This work describes an experimental research on note taking and concept mapping in a science class of 5 graders in Kayseri (Central Anatolia, Turkey) in the academic year 2002 - 2003. Gained results are in favor of convictions that view note taking as an effective learning strategy. At least it was more effective than concept mapping in the experiments of the present study. A possible reason for this is that students benefited from their notes by recapitulating lesson contents whereas concept maps were not used in such a way. This assumption is supported by other experimental evidence that ascribe the advantages of note taking to its function as external memory store that helps students to better process lesson contents. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)