequency......................................16
Y
Figure II. 1. Benefits of note-taking in studying English.............................................16
Figure III. 1. Main problems in taking notes while studying English..........................17

Y
Figure IV.1. 1. Students' participation in the process of note-taking pre-lecture........18
Figure IV.1. 2. Students' participation in the process of note-taking during the lecture
.................................................................................................................................... 19
Figure IV.1. 3. Students' participation in the process of note-taking post-lecture......19

Figure IV. 2. Methods used in note-taking..................................................................20

Figure IV. 3. Essential qualities for note-takers..........................................................21
Figure IV. 4. Students' solutions to enhance note-taking skills...................................21
 ABBREVIATION

BE Business English

NEU National Economics University

 1

INTRODUCTION
I. Rationale
It is undeniable that English has become a crucial communication language in
Vietnam since the Vietnamese Communist Party initiated the open-door policy to the
world. Vietnamese government immediately recognized the importance of English and
as a result, the English language programs were made compulsory from secondary
schools to universities. There is a strong possibility that by implementing effective
note-taking skills among students, their academic performance in English classes
would likely to develop. This is because effective notes “allow the learner to make
connections between idea units and engage in deep processing of course content”
(Friedman, 2014, 5)
NEU has been known for a number of credible departments and faculties
educating students in English, as well as some programs associating with foreign
universities for years. Nevertheless, there have been very few proper courses, held by
university, which could train academic-oriented skills, especially note-taking, to help
boost students’ academic performance. According to Wan-Chen Chang and Yu-Min
(2015), students who have perfected their note-taking ability are likely to gain more
impressive academic results than those neglecting this particular skill. Thus, if BE
sophomores continued ignoring note-taking, an abundance of learners would be unable
to take advantage of the benefits offered by effective note-taking skills, which would
lead to undesired outcomes regarding academic performance consequently. 
In fact, although BE is the only department to major in English at NEU, its
undergraduates seem to struggle when dealing with fast-paced lectures due to the
inability to take note actively despite them listening attentively to the lecturers. As a
result, the authors who major in BE need to take the initiative in studying this matter
with a view to raising the awareness of essential note-taking skills among second-year
BE students.
Many students are unaware of the benefits of effective note-taking or short of
knowledge on how to take effective notes (Kobayashi, 2006; Makany, et al., 2009).
Business English sophomores are no exception. While many take notes on a regular
basis, most of whom claim that they find difficulty in mastering efficient note-taking
 2

skills and acknowledging the impacts of which on their academic performance. The
authors, as a result, decided to pursue a research on the topic: “How implementing
effective note-taking skills boosts BE sophomores' productivity in English subjects”. 
II. Aim of Research
The study is designed to investigate whether note-taking skills affect the
productivity of sophomores in the Business English Department at National
Economics University.
Additionally, the goal of the research is also to justify the problems of note-
taking skills in studying English in order to orient sophomores to adopt these skills
effectively. 
To cope with poor note-taking skills, the authors will propose a number of
feasible approaches with a view to resolving this problem and boost the productivity
of BE second-year learners in English disciplines.
III. Scope of the research
Note-taking skills are essential and applicable to a great number of subjects as
well as academic levels. However, it would be more convenient for the authors to
focus on these skills of BE sophomores in English classes. Furthermore, since BE
second-year students are commencing on English for Academic Purposes, a research
on note-taking skills will be ideal. The participants of the study are the Business
English students who have already completed their first year at NEU.
IV. Research Questions
These following questions are addressed in order to achieve the aims and
objectives of the research: 
 How does note-taking effectively improve BE sophomores' productivity
in studying English?
 What are some problems faced by BE sophomores while taking note in
studying English?
 What are some feasible approaches to resolve these problems?
V. Research Method
To answer three specific questions, the study is conducted by using a variety of
methods. Some typical methods are quantitative and qualitative. The authors used
 3

questionnaire for BE sophomores, and asked for expert opinions so as to have a better
insight on the situation. The details of methods are discussed in Chapter 2 of Part B.
VI. Design of the research
The research consists of 3 main parts:
Part A. Introduction: presents a brief introduction of the rationale for the study, the
aims and objectives, scope, research method as well as the design of the study.
Part B. Development: includes the 3 following chapters:
 Chapter 1. Literature review: deals with the fundamental theoretical background of the
study such as definition, techniques of note-taking and of university student’s
productivity; and abstracts from the previous studies for the issues relevant to the field
investigated.
 Chapter 2. Data analysis: reports and analyzes the figures collected from survey
questionnaire by means of charts.
 Chapter 3. Recommendations: proposes specific and practical implications to both
students and lecturers in order to help learners overcome the difficulties and apply
note-taking skills effectively. 
Part C. Conclusion: summarizes the main issues and indicates limitations of the
research as well as suggests for further study. 
In addition, the study also includes sections of References which display the source of
referenced information and Appendix presenting the survey questionnaire for
students. 
 
 
 4

DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW

. Productivity
I. 1. Definitions of productivity
Productivity, which originates from the word “produce”, means to create one
from another. There are inputs and outputs. Productivity means the state or quality of
producing something. A production function as a model which links conceptually and
mathematically outcomes, inputs, and the processes that transform the latter into the
former.
Educational productivity is quite different from aforementioned concept. The
idea of a production function for education depends on viewing education as being a
production process, which means inputs are transformed into outputs in a standard
way. Despite such broad concerns, most empirical research on educational have
focused on achievement on standardized tests of knowledge and cognitive abilities
related to specific skills and subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science in
primary and secondary education. (H. J. Walberg, 2001). “Although the monetary
benefits, costs, and their relations are difficult to estimate, much psychological
research identifies educational practices and conditions that increase learning without
necessarily increasing costs”.
Fundamentally, productivity is about to which extent output can be produced
per unit of input. Calculating this for the economy, or for parts of the economy, is
made feasible by having competitive markets such that outputs can be measured from
market transactions where the dollar volume of products reflects how end users value
them. To measure productivity in education, we must first define the inputs and the
outputs. Not surprisingly, this is a much more difficult task in education than it is in
manufacturing, or even in for-profit service industries such as banking. (Eric A.
Hanushek and Elizabeth Ettema, 2017)
To conclude, productivity is a measure of the efficiency of a person, machine,
factory, system, etc., in converting inputs into useful outputs. Productivity is computed
by dividing average output per period by the total costs incurred or resources (capital,
energy, material, personnel) consumed in that period. (Businessdictionary.com)
 5

I.2. Elements impacting on educational productivity

The elements which have effect on educational productivity vastly differentiate
from each other, both objectively and subjectively,  depending on  students’
perspective: Psychological Causes of learning (Process of information, meaning and
culture), Quality of Instruction (Methods), Student Effects (Knowledge, motivation,
environment) or society’s perspective: Group working (Developing prerequisites,
grade retention), School Effects (Curriculum Alignment, goal setting), Policy Effects
(External examination)… (Ben Levin, 1993).
However, the main focus in this research is an effective studying technique to
enhance learning, in particular, the impact of academic note-taking skills on students’
educational productivity.
II. Note-taking
II.1. Definitions of note-taking
Note-taking is defined as a practice of recording information captured from
other sources, for instance, writing down necessary words, informative ideas after
reading a book or while attending a lecture. By utilizing note-taking skills, learner
minutes the essence of the information for later use instead of having to reminisce
about everything (Makany, Jonathan Kemp and Itiel E.Dror, 2008).
According to Joseph R. Boyle and Gina A. Forchelli (2014), note-taking is a
supportive academic tool for learning, which assists students in approaching studying
materials and allows them to personalize the information they learn. Despite of the
evident uses of this skill, note-taking should be paired with effective studying
technique to enhance learning (King, 1992).
Nonetheless, Irene Fenswick (2016) supposed the art of note-taking is a
complex of skills which consists of three activities: active listening, note-taking and
reviewing. Therefore, learners who have ambition to achieve success in studying
should comprehend those three skills.
To sum up, note-taking is an activity in which students write down the essential
knowledge they learn from the lectures. In particular, learners can utilize notebooks,
laptops or their own smartphones to capture the information in class, then employ
those notes on revising in the future.
 6

II.2. Process of note-taking

Note-taking is a complex process involves several actions. Deborah Dezure,
Matthew Kaplan, Martha A. Deerman (Implication for faculty and graduate student
instructors, 2001) conducted that “The process of note taking involves a complex set
of skills and interactions between instructors and their students.”. It includes
combining listening, understanding and writing skills simultaneously, thus making
note taking quite demanding for students. For BE sophomores, taking notes in English
classes also requires them a substantial amount of vocabularies.
Three stages of note making 
Note making does not only happen when students are reading but also attending
lectures. Generally, there are three stages to have better notes: before, during, and
after. 
Before: Students can prepare by finding out what they need to know
beforehand and what is the purpose of the lecture. Doing this helps them to identify
the main points and understand the contents of the class discussion or lecture. In
addition, make sure that the supplies that learners bring along such as pencils, papers
that are suitable for the lecture.  Finally, they need to keep their mind ready: start
listening as soon as the instructor begins to talk and let no other people distract them. 
During: There is a considerable amount of actions during the lecture that
students can execute in order to take effective notes. The most important thing is to
fully listen to the lecturer. Normally, the teacher will indicate the topic at the
beginning and summarize important points at the end of the lecture. Students need to
make sure that they listen closely to these moments.  Besides, learners would want to
write down main ideas and keywords as they can easily revise the instruction later on.
Remember to use abbreviate and a system of symbols to save time. Last but not least,
each person needs to find our technique for taking note that is suitable for them.
After: After class, learners would want to review the lecture within 24 hours.
This action varies from comparing notes with other classmates and filling any blanks
that they have left to identifying mistakes. Afterwards, students need to reorganize the
notes visually and show the relationships between points. They can try to summarize
the lecture in their own words to find out whether or not that they have fully
 7

understood it. Furthermore, learners may evaluate methods and find out what
technique is the best for them.
II.3. Notable methods to take notes
Pauk Walter (1974) repeated “The primary goal of note-taking is to provide
you with a written record of what you’ve heard. Your short-term memory isn’t
equipped to retain all the ideas in a typical lecture.” (How to study in college, p.236).
Note-taking is used to aid student to understand and remember lesson in lectures.
There are several methods of note-taking but these are among some of the most
popular, each method has its own process, merits and demerits:
The Cornell Method
“Cornell Notes—A note-taking format designed by Walter Pauk which
involves sectioning paper to record main ideas, supporting details, and summaries”
(Pauk & Owens, 2011).” 
This method requires user little preparation to make it optimal for students
when taking notes. The user needs a blank paper, dividing it into three parts: a space
on the left for main topics, a large space at the middle to write their notes about
specific topics, and one smaller area at the bottom to summarize the lesson. When
reviewing their notes, users turn the key words in the Keywords column into
questions, cover up their notes and then try answering the question from their
memory.  
 Advantages: The Cornell Method is an ideal method for organize and
systematize for recording and reviewing notes. The simplicity of this format helps
learners to quickly attain it, save time and effort for them. Furthermore, users can
capture the major concepts, ideas of the topic with ease.
 Disadvantages: This method requires learners to follow the lecture closely as
well as spend extra time to complete the summary column. 
The Mapping Method
This is a technique that organizes the contents of certain topics in a graphic
representation in users’ own comprehension. This is a method that utilizes creativity,
understanding. This technique is best used when the lecture content is excessive and
consistent or when learners want to have a whole picture of the topic they are
studying.
 8

 Advantages: The mapping method can create a well-organized format if it is

done right by the users, provide an overview of the topic. This method helps students
visually organize information and creates connections among concepts. It shortens the
editing process for students and can help them to revise the lectures with easy by
turning main points into questions.
 Disadvantages:  Knowing how to create a well-organized map can be a
conundrum for students as not all information is easily represented in a graphic format.
This method requires learners to spend extra time to research the lectures beforehand
as well as organize notes belatedly.
The Outlining method
The outlining method is one of the most common form of note taking. This
method can be used by organizing the information in a highly structured, logical
format. Place major points farthest to the left, each more specific group of facts written
to the right. Users can use their own symbols such as Roman numerals, the plus-minus
signs to point out the importance of the information.
This outlining method is useful in most circumstances. The ideal occasion to use this
technique is when the lecture is in outline organization.
 Advantages: Learners can use this method to form a skeleton of the textbook
or lecture subject. Outlining helps learners to detect main ideas and its supporting
points of certain topic. Alike the mapping method, this method shortens the edit
process for users and can help them to revise the lectures with easy by turning main
points into questions. 
 Disadvantages:  This technique may require students’ writing to keep pace
with the teacher therefore it cannot be used in lectures that move quickly.
Among all of the mentioned methods, the outline technique seems to be the
most favourable form of note taking. This format is widely used in schools, both by
students when taking note in classes and by teachers while writing the lessons on the
board. Even without knowing the name of the Outlining method, most people apply
this technique, unconsciously, whenever they want to write something down.
However, as sophomores of NEU, we consider that utilizing the Cornell method
could bring about the best results for students. Many studies have been carried out to
prove the effectiveness of the Cornell method. In 2010, Donohoo conducted that
 9

“Students in science courses implementing the Cornell Note-taking method had a 10-
12% higher average than students in the previous semester not using this method.” A
research executed in 2008 by Jacobs Keil, Wichita State university showed that
learners applying the Cornell method (once they know how to use it properly) have the
tendency to be more effective in synthesizing and learning knowledge.
II.4. Importance of note-taking
Note-taking is regarded as an efficient information-processing  implement that
is used in both daily life and other professions, especially in studying (Hartley, 2002).
In particular, taking notes assists learners in understanding more apparently about the
concepts by requiring concentration as well as activeness from them. According to
Vivinette K. Dietsche (2017), “note-taking is one way to enhance listening, and using
a systematic approach to the taking and reviewing of your notes can add immeasurably
to your understanding and remembering the content of lectures”; however; it involves
learners in active listening. Moreover, this skill support students’ memorization, which
means it assists them to remember what they learnt (Farnoush Bahrami, 2017).
Besides, “the taking of notes can aid time-consuming, real-time thought
processes, such as the resolution of mathematical problems” (Françoise Boch,
Stendhal University, and Annie Piolat, 2015). 
Apart from the apparent benefits that previous researchers have shown, note-
taking enhances students' creativity and improve organization skills as well.
Ultimately, note-taking is a crucial tool which every student should practice in order to
boost their academic productivity.
II.5. Difficulties in the note-taking process
Despite students’ ability to comprehend the importance of taking notes, several
of them remain defaulting on this process. According to Sharon K. Suritsky and Penn
State (1993), there are different difficulties which prevent students from taking notes.
For instance, some said it was due to “the lecturer’s rapid presentation rates”, which
means the lecturer speaks so fast that they could not follow and pay full attention to
the speech. In addition, the tediousness and complexity of the lessons also obstruct
students’ concentration. Beside the pace of lectures, learners also face written
expression, such as “slow writing speed” or “spelling difficulties” that restrains
students’ ability to capture information during lectures.  
 10

Apart from that opinion, in 2018, Tamiera Vandegrift assumes that learners
sometimes lack of note-taking skills, or they do not know how to take notes
appropriately. In particular, a lot of students “fall into the trap of writing essays and
long summaries” instead of noting down the important information, while others have
difficulty in organizing notes effectively; therefore, their notes become disordered and
hard to be used for future revision. Likewise, laziness is also a prevalent obstacle with
which learners usually deal while taking notes during class. 
To conclude, students normally have a profusion of difficulties in taking notes
during classes. These problems derive not only from their attitudes towards note-
taking or their skills, but also from exterior elements, such as lecturer’s speaking speed
or the complication of the lessons. 
II.6. Essential qualities for note-takers
In the course of studying, there are confounding, bewildering things that not
available to commemorate it without difficulties. Therefore, note-taking skill is an
adequate way and a good note-taker should know the qualities because it is underlying
but paramount. Among the answers of question “What are the qualities of a good note-
taker?”, there are the best one that were recommended.
Firstly, “all the note-taking tools should be put in your backpack in order to
take good notes” (Strang, T., 2016). If the note-taker prefer to write notes by hand, a
tablet or a laptop, make sure that everything is arranged scrupulously. In 2015 Student
Engagement Insights survey, they suggest that “Remember to bring highlighter” to
underline correct information or for example, a laptop is charged or other necessary
implements are ready to use.
Secondly, note-takers should coordinate reflection and annotation. Organizing
notes is a fundamental step which aids learner to pursue and comprehend the lecture
more efficiently. Some highly recommended tips are a set of basic elements as heading
sections, date and titles and events. Moreover, the summary process plays a significant
role since it shows to which extent the learner understands the lesson. By handwriting
neatly and legibly short but concise phrases, students will obtain good notes for further
revision as a study tool. This is also applied in active listening by filtering out
meaningful information that the note-taker can go back to review. According to Heidi
Spitzig,  the criterion good listeners must have to know what key phrases and
 11

transitions signal important information. Besides, note taker takes advantages of using
the time a speaker takes to repeat information to check that their notes adequately
capture essential points. Developing the skills of critical thinking will improve
listening skills (Spitzig, H., 2015). These skills build the foundation for developing a
good note-taking system because it trains the brain to be actively engaged with new
material.
Finally, the note taker should be on time to class to be provided equal access to
the classroom for students with disabilities by producing quality notes of classroom
lectures. Often, important information is given out just as the class begins, such as
dates for an exam, cancellations. “Do not let any opinions or attitudes show in the
notes. If the note-taker have difficulties with the professor, please Contact Disability
Services”(Stephen F. Austin State University, Note taker Q&A).
In conclusion, the note-taker should take all the necessary steps of qualities. It
means that all instruments are carefully formulated or the note-takers know how to
collect information easily. The correct procedure for note-taker is the best way to have
a great scholar result.
There are many solutions to enhance note-taker’s qualities. According to
Vivinette K. Dietsche, the note-taker can practice every now and then by “improving
listening skills” (K. Dietsche, V., 2000).
Moreover, seeking students with good academic performance or lecturers for
study hacks is also an ideal way because it “gives you the opportunity to teach what
you’ve learned” and “doing so will help you realize points you did not fully
understand or need to better review” (Sanders, C.). It means that note-takers know
how to compare or share their notes to ensure they are as accurate and detailed as
possible. This is useful because other students will frequently write down lecture
details that leaners might forget or miss.
Another tip is finding a note-taking method which suits individuals best
because they need to try “different note-taking methods before deciding which works
best” (Purdue University Academic Success Centre).
In short, choosing an appropriate note-taking method and practicing these skills
with peers frequently will bring about great results in study.
III. Previous studies on note-taking skills
 12

For a whole century, a great number of researchers have been studying applied
techniques in school which enhance students’ learning efficiency with the view to
developing educational systems. Nonetheless, the most well-known method trusted by
learners from every academic setting is note-taking. Many are of the opinion that note-
taking is academically needed in order for one to succeed in education thanks to its
exceptional merits.
Former researchers have put in effort studying on student note-taking
throughout a long period. One of the first survey research entitled “How two hundred
and fifty-eight junior college women study” (Charters, 1925) pointed out that all of
participants believed they would have performed poorer on tests if notes had not been
available to them. According to “Note-taking functions and techniques” (Kiewra et al.,
1991), students who took notes scored higher on both instantaneous and delayed tests
of recall and synthesis than those who did not apply note-taking skills. Another study
called “Lectures – a learning experience?” (Johnstone & Su, 1994) statistically proven
that the more learners noted, the more they could recall and the more excellent they
perform on exams. Moreover, most students claimed that their tendency to take notes
was directed towards the purpose of achieving excellent score in a course because
taking notes helped them stay focus during classes and lectures, based on the results of
“College student’s theory of note-taking derived from their perceptions of note-taking”
(Van Meter, Yokoi & Pressley, 1994). Finally, after Bligh analysed the result in
“What’s the use of lectures?” in 2000, he proved that students were able to recall more
lecture materials if they wrote down on their notes.
While note-taking skills have been taken advantage of by undergraduates from
many parts of the world, Vietnamese university students seem to be less interested in
such study aids. Few research or surveys on note-taking skills have been statistically
conducted among Vietnamese universities, apart from a study on soft skills which are
necessary for students done by Nguyen Dong Trieu from Van Hien University.
Therefore, carrying out a research, which pertains specifically towards Business
English sophomores in National Economics University, on this beneficial learning tool
is of vital necessity. Studying English in the nation’s leading university on economics,
the authors are motivated to investigate modern study methods, particularly note-
 13

taking skills in this paper, and then apply those skills into students’ learning habits in
order to boost their academic performance.

CHAPTER 2. DATA ANALYSIS

I. Students’ background

Very important Important Neutral Somewhat unimportant Very unimportant

3%3%
13% 26%

55%

Figure I. 1. Importance of taking notes in studying English

The pie chart illustrates students’ concern on the significance of note-taking in

English classes. Overall, more than half of the respondents agree with the viewpoint
that taking notes is important in learning English, or extremely important, 55.3% and
26.3%, respectively.
While 5 students remain neutral on the importance of this study tool, it seems
that very few learners deny how important note-taking is. It can be seen from the chart
that the two smallest slices represent the only two learners, one for each, who
disregard the importance of note-taking. In fact, each slice is significantly 21-time
smaller than the “important” one. 

Very poor Poor Average Good Excellent

5%3%

32%

61%

Figure I. 2. BE sophomores' note-taking ability in studying English

 14

The slices of the illustration compare students’ ability to take note while
studying English, individually. Although many admit the importance of taking notes,
the figures surprisingly reveal the majority of BE sophomores’ note-taking ability is
either median (60.5%) or poor (31.6%). 
While 3 out of 38 respondents acquire good level, and only one has excellent
note-taking ability, the proportions for which learners with below average note-taking
skills show substantially more dominating parts of the pie chart.
My memory Smartphone Laptop/Tablet Notebook/Paper

13
20
3
38

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Figure I. 3. Instruments used in taking notes during class

The graph gives information about the preference of students in choosing tools
to take notes in classes. 
Out of the four given instruments, the choice in notebook/paper is by far the
most popular one in the chart for sophomores. All 38 questionnaire participants use
notebook/paper as their primary equipment to take notes. Smartphones are chosen for
note-taking by 20 sophomores as some learners prefer taking a photograph of the
lecture written on the board to writing it down. More than half of these students favor
using their own memory as a way of retaining information. On the other hand,
laptop/tablet is the least popular for all concerned, as only 3 people choose it as their
tools to have effective notes. 
Overall, it is evident that handwriting notes outweigh typing, but these numbers
might reflect their financial circumstances as not all students could afford a laptop or
tablet.
 15

Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always

18 16 16
16 14 14
14 13
12
12 11
10
10 9 9
8
8 7 7
6 6
6 5
4 4 4 4 4
4 2 2 2
2 1
0
Speaking Listening Writing Reading Integrated Skills

Figure I. 4. Students' note-taking frequency (specified by classes)

In chart I.4 is the figures about Students’ note-taking frequency, specified by

classes. Overall, the participants tend to take more notes in Listening and Writing class
than in Speaking and Reading class. The-38-student-scale questionnaire over 38
students shows:
In Speaking class, most of the sophomores Seldom ever take notes, with the
peak of 14 students, while there are 9 students each for “Sometimes” and “Usually”
categories. 4 respondents always take notes in speaking class, and “Never” bottoms
out with only 2. 
Unsurprisingly, the substantial number of the students take notes in Listening
class with an outstanding number of 12 out of 38 questionnaire participants for
“Always” and 16 for “Usually”, which means the other options, “Sometimes”,
“Seldom” and “Never” have to share the remaining of only 10 students.
In Writing class, the number of students “Usually” taking notes is equal to
Listening class’s figure, with a total of 16. “Sometimes” ranks second with 10
respondents. In the lower half, only 6 Always take notes, 5 Seldom and only 1 Never
took notes in Writing class. This may reveal the academic writing ability of B.E.
sophomores is restricted as half of the respondents usually take notes.
Contrast to Listening class, the majority in Reading class “Seldom” ever take
notes with 14 and 4 “Never” do. “Sometimes”, “Usually” and “Always” share the rest
of the students with the ratio of 7-7-6. 
The frequency of students’ note-taking in Integrated skills class is moderate.
There are 4 students never take notes, 8 for “Seldom”. “Sometimes” gets 11 votes. The
peak is 13 with “Usually” and the lowest is “Always” with only 2 respondents, the
lowest in 5 classes.
 16

I take notes more often in my favorite subjects

I take notes in subjects which contain a large amount of knowledge
I take notes if I am required to
I enjoy taking notes
I'd fail the subjects if I looked down on it

70.00% 65.80%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00% 34.20%
28.90%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
2.60% 2.60%
0.00%

Figure I. 5. Reasons behind students' note-taking frequency

The I.5 chart shows the reasons why there are distinctions in students’ note-
taking frequency in different courses.
With 65,8%, most of the students take notes in subjects which contained a large
amount of knowledge. While 34,2% does because they are required to, 28,9% takes
notes more often in their favorite subjects. Somehow, only the minimum of 2,6% of
the students enjoy doing so.
II. Impacts of effective note-taking skills on improving BE sophomores’
productivity in studying English
Retain information longer
Promote active listening
Save time when revising lessons
Improve attention

65.80%
50%
57.90%
60.50%

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00%

Figure II. 1. Benefits of note-taking in studying English

The above illustration shows students’ opinion about the significant benefits of
applying note-taking in studying English. It is evident that the disparity in percentages
among these advantages is not considerable. 
 17

According to the bar chart, 65,8% students assume that taking notes helps them
remember the knowledge and information longer. Meanwhile, 23/38 learners choose
improving attention as the most apparent benefit, and other 27 conclude that it is
saving time when revising lessons. Apart from the benefits mentioned above,
promoting active listening is also remarkably beneficial since it is chosen by one half
of the students.
III. Principal difficulties students have when taking notes in English classes
I am too lazy
I cannot pay attention to the lecture
I don’t have any tools to take notes
The teachers speak so fast for me to catch up with
I don't know how to take notes correctly and effectively
The lectures last very long and contain too much information
Sometimes, I don't want to take notes
70.00% 63.20%
60.00% 55.30%
50.00% 47.40% 47.40%

40.00%
30.00%
21.10%
20.00%
10.00%
2.60%
0
0.00%

Figure III. 1. Main problems in taking notes while studying English

The bar chart reveals principal difficulties that students usually have in the
note-taking process during English classes. It can be seen from the chart that the
tediousness and complexity are the most substantial obstacles (63,2%) while none of
the 38 respondents suspect that lacking of note-taking instruments is the main
problem. 
Over one-half of the students (55,3%) assume that their difficulty in taking
notes is due to the lecturer’s speaking speed which is too fast for them to follow and
capture information. Besides, laziness and shortage of note-taking skills are also
regarded as prevalent troubles for learners with 18/38 students for each. In contrast,
there is only 1 person considering that sometimes he or she prefers not taking notes
during classes, which takes a minimal percentage (2,6%).    
 18

IV. Strategies for students to improve note-taking skills

Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always

18 17
16 15 15
14
12
12
10
10 9
8
8 7
6
6 5
4
4 3
2
2 1
0
0
Find out the theme of Bring suitable instruments Keep the mind ready for class
upcoming classes (pencils, paper, computer,
smartphone, ...)

Figure IV.1. 1. Students' participation in the process of note-taking pre-lecture

This graph examines the frequency of how Business English sophomores

prepare for the lectures.
Of all 38 students attending the questionnaire, nearly one-third of them state
that they occasionally find out the theme for the approaching subject. Over 18 learners
claim that they never or seldom engage in this step. Whereas, 6 students find
themselves frequently discovering the content of the lectures and the number of
students who always take this action bottomed out with only 2 (5,263%).
The number of sophomores who usually and always taking proper gadgets to
the class are even with 15 each (39,47%). By contrast, only 5 students sometimes and
3 students seldom make this effort. None of the 38 students report that they bring the
wrong instruments.
Regarding keeping the mind prepared for the class, the number of students who
usually apply this step reaches a peak at 17 (44,73%). However, only 9 sophomores
believe that they occasionally implement this step. The number of learners who are
never, seldom and always ready for the lectures share the ratio of 1-4-6.
 19

Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always

20 18
18
16 15
14 12 12 12
12 10
10 8
8 6 6
6 5 5
4
4
2 1
0 0
0
Pay full attention to the Write down main ideas and Use abbreviations, symbols
teacher as soon as the lecture keywords when taking notes to save
begins time

Figure IV.1. 2. Students' participation in the process of note-taking during the lecture

The bar chart illustrates Business English sophomores’ participation in the

note-taking process during the time of lectures. It is evident that staying highly
focused when the lecture starts is the most common step among learners, as 23 out of
38 respondents (60.53%) report they usually/always do so, while only a modest
number of students never, or seldom partake in this step. 
          Regarding the frequency which learners address major concepts of the lesson,
there were 21 respondents (55.26%) who reveal high rates of participation. 
The final step of the note-taking process during lectures also indicates a decent
amount of participation. Though taking advantage of short forms of words, and
symbols to save time may seem to be the least popular activity, as only 12 respondents
report implementing this step usually, or even sometimes, this activity shows 8
students always applying it, the highest number compared to the figures of remaining
steps.
Never Seldom Sometimes Usually Always

16
14
14 13
12
12
10 9 9 9
8
6
4 4
4
2
2
0
0
Review the lecture within 24 hours Reorganize notes

Figure IV.1. 3. Students' participation in the process of note-taking post-lecture

 20

The bar chart shows the numbers of Business English sophomores’

participation in the note-taking process after the lectures.  
Regarding the frequency of students reviewing the lecture within 24 hours, the
ratio of students who “never”, “sometimes” and “seldom” do so are nearly even with
13-12-9. By contrast, a modest number of students (10,52%) reply that they usually or
always applying this step.
The last step to have an effective note after the lecture marks a considerable
amount of participation. More than one-third of the participant state that they
occasionally reorganize their notes. The number of learners who never take this action
matches the number of those who seldom do. In contrast, only 6 sophomores (15,78%)
reveal that they “usually”, or “always” did so. 
Overall, students gravitate towards ignoring the final stage of the note-taking
process, as out of 38 students, only 10,52% claim to review the lecture within a day,
and 15,78% of them reorganize their notes afterwards.

The Outlining method The Mapping method

The Cornell method The Charting method
The Flow notes method
100.00%
90.00% 86.80%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50%
50.00%
40.00%
28.90%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00% 5.30% 5.30%
0.00%

Figure IV. 1. Methods used in note-taking

The chart shows students’ level of understanding about 5 particular note-taking

methods which are highly recommended by researchers from previous studies. It can
be seen that there is a remarkable disparity among the popularity of these techniques;
therefore, we can say students are only used to some specific ones.
While nearly 90% of the students are familiar with the Outlining method, the
Mapping method turns out to be the second most popular technique since it is utilized
by 19/38 learners. On the other hand, a moderate number of them use either the
 21

Cornell or Charting method. Apart from that, 28,9% of the respondents reply that they
do apply the Flow method in their studying process, especially in English classes.
Self-preparation: learning instruments (laptop, pen, paper, …)
Information collection during class
Attentive listening skills
Handwriting/ typing speed
100.00% 89.50%
80.00% 73.30%
63.20%
60.00%
44.70%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%

Figure IV. 2. Essential qualities for note-takers

The bar chart shows percentages of necessary requirements for note-takers. It is

clear that active listening skills has the highest number overall. Information
Collection, on the other hand, has the lowest statistic for the majority of the choice. 
Out of the four options, both the active listening skills and self-preparation are
significantly higher, over 70%. The active listening skills is noticeable, at nearly 90%.
The proportion of choosing self-preparation such as learning instruments is also high,
73,3%.
It can be seen that information collection during class has the lowest
percentages at 44,7%. It highlights to be half as essential as listening skills for taking
notes. By contrast, handwriting speed has higher figures for these categories at 63,2%.
Practicing every now and then
Seeking students with good academic performance or lectures for study hacks
Finding your own method which best suits you
Paying more attention to the lectures

70.00% 65.80%
60.50%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00% 23.70%
20.00%
10.00% 2.60%
0.00%

Figure IV. 3. Students' solutions to enhance note-taking skills

 22

The given bar chart represents the proportions of chosen solutions to boost
note-taking skills. It is noticeable from the chart that the figure for practice solution is
much higher than that of paying attention to the lectures.
According to the bar chart, the best solution to enhance the ability to take notes
is practicing. This option accounts for a great portion of the total choices with nearly
three quarters. In addition,  “Finding your own method which best suits you" is the
second-largest choice in terms of solutions conducted by the survey, whose 
percentage is 60,5%.
Meanwhile, “seeking good students for study hacks” ranks third with the figure
of 23,7%. The most noticeable data can be seen in the last solution with proportion at
2,6%.

CHAPTER 3. RECOMMENDATIONS
The findings of the study indicate some recommendations for both the lecturers
and students.  
On the one hand, the authors would propose some suggestions for the lectures.
Firstly, the recommendation for instructors is rate reduction of speed while speaking.
The results of the survey questionnaire show that one of the main problems BE
sophomores face is lectures’ fast-speaking pace. Therefore, there are several
techniques that instructors should apply to improve it such as stretching out the vowel
sounds to keep words connected or trying repeating sentences more slowly. Secondly,
the way how faculty lecture “selects, organizes, associates, regulates” (A. Kiewra, K.,
Colliot, T., Lu, J., 2018) and what faculty does during lecture for students to produce
effective notes strongly affect students’ ability to take notes. Besides, focusing on
attractive lecture strategies, handouts such as limitation participants distraction,
abbreviation language, PowerPoint slides is an acceptable way that the instructors can
do to aid productivity in note-taking lessons. Lastly, lecturers should provide materials
to orient students towards important ideas, topics and engage students to take notes in
their own words.
 23

On the other hand, the group highly recommend some suggestions for learners
to enhance note-taking skills. First of all, students should take personal method by
thinking about lecture content in advance then using information or texts to reflect
knowledge. Notes which were made brief,  comprehensible to review within 24 hours
would suit participants best. Next, practicing suitable methods is required if learners
want to improve note-taking skills, especially when the lectures last very long and
contain too much information. During learning, the learners must be scrupulous  when
thinking content is easy to understand, recall and not write it down. Thus, students
should try consolidating some of good study habits for long term retention. Finally,
doing a self-testing is an effective way to analyze the amount of information
participants have, materials need to review before subsequent lectures.
To conclude, these recommendations hopefully would enhance BE sophomores'
note-taking ability during English classes, as well as guiding how instructors could
play a role in improving it.
 24

CONCLUSION
I. Summary of findings
As the research has demonstrated, the authors have engaged in a research that
aims to identify effective note-taking skills to boost BE sophomores’ productivity in
English classes. This research was carried out by examining the answers of 38
applicants filling in a questionnaire. The survey questionnaire for BE second-year
students was well received. It can be concluded that while an appreciable number of
learners (55.3%) share the opinion that taking notes in studying English is very
important, most of them consider that they lack the ability to conduct effective notes.
For this reason, the authors have proposed some appropriate note-taking methods and
suitable solutions for tackling learner’s problems in the hope to improve students’
academic performance.
In conclusion, both the authors and the research participants agree that note-
taking is an essential skill for students since it assists learners in understanding more
apparently about the concepts by requiring their concentration as well as activeness.
Based on our findings, the majority of BE sophomores' note-taking abilities are from
average and below, so the authors hope to help improving the learning habits and
increasing the overall academic performance by providing proper methods and
approaches.
 25

However, the significance of the findings lies in the fact that the majority of the
students tend to take surprisingly more notes during “Writing” and “Listening”
courses in comparison to “Speaking” and “Reading”. These results probably were
based on the fact that the level of former classes was significantly higher and more
difficult, so the research participants had to put more attention to the details in order to
achieve great marks.
Also, according to the online questionnaires, the substantial number of students
have the habits of taking notes with pens and papers instead of portable devices like
laptops, phones or tablets. The reasons behind were likely either due to the economics
state of the students, they were unable to afford such device or their tendency to use
paper-note-taking since the lower grades.
II. Limitations of the study   
The study has reasonably succeeded not only in providing foundation
knowledge about note-taking, but also in analyzing the actual figures gathered from
publishing questionnaire. Nonetheless, it should be conceded that the research
encompasses some following limitations:   
First and foremost, the sample size seems to be one of the most unavoidable
limitations of this research. In particular, there were 38 respondents participating in the
survey, while the total number of BE sophomores was approximately 150. As a result,
although they did provide their individual answers, the results could not represent for
BE second-year students as a whole. 
The second limitation lies in the fact that the authors lacked time working on
this study. In detail, they only had 3 months to complete the entire research, especially,
they took no more than 2 days in the data collecting process. Hence, instead of
spending time to accomplish the research conscientiously, the authors accelerated
themselves to submit the assignment prior on time.
Besides, a shortage of experience in doing research and in academic writing are
regarded as significant limitations during the analyzing process as well. It is apparent
that this is the authors’ first time working on a scholarly research, thus their study in
some way only approaches elemental aspects of the topic. Apart from that, they also
deal with several considerable difficulties in applying academic writing style which
seems to be unfamiliar and complicated to them.
 26

Last but not least, another limitation of the research is the way of utilizing data-
collecting methods. There are various techniques to assemble information from
respondents, for example, using questionnaires, conducting interviews or asking for
experts’ opinions; however, the authors are only able to publish a questionnaire due to
the inadequacy of access to students who are the central subject in this study.
III. Suggestions for further studies
The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between BE
sophomores’ note-taking skills and their productivity in studying English classes. One
of the major limitations faced during the research was the size of respondents. In fact,
the questionnaire only received approximately 40 out of over 150 BE second-year
students currently. It would be recommended that future researchers should attract
more respondents to partake in order to acquire a thorough understanding of the reality
and hopefully the research in the future would yield a more significant result. 
After having analyzed the result of the questionnaire, one crucial unanticipated
finding was revealed. Although technological devices have been playing a vital role in
improving students’ learning, it is shown in Figure I.3 that very few students take
notes with computer, tablet or smartphone (38%). Thus, further research on why BE
sophomores stick with the conventional note-taking instrument, pen and paper, is
strongly suggested.
The third recommendation for further studies is to construct the same research
in a new context such as different universities or international universities. Despite the
well-known merits of note-taking in studying, many Vietnamese students still seem to
lack the ability to take efficient notes. Hence, studying this issue in different locations
could spread this beneficial learning tool.
A deeper study into how to improve BE second-year learners’ note-taking
ability would be highly encouraged. Future research on this issue could be done by
looking into which instrument students use, how they take notes as well as on-lecture
variables which contribute to the note-taking.
27
 APPENDIX
Introduction: This questionnaire acts as a supporting document to our research paper
“The application of note-taking skills to enhance Business English sophomores’
productivity in studying English”. We would be enormously grateful if you could
invest a little time to honestly fulfill this questionnaire. All your personal details will
only be exploited for research purposes.
Please write in the provided space, tick the box/column of your interest.
Thank you very much for your effort! 

1.      How do you rate the importance of taking notes in studying English?
A. Very important
B. Important
C. Neutral
D. Somewhat important
E. Very unimportant

2.      How do you rate  your ability to take notes in studying English?
A. Very poor
B.  Poor
C. Average
D. Good
E. Excellent

3.      What instruments do you use to take notes in class?

A. Notebook/Paper
B. Laptop/Tablet
C. Smartphone
D. My memory
E. Others
4.      In which classes do you usually take notes?

Classes Never Seldo Sometime Usuall Alway

m s y s

Speaking          

Listening          

Writing          

Reading          

Integrated          
skills

5.      Why do you have that note-taking frequency?

A. I take notes more often in my favorite subjects
B. I only take notes in subjects which contain a large amount of knowledge
C. I only take notes if I am required to
D. Others

6.      How note-taking aids you in studying English?

A. Improve attention
B. Save time when revising lessons
C. Promote active listening
D. Retain information longer
E. Others

7.      What are the main problems you are facing while studying English?
A. I am too lazy
B. I cannot pay attention to the lecture
 C. I don’t have any tools to take notes
D. The teachers speak too fast for me to catch up with
E.  I don’t know how to take notes correctly and effectively
F. The lectures last very long and contain too much information
G. Others

8.      The note-taking process normally has 3 stages: Pre-lecture, During the lecture
and Post-lecture. How often do you follow these stages?
These stages usually include the following steps:

Seldo Sometime Usuall Alway

Stage Step Never
m s y s
Find out the theme of          
upcoming classes

Bring suitable          
instruments (pencils,
Pre- paper, computer,
lecture smartphone, ...)

Keep the mind ready for          

class

Pay full attention to the          

teacher as soon as the
lecture begins

During
the Write down main ideas          

lecture and keywords

Use abbreviations,          

symbols when taking

 notes to save time

Review the lecture          

within 24 hours
Post-
lecture
Reorganize notes          

9. What other steps do you know? Please share with us:

10.  Which of these methods do you use to take notes while studying English?
A.  The Outlining method
B.  The Mapping method
C.  The Cornell method
D. Charting method
E.  Flow notes method
F.   Others

11.  What are necessary qualities for note-takers in your opinion?

A. Self-preparation: learning instruments (laptop, pen, paper, ...)
B.  Information collection during class
C.  Attentive listening skills
D. Handwriting/typing speed
E.  Others
12.  Which of the solutions to enhance your note-taking qualities do you think suit you
best?
A.  Practicing every now and then
B.  Seeking students with good academic performance or lectures for study hacks
C.  Finding your own method which best suits you
D. Other

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