Researchers posit that keyboard typing primarily involves verbatim script entry, whereas handwritten notes facilitate cognitive organization and reproduction of information, resulting in superior learning and memory outcomes compared to typing methodologies.
Seattle, WA (Merxwire) – With the continuous progress of science and technology, computer typing has rapidly advanced, emerging as a valuable tool for note-taking for individuals. But did you know that research has found that the effect of handwritten notes is better than typed notes? Experts say that writing is more helpful for memory.
According to a research report published in Psychological Science by Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles, it was found that writing by hand can make people concentrate and improve learning effects. Because through the handwriting process, the hand-brain complex builds a neural circuit of memory and meaning in the brain, which becomes the key to memory and understanding.
Researchers also found that the output of typing notes is equivalent to a verbatim manuscript, because it is fast and can directly convert the moment the message is received into text and record it in the computer, but relatively speaking, it lacks brain reorganization and retelling. The cognitive process of summarizing or replacing vocabulary cannot form long-term effective memory.
Another problem with typing notes is that there are too many messages and content on mobile phones, laptops, and tablets, which can easily be distracting. According to reports, Americans check their phone 96 times, almost every 10 minutes, and 18-24 year-olds check up to 82 times on average. In total, people check their phones more than 9 billion times a day. While we use technology products to take notes, it is difficult for us to refrain from using FB, IG, TikTok, or replying to Line messages.
Kenneth Kiewra, an educational psychologist from New York, said: “Handwritten notes are better for mastering your thoughts than typing.” Handwritten notes are a dynamic process of the brain that converts hearing information into your memory. Better than typing. Studies have also shown that although handwritten notes are more time-consuming, they are more useful in the long run.
In essence, notes primarily record information, undergoing cognitive processes for conversion into text. Handwritten notes, involving active organization and structuring of meanings, become integrated into cognition and may even stimulate extended thinking. Despite the faster typing process, long-term recall tends to be higher for handwritten notes. In the digital age, efficiency doesn’t always equate to value. As Peter Ferdinand Drucker emphasized, “The most ineffective thing is to accomplish meaningless things most efficiently.” Let’s reconsider the value of handwritten notes by returning to pen and paper.
