Discuss Your Thoughts: For Profit Note-Taking

[dimanche0829]

In my never-ending quest to procrastinate, I just read an article about the rise of businesses employing students to take class notes in order to then sell those notes to whomever wants them. Some professors feel that this practice infringes upon their intellectual property rights, while others argue that there is no copyright infringement so long as the notes are not taken verbatim.

I know that many universities employ note-takers to assist students who have documented disabilities, but I'm interested in your thoughts on for-profit businesses that sell class notes. Let's discuss!

Edited September 7, 2011 by dimanche0829

[long_time_lurker]

Whoever thought of making this a big business has a good idea. I know in undergrad I sold a couple notebooks usually with a textbook to someone taking the course after I did.

However I wouldn't be a purchaser, simply because I find the activity of taking notes to be a learning experience. It's really not as effective to me to use someone else's notes to study with.

As long as we're talking about notes and not a transcription of a lecture or verbatim copying of PowerPoint slides, I see no issue in regard to copyright or IP. That's really a stretch.

[orst11]

I actually have done this in the past mostly for people with disabilities, and truthfully now after tutoring students for roughly 5 years to me when the people don't have a disability and simply buy the notes, it is out of pure laziness. I would talk to parents who would buy notes for their kids and they would wonder why they are not fully comprehending all the material. After all their kids were sitting in class just doing nothing while others took notes, it really isn't fair. As a tutor, it was my responsibility to go over material not reteach all the material. I actually do want teach one day, but really I was not getting paid enough to do so.

As far as the whole strategy behind it, I think it is a good idea if the material is used as a supplement to what was already learned. To me it shows the complexity behind the field of education.

Also, simply copying slides for people with disabilities is actually quite common, but if it is being done for others I think a professor has a write to complain because they spent their time doing them.

[northstar22]

Personally, I find it unethical. The classroom is supposed to be a learning experience, and buying notes seems like the lazy way out.

[Alephantiasis]

If you can succeed in a class just by reading and learning someone else's notes, it's not a very good class. Besides, I've never taken notes and I don't find it useful. As for being a case copyright infringement, I doubt it.

[ktel]

I would often lend my notes to friends, but I know I could have easily charged them and others for it (my notes are very nicely organized, well summarized and colour coded). Something about letting my notes out there for everyone to use makes me uncomfortable.

[runonsentence]

Interesting. I could see this as something that's helpful if, say, helpful at distilling information down in a more manageable way (for instance, my partner is a co-author on a publication that breaks down pharmacology information visually, to help medical students study for exams).

But really, as others have mentioned, it's the active process of taking notes that's most helpful (not to mention being in class, having the information you've learned from your first exposure reading synthesized and reinforced).

It'll probably appeal most to students who think it's an easy way out of the work of learning and, I predict, backfire on them.

[whirlpool4]

I was an "independent contractor" with a small college-based company that hired students to type up their notes every week. I was paid a flat rate and then a small commission based on the number of packets they sold at the local bookstores. I'm sure the professors were aware of such a business and probably would not have raised an issue regarding intellectual property.

However I wouldn't be a purchaser, simply because I find the activity of taking notes to be a learning experience. It's really not as effective to me to use someone else's notes to study with.

I agree that I would not have bought these notes myself because I write very thorough notes and typing them up afterward reinforces the material. In one of my courses, everyone was failing but I excelled because I understood the way the professor taught - more abstract and difficult to follow if you were a come-to-class-and-copy notes person. I typed the explanations into my notes and hoped it helped whoever bought them.

I'm sure they were also useful to those who had missed a lot of classes throughout the semester.