BY: MADI TORTORA
Ever since humankind learned how to write, we have been using it in our favor to learn and communicate. Although this generation is referred to as the “digital” generation, there are still quite a few people who prefer writing over typing, when it comes to a multitude of different things.
According to an article published by Scientific American in 2014, research showed that in general, it is better for you to write your notes because you develop a better conceptual understanding of them. Taking notes by hand requires a different kind of cognitive processing, and requires different consequences for learning.
Being able to take written notes instead of typed notes is a skill not all students have, because it takes longer and uses more energy to do. Tori Dennis, an 18-year-old English communications major at Washtenaw Community College, has always chosen writing over typing.
“I will always choose to write my notes,” Dennis said. “I think I tried typing once, but I immediately went back to writing. It just helps the notes actually get ingrained in my head.”
This is not an uncommon thing for a college student to say. According to an article by the Atlantic, scientists Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer performed a study that showed that students who take notes by hand do better on tests and quizzes that students who typed their notes.
Lectures are definitely difficult to completely track by hand, but jotting down certain key points is extremely beneficial and helps you understand the material a lot more than typing it out word for word. The hand cramps, pens constantly running out of ink, and pencils breaking that comes with writing is truly worth the knowledge and understanding that comes with writing your notes out.