Peer Notetakers

Peer notetaking assistance is provided as an accommodation for students whose documented disabilities interfere with their ability to take notes. Notes are an essential tool for studying and learning, so the services of a reliable notetaker provide important support for a student with a disability.

Register to Become a Peer Notetaker

Complete the following steps: 

Step 1: Volunteer to become a note taker: 

  • If a professor announces that a note taker is needed in one of your courses, let them know that you are interested in providing this service.  
  • Your professor will forward your name to ADS and we will follow up with additional instructions. 

Step 2: Complete the notetaker registration process with ADS:

  • Receive confirmation email that you have been assigned as a note taker for a course.
  • Complete the Peer Notetaker Registration form.
  • Complete the Miscellaneous Expense Voucher for payment.

Important Information for Notetakers

Notetakers are paid a stipend at the end of the semester. Notetakers who take notes for only part of the term will receive a prorated stipend.  

Beginning Summer 2023, note takers will be paid a flat rate of $125/course for uploading notes to Accommodate.

 

  • Attend class regularly and arrive on time. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to arrange for notes to be provided to the ADS student. It is recommended that you and the ADS student make a prior arrangement with another classmate who is willing to share class notes if you are absent.
  • Upload notes to Accommodate within 24 hours of class.
    • Notes should be legible, organized and comprehensive
  • Inform ADS if you drop the course or are no longer able to provide notes.

Clarity

  • use ink to handwrite notes (so they are clear when copying or scanning)
  • date and number each page of your notes

Follow Instructor’s Guidance

  • copy what the instructor writes on the board
  • when the instructor refers to text pages, write the page numbers in your notes
  • star information the instructor says is important or will be on the test

Format Your Notes

  • draw a box around items that should stand out (i.e., class assignments, due dates, test dates)
  • underline key terms
  • use abbreviations to speed up the note taking process (be sure the student understands them)

Organization

  • leave blank spaces (so it is easier to see the organization of ideas and to add/edit information)
  • write primary and secondary points and provide details to elaborate
  • include examples to explain a concept