NOTE-TAKING

Note-Taking and Writing Achievement

A.      Introduction

The significance of taking notes is obvious proven in many aspects such as taking note. The process of taking note itself helps students learn the material (ward and sukawa, 2003). Every material which given by lecturer as math, chemical, biology, even English literature need this aspect for helping them to achieve academic purposes. However genius somebody is, taking note is unavoidable aspect in learning.

The other reasons why taking notes becomes an important aspect are taking note will help somebody to 1) extend attention span, 2) keep focus on subject, 3) remember what you heard or read, 4) becoming an active learner, 5) organize the ideas (i.e., Rowntree, 1976:112). Taking note also offloads cognitive processes and extends our “in head’ cognitive ability (Dror and Harnad, 2008). Because before taking note from something, there are many aspects involved in that process, somebody has to know information that will be taken and how important that information for. Need not take a note everything what it tells about, but somebody needs to be more critical person. One thing that everyone has to know taking note is really make somebody to be critical thinker (Nguyen, 2006).

There is close relation between taking note and writing. Taking note and writing help to organize idea then construct them by ones’ own word in written. Where writing in broad its sense is distinct from simply putting words on paper (Thomas S Kane, 2000). So, the both are almost similar. But people feel that writing is difficult one because writing is a complex activity (Ibid). That is why they feel nervous to write and don’t know how to start it.

If there are two things almost similar but in practical to be different, so they are so strange, how it could be different?. Whereas people thougt that taking note is relative easy but why writing not.i it so interested to be explored but it needs deeper analysis in order to know the answer to the question whether could taking note helping in writing?. Therefore I need do a research to analyze taking note activity and how significanct is taking note can improve can improve student’s writing skill.

There are researchers have highlighted the function of note-teking strategies deal with teaching and learning. At least there are some researches which related to this research. First, a journal from Haghverdi, Biria, and Karimi (2010). They analyze  the significance, underlying the theory and findings concerning note-taking in the literature related and exploring through a survey study, the Iranians’ professor and students’ attitudes towards effect of teachiing note strategies on the students’ academic achievement.

The data was collected via questionnaire were fed into SPSS programme to be analyze using T-test. The result showed that the respondents including professors and students whether male or female had high positive attitudes towards the effect of note-taking strategy instruction on students’ learning.

What they found in their journal is not different to what Makany, Kemp, and Dror found in their journal which entitled optimizing the use of note-taking as an external cognitive aid for increasing learning. They examined ways to enhance cognitive performance via different note-taking techniques. By comparing performances of traditional, linear style note-taking with alternative non-linear technique, they examined the efficiency and importance of different ways of taking notes. The result showed that the non-linear note takers were significantly better than linear note takers. It is said that note taking could make people have deeper understanding and could integrated knowledge management.

The similar case was found in a journal from Hayati (coresponding author) Department of English College of Literature and Humanities Shahid Chamran University, Iran. The most importanta finding of this research is that teaching the Cornell note-taking strategy to university students can improve students’ achievement. In this way, the students will get benefits from note-taking strategies.

Considering the journals’ analytical area are still wide or discussing something in general . So, it is said that there is a gap for this research analyzing note-taking more specific based on those journals. It will discussing about note-taking and writing achievement. The reason why this research will discussed about writing. Because it is closer to writing area not listening area. This opinion is supported by a journal from Yasser and Aminifard, Islamic Azad University, Iran. They found that note-taking is not appropriate in listening because since in real life situations hardly anyone is expected to listen and transcribe simultaneously.

In addition to the journals, this research is also supported by many references such as the oxford essential guide to writing (Thomas Keane:2000), Improving Students Skills (Garth Sundem:2006), and more.

This research is expected can help IAIN’s students in writing. I concern for them that view writing as something difficult to do. Whereas they are demanded to do a research which need writing skills but they are lack of that skills. The students that I suppose to be more specific, they are students of English department. And that is the other reason for this research taking research’s location in that institute. As it is noted above that the field of study is writing entitled the taking note and writing achievement. That data in this research are obtained from reviewing books, journals, and observation.

B.       Research Question

Based on the facts and statement above, the writer formulates some problems in the form of question below;

a.       Can the learner using note strategies make well construction paragraph?

b.      How significant taking note could help students of English Department IAIN SyekhNurjati Cirebon in writing?

C.      Aims of Research

a.       To know the students whether using note strategies make well construction paragraph.

b.      To know how significant taking note could help students of English Department IAIN SyekhNurjati Cirebon in writing.

D.      Limitation of The Research

The field of study is writing. the writer realizes the field of the study is wide. Moreover many experts have highlighted the study. It indicates that writing is considered aas one of importan which worth to be analyzed by any researcher.

Even if there are significant number of researches which discussed about writing such as writing teaching, academic writing and more. The writer decides to choose nothing of them, because the writer considers some reason that the writer utters in introduction. But the writer prefer to taking note and writing achievement for students of English Department of IAIN SyekhNurjati Cirebon.

E.       The Usefullness of The Research.

a.       Theoritically

a)      The research is expected to know whether taking note could help students of English Department IAIN SyekhNurjati Cirebon in writing.

b.      Practically

b)      The research is expected could applied in writing teaching.

F. Definition of Key Terms

a.       Taking Note

Taking note is putting words from what had been heard and  seen on  paper

b.      Writing

Writing in broad its sense is a distinct from simply putting words on paper (Thomas S Kane, 2000).

c.       Achievement.

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A.    Semantic Perspective

Writing is a wonderful activities, but we don’t realize sometimes, have people ever imagine that an information from another transferred into our brain through our hearing system to be a meaning and we understand?. Jos Daniel Parera described about that issues in a simple explanation.

A meaning that another convey to us has to go through some process such as the picture above, where a meaning is processed in our brain until become a sentence, then it is processed by our sound system as a sign of the meaning and another can  understand what we mean about that sign with the similar process.

The perspective of Jos Parera could build a new formulation for describing writing process. So, it might form a different formulation such as below:

When a meaning is conveyed by somebody and could to understand by the correspondent. It is really a complicated process through many steps as the picture above. So, such of the process, People could write what he/she gets from what information he/she catches. But what somebody writes is not 100% similar with the information it self. It depends on how well he/she can interpret the information based on her/his paradigm.

Sign means can be interpreted as something that refer to a meaning which delivered by correspondent. It can be utterance (sound) or words in written. According to Loreto Todd (1987)  “language is a set of signals by which we communicate”. So, sound is not only a formation of language. But writing includes a formation of language. The logic reason is writing also refer to a meaning. Charles F. Meyer supported that language exist in three modes: speech, writing, and signs (which are used by people who are deaf).

Writing or note-taking activities is said not only imitate something but it needs mind thinking inside human brain and it goes to intellegency development. When somebody is usually write something, it is easier for her/her to develop many ideas from the object into writing. Writing in its broad sense as distinct from dimply putting words on paper (Thomas Keane:1988). Putting words in written needs what topic that will be written by the writer. It can be from something that heard, seen, felt, imagine. So, writing is worth learning. It is of immediate practical benefit in almost any job or career. Certainly there are many jobs in which somebody cannot get along without being able to write. If somebody knows how to write, she/he will get along faster and farther. And note-taking is something true based on the fact not fiction.

B.     Note-Taking

Note taking is not different to writing, it is just simple putting word on paper (Thomas Keane:1988), it can be from any people to get its information. It is function to preserve a record of what a lecturer has said, for the sake of future use, especially in reviewing for examinations (Ss.Seward.Jr:1). Actually, it is not only taking-note from what lecturer said but it can be from reading books, and other sources.

It is known well that our brain cannot remember everything that seen by eyes and heard by ears. But it just a little from the thousands information that we get from our activities, sometimes we are easy to forget the information that we have just got. Almost people around the world have this experience. And note taking is as the one of media to settle this problem.

Note-taking should be short for recalling what our brain receives. Because, it is impossible between listening to a speaker and scribbling upon paper making the notes full enough. In the actual note-taking, it is very useful to be able to abbreviate words rapidly, yet clearly; and for this purpose a system is a necessary. Each note-taker, of course, will employ a system suited to his own taste and personal needs, yet there are certain suggestions that may be of general service, especially for those who have not yet perfected their own individual system.

There are don’ts may here be suggested (Ss.Seward.Jr:63).

1.      Don’t abbreviate by leaving out letters in the middle of a word (Alst – almost).

2.      Don’t use one abbreviation for more than one word (Fr – for and From).

3.      Don’t use ingenious forms that call up other associations.

Seward explains that at least when we abbreviate words, it should be:

1.      Standard abbreviation

a.       Exam            : examination

b.      Ave              : avenue

c.       N.Y.             : New York

2.      Special abbreviation

a.       Hist              : history

b.      Econ             : economy

c.       Const            : constitution

d.      Govt             : government

e.       Rep               : republic

3.      Common words (phonetic, as far as possible):

a.       Are               : r

b.      Be                 : b

c.       From             : fr

d.      Is                  : z

e.       Not               : n

f.       Of                 : v

g.      That              : tt

h.      The               : e

i.        This              : th

j.        Which           : wh

k.      With             : w

4.      Signs

a.       And              : &

b.      But               : >

c.       Therefore      : -;

a.       Condense notes

Condense notes means not only abbreviating words, but finding the substance from any sources, people or books. Finding substance needs our intelligence in selecting contain of speech, text, and others. It is important for us to know how significant the information worth to take or not. For example, a passage should contain of idea and supporting sentence, the idea is the essential of the passage and supporting sentences aims to provide an illustration why the topic worth to discuss. Sometimes they are unimportant and can be omitted or need not to write. But sometimes supporting sentences contains facts such as name, dates, formulates, tables, statistics which are indeed often important (Ss.Seeward:10). It should be accurately incorporated in notes.

Every piece of information which is gained from its sources and incorporated in notes not straight put it down in a single passage or more but it needs interpreted more, what text or somebody said not go straight be a perfect information as it comes, but we need to interpret before incorporated in notes. Sometimes it is different from its source but still have same meaning. It goes as long as our mind thinks it of. There two major kinds source will be discussed in this chapter.

a)      Notes from Reading

CHAPTER III

The writer has decided what will be discussed is note-taking and writing achievement, the writer believes that note-taking play role in writing, but it never be measured how far it’s contribution in writing. The big issues surrounds students today are they are not able to take a note with good strategy as discussed in chapter two, so the writer intends to discuss how to make students can take a note in good strategy, such as mind map, because it can make students be able for making a draft from a mind map, further writing achievement is a result.

A.    The Research Setting

a.       Time and Setting.

Students what be measured is students of English department of education IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon at semester sixth, students is person who study at university or college (Hornby, 1995:1187). It is important for them have such knowledge to support his writing skill for his research and his thesis. The other reason why the writer choose Students of English department of education IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon is the writer is one of its students at English department, it could help the writer to explore his sample in order to get much more data and the result will more accurate than the writer choose something else. The writer decides for using a test to measure the students who are at sixth semester whether they have such knowledge and its contribution for their writing skills. The writer has done the research in june 2nd 2013. it is held for a week since May 20th 2013 until May 27th 2013.

b.      Data Source

The source data is taken from books and observing students and through a test, the writer views that books can used as the guide of the research, where books give the writer how to steps in his research and planning all of the process will be held in the future. And the data from the students can give the writer description of the students such as, behavior, attitude in the field of the study. Concerning this research is experimental research, so data is also taken from a test where the students as the sample tested after they are given a treatment which related to the research for a week.

B.     Research Design

“Research design” refers to the many ways in which research can be conducted to answer the question being asked (research and methodology:22). The writer intends to use qualitative approach where qualitative research involves studies that do not attempt to quantify their results through statistical summary or analysis. Qualitative studies typically involve interviews and observations without formal measurement (ibid:17). But even if the writer needs a test it does not run out from the frame of qualitative approach, because the writer just needs to know the description of the students not intend to qualify them.

What will be discussed is something new form in learning especially in writing, the students direct to interpret note in this case mind map as non-linear note-taking strategic for making good writing in order. Based on the field of the study, this research refers to experimental research where experimental research in its simplest form, experimental research involves comparing two groups on one outcome measure to test some hypothesis regarding causation (ibid:3). the writer intends to eliminate the part hypothesis because it is not necessary in qualitative research, but change over in description of the data though it might taken from quantitative data, in this case is a test.

There are many types of experimental design that not all of them can be considered within the scope of this research. In this section, the writer will describe the most commonly used one in the social sciences. It will be quasi experimental design where the writer makes use the control group design by using specific kind of quasi experimental design. It is nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest design, the dependent variable is measured both before and after the treatment or intervention (Essentials of research design and methodology:139). The writer selects two population groups instead of one a control group and experimental group, these groups are expected to be comparable as far as possible in every respect except the intervention. Although the control group design helps the writer to quantify the impact that can be attributed to extraneous variables such as maturation, reactive effect, regression. That is why the writer decides to give the one of them a treatment or teaching and the other is not. And the writer makes sure that the extraneous variables not happened in the both groups.

the double control design are adopted from research a way of thinking book.  The writer supposes that the book is worth as a guide for deciding what design is suit for. the design which has been choosen could represent the goal of the research where discuss something new or experimental research.

C. Things in the Research

At least there are some discussions on what is going to analyze. they are note taking and writing. the both are almost similar  which have little specification in some terms. according to Thomas Keane, 1988, writing is putting words in paper but note taking is putting words from any resoerces that consits of any information in a media and its function is a record (note-taking:1).

D. Steps of the Research

The writer planned some steps are related to the research. (1) come up with researchable ideas; (2) conduct thorough literature reviews to see what has been done in their topic areas (and, if necessary, to refine the focus of their studies based on the results of the prior research); (3) formulate concise research problems with clearly defined concepts and terms (using operational definitions)

The next step in planning a research study is (4) identifying what variables will be the focus of the study. It is important to decide the participants which chosen by SRS technique, where participants are selected in random and divide into two groups and two categories (low and high).

The steps are in the research adopted from Essentials of Research Design and methodology published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

E.     Technique and Instrument of Collecting Data

a.       Observation.

Several methods can be used to collect primary data. The choice of a method depends on the purposes of the study. The issues will be discussed is note-taking and writing achievement. So, based on the field of study, the writer prefers to use observation and test. Observation is a purposeful, systematic and selective way of watching and listening to an interaction or phenomenon as it takes place (research a way of thinking:105). This approach relies on the direct observation of the construct of interest, which often is often some type of behavior (Essentials of research design and methodology/Geoffrey Marczyk, David DeMatteo, David Festinger:119). It will used to know every information to assess how far contribution of note-taking in writing.

The writer observes some things from the students such as attitudes in note-taking, and writing, especially observing their notebooks for getting some data which relate to the research. The writer will be using the result as the standard for choosing participants for treatment that will be held in this research.

The writer identified some sample from student of English department of education IAIN syekh nurjati Cirebon, they are students from sixth semester, and they needs to know how to write academically, especially for their research and thesis. the writer stratify the sample based on their intelegences. The data of student’s intelegency is taken from his score in this semester. The writer stratifies them into two groups, every group consits of seven people from fourteen samples and the one of the group as the experimental group and the other is controlled. The experimental group will be given a treatment for a week. Training is important for two reasons: The first relates to the training of the researcher and is usually related primarily to the use of commercially available psychological and related tests (Essentials of research design and methodology/Geoffrey Marczyk, David DeMatteo, David Festinger:114).

The treatment that will be held is a teching non-linear note-taking strategy, where experimental group will be tought how to create mind map from lecturer and reviewing books. They will be given a treatment from a writer for 90 minutes a day.

b.      Test.

a)      Pre-test

A pre-test has several important benefits. One of them is it allows the writer to compare the groups on several. The writer tries to know the base competency of the participant before the treatment. The data is function to compare to the data which obtained after the treatment (Essentials of research design and methodology:125). The writer gives the participants a test before the treatment, the low and the high level groups are given the same material. They are are tested to write based on the material which has been given in 20 minutes. The form of the test adopted from The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing, Thomas Kane :12 (see appendix). The result of test will be compare to the data of post-test.

b)      Post-test

Post–test is conducted to know how well the students’ writing skill after the treatment. The post-test is given after the treatment. Actually, a week since the pretest was given. And the participants from the two level high or low can consider the different way to write through note-taking when they see significant number of the influence note-taking in writing. The form of the material is taken from 8 kinds writing lessons and practice for writing test and sample: 42.

F.         Data Analysis.

a.       Observation.

The data which has obtained through observation will be analyzed and the result will be he data base for grouping the sample in to two groups low and high, formulating the material teaching through the treatment. The data which is obtained, they are kinds of students’ note-taking, the score in this last semester, and his attitude in writing through studying writing 5 in last semester.

b.      Test.

The data from pre and post-test is processed using SPSS program to know how significant the note-taking contribute in writing skills by quasi technique. The participants will be viewed as the sample who has success apply note-taking strategy as the media to achieve writing skills.