Students’ Note-Taking Patterns and Interpreting Accuracy: An Empirical Study at a University in Vietnam

Grounded in interpreter training research and cognitive load theory, this study examines how different note-taking patterns influence interpreting accuracy.It focuses on three types of notation including full words, abbreviations, and symbols and identifies the note-related difficulties commonly experienced by learners.Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 48 undergraduates at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam through live consecutive interpreting tasks, retrospective interviews (n = 7), and an online survey (n = 41).The findings show that full-word notation is negatively associated with accuracy, whereas abbreviations and symbols correlate positively with accuracy.Students also reported challenges linked to information overload, limited familiarity with notation systems, and inconsistently structured notes.These results underscore the pedagogical importance of cognitively informed, strategy-focused note-taking instruction and call for more systematic integration of notation training into interpreter education.