The Effect of the Notetaking Format on L2 Test Takers" Note Quality and Listening Performance

The Effect of the Notetaking Format on L2 Test Takers" Note Quality and Listening Performance

  This study examines the effect of two notetaking formats, i.e., an outline format and a blank format, on the quality of L2 test takers" notes and their performance on listening items tapping into different subskills. Employing statistical analyses using MANOV A and a careful investigation of the focus groups" notes and responses to the listening items, the two notetaking groups" note quality and test performance were compared. The results of the analyses indicated that the notetaking format had a significant effect on the quality of test takers" notes and their performance on the listening subskills. On the whole, the outline format may facilitate test takers" notetaking of topical ideas, while the notetaking format may have incomparable effects on test takers" notetaking of details depending on their listening proficiency. Moreover, although test takers are likely to benefit more from their notes for detail items than other subskill items, low ability test takers may not be reliably able to relate their notes to the associated test items and accordingly, the facilitating effect of the outline format may be clearer for high ability test takers than low ability test takers.