Students’ perceptions of using note-taking in consecutive interpreting assignments

Abstract

Note-taking is critical in helping interpreters memorize detailed information both quickly and accurately. Therefore, the present study was conducted as a questionnaire survey at a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam to investigate how students, specifically student interpreters, perceive note-taking in consecutive interpreting assignments. In detail, this study explores the students’ perceptions of the benefits and the challenges of using note-taking in consecutive interpreting assignments. The participants in this study comprised 160 students majoring in English Interpretation and Translation. Furthermore, they have taken consecutive interpreting courses and experienced taking notes in consecutive interpreting tasks. The findings of this study indicated that most students had good perceptions about note-taking used in consecutive interpretation and perceived its benefits and challenges. Moreover, some pedagogical implications for both students and teachers are made. Specifically, the study suggests that students should frequently practice it to acquire good note-taking skills. Teachers should make effective lecture designs to help students improve their note-taking skills and consecutive interpreting performance.