How Do Different Forms of Note‐Taking Affect Second Language Vocabulary Learning?

Abstract The present study compared learning gains at both form recall and meaning recall levels across three learning conditions: viewing without note‐taking, viewing with conventional note‐taking, and viewing with guided note‐taking. A total of 134 Chinese learners of English were assigned to three experimental groups and a no‐treatment control group. Results showed that (a) guided note‐taking contributed to greater vocabulary learning than conventional note‐taking on the form recall test, (b) both guided and conventional note‐taking contributed to significant vocabulary gains on the meaning recall test, and (c) viewing without note‐taking did not contribute to significant learning gains. The analyses also revealed that writing unknown words in notes, the inclusion of target words in the lecture slides, and learners’ prior vocabulary knowledge affected learning, but frequency of occurrence, word length, and learners’ level of viewing comprehension did not.