Practical Strategies Guide
Guided Notes
Guided notes help students grasp important or new concepts and as a study guide for exams and quizzes. Guided notes can also be easily scaffolded for different levels of learner variability.
Guided notes are useful for students who have difficulty keeping pace with the lectures or who have trouble with handwriting. These notes are also helpful for students who have trouble grasping important concepts or new information. Guided notes also help students pull out the critical points in the lecture or reading.
The video to the left is an example of what guided notes should look like, as well as, an example of how a teacher should present those notes during a lecture format.
Data Driven:
According to Austin (2002), guided notes had no direct impact on immediate recall or overt verbal responses. However, the study reported that the students felt guided notes were beneficial in these areas.
- 70% spent more time listening and thinking about concepts
- 52% retained more lecture material
- 52% reported more class participation
- 74% reported more time to ask questions
Austin, J. (2002). Effects of Guided Notes on University Students Responding and Recall of Information. Journal of Behavior Education, 11(4), 243-254.
Another study, Neef (2006), also determined that guided notes are more helpful than notes completed by the teacher prior to instruction. Although scores between completed and guided notes were not dramatically different, students who used guided notes scored higher than students who used completed notes. Again, the students showed more attentiveness during the lecture and a higher retention rate of the material.
Neef, N. (2006). Effects of Guided Notes Versus Completed Notes during Lectures on College Students' Quiz Performance. Applied Behavior Analysis, 39(1), 123-130.