Note-Taking Methods and Strategies among Iranian University Students: A Case of French Language Students in Master’s Degree

Note-taking as an academic skill has attracted the attention of researchers in the field of academic French language. The current study sought to investigate the methods and strategies of note-taking in Iranian university students in various courses. For this purpose, 3 data gathering tools were used; 13 sessions of 4 courses in master’s degree in French literature and teaching at University of Tehran were observed and recorded, and 84 notes were gathered. Sixty one Iranian students in the above-mentioned degree completed a researcher-developed questionnaire. The data were analyzed through a mixed method, namely, qualitative (using the notes-taking analysis table) and quantitative (using SPSS software for analyzing the questionnaire). The research findings show that the prevalent method of note-taking among the university students is the linear or guided notes. The mostly used strategies include using the exact words, using key sentences, fidelity and adaptability of ideas as they are presented in classes, categorizing contents while note-taking, pictograms and lists effects at the discourse-level and ideograms at the word-level while the least used strategies are paraphrasing, categorizing information after note-taking, writing their own point of view, having discussion with professors and senior students, using meta-discursive strategies at the discourse-level, icons at the word-level, and also different abbreviation strategies. There are differences among the methods and strategies used by students in various courses, including the appearance of notes in utilizing the note sheet space, abbreviation strategies’ types, the volume of notes, and using mother tongue.