(Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay.)
It is often thought by many people I have conversed with that writing via computer is more productive since it is faster to do. While raising my hand, I admitted to being one of these people until my mind was changed even after trying it for myself. While joining my first writer’s group in the Spring of 2019, it was mentioned to me that it is better cognitively for the brain and showcasing creativity by writing with pen and paper versus on an electrical device. After that first lesson, the end result of my writing is much more in depth with a lot more pages of creativity compared to when I type on a computer. One way of creativity that I’m referring to is sometimes when I can get stuck, or have writer’s block. Using the pen and paper is not an older way of writing that people only prefer instead of moving onto modern times. The differences between these two methods of writing is backed by scientific research.
Producing my own material is different compared to taking notes within a classroom instructor speaking about 150 words per minute. It is difficult to write via pen and paper notes (also known as longhand) in a verbal lesson if each word is trying to make its way to the paper. The struggle is there due to the average writing speed calculated at about 30 wpm. It is true that using a computer will help get more words of the lesson onto the screen compared to writing. Typing will provide much more content at the end of a lecture between running at 37 - 44 wpm.
Three experiments were performed in the University of California; Los Angeles Anderson Behavioral Lab. Students were instructed to watch Ted Talk Videos and take an examination on the material learned. It was concluded with evidence that longhand equated to students having more retention of the material, therefore resulting in learning more as their notes summarized the lessons in their own words. The students who used the laptops demonstrated to have taken less quality notes as they were typed verbatim to the video. These results concluded that their learning was more impaired.
On the other hand, the notes were considered more factual recall for laptop users than longhand since they could jot down all of the words by keyboard. However, “conceptual application questions” from the exam revealed a higher performance score using longhand by a landslide as laptop users received a completely negative score on the charts. Word count was victorious in the race through all three studies for the digital learners. But results are opposite when it comes to summarization and relativity in quality.
A later study in 2015 was conducted in the Nordic Institute for Studies in Norway. The experiment conducted was testing students by their “writing instruction tools”, the tablet computer vs pen-and-paper. They were then tested by examination using their corresponding formats. This study proved that writing is much faster electronically.
Moreover, creativity is lower while writing with a computer, laptop, or tablet because of distractions. This can put the brain on overload. Some of these pop-up eye grabbers include notifications, advertisements, and emails. A person is more prone to checking their Instagram or other social media platform immediately when in the middle of doing a task digitally. This problem is not available while writing longhand since it is just you, the pen, and the lines on a plain or decorated piece of paper.
Overall, in a typical student life scenario, if there’s a test tomorrow and a student has not read the textbook, it would be more ideal to record notes digitally and review for the sake of speediness with the procrastinating deadline. Their word count would be high along with being able to review the exact words again from the instructor. But more work would still need to be done in remembering for the exam. If another is more studious with more time on their hands, they can take notes by pen in each lecture. Writing their own assessment of what they hear will make them better prepared for the upcoming exam without much effort. Be sure to use longhand for the memory retention when note taking and also when creating your own writing material. You’ll never know what will transcend through your pen on paper unless you try it out.
Happy Writing!
Andrelyn Izquierdo
Bibliography:
Catherine Pearson. “The Benefits of Writing With Good Old Fashioned Pen and Paper”, Huff Post: https://www.huffpost.com/ January 25, 2021.
Pam A. Mueller & Daniel M. Oppenheimer. “The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard”, Psychological Science Online First: https://www.academia.edu/6273095/ January 25, 2021.
Sabine Wollscheid, Jorgen Sjaastad, Catherine Tomte, Nalini Lover. “The Effect of Pen and Paper or Tablet Computer on Early Writing - A Pilot Study”, Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/ January 25, 2021.
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