In my Earth science classes, I require the students to keep notebooks. I give them directions as to what pages to put in the notebook and in what order. I thought this would be an easy grade for the students, but many of the students don’t follow the directions. Short of a failing grade for the notebooks, how can I demonstrate the value of organized notes?
—Sarah, Edison, New Jersey
A traditional approach to science notebooks uses a folder or binder to hold lab reports, homework, handouts and notes, tests and quizzes, and/or completed worksheets. The students are given a list of documents and the order in which they must appear in the notebook. The notebooks are graded periodically on how complete they are and on whether the documents are in the order required by the teacher. But how do students perceive the purpose of a notebook? Is the notebook a means to an end (to use in learning) or an end in and of itself (an archive for the teacher to grade)?
What makes a notebook useful?

Many teachers work with their students to create a personalized learning tool, one that will be used daily throughout the year. These teachers recognize the importance of helping their students to learn organizational strategies, but they also know the importance of helping students become better at recording and analyzing data and at using writing to reflect on and communicate what they are learning. These notebooks are dynamic documents in which students record their lab investigations, vocabulary, class notes, sketches, summaries, and other assignments.
To help students see the value of their notes, you could encourage them to use their notes to complete class assignments and projects. You could also allow students to refer to their notebooks for essay questions on a test.  Giving students choices in what to include and how to organize it may give them more ownership in the process.
As you’ve observed, many students do need some guidance in getting and staying organized, whether they’re using a traditional notebook or an online version such as a wiki or LiveBinders. But how important is it for students to comply with the teacher’s directions on how to organize a notebook? I remember a high school teacher who required us to put the notes in one section, the lab reports in another, and the returned quizzes at the end. This may have been her way to organize her own notes, but it didn’t make sense to me—I preferred having all of the resources for a particular topic in one place. I complied with her directions, but the notebook was an assignment for her to grade, not a useful reference for me.
With high school students, they should experiment with different organizational strategies. I would share several examples, and students could choose the strategy that made sense to them. As I met with students, I looked at the table of contents and asked them to explain their strategy. Most chose a topical or chronological strategy, although one student had a notebook that was a total mess—papers upside down and in no particular order. I asked what strategy he used. He thought for a few seconds and said with a sheepish grin, “Would you believe random access?” He was doing very well in class, so I had to laugh with him.
In the NSTA Learning Center, I’ve compiled a sampling of articles from NTSA journals that have examples of how students and teachers are creating and using notebooks.
 
Photograph: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/2987926396/