Laptops, tablets and cellphones are becoming increasingly common both in public and in the classroom. On the other hand, notebooks are becoming a rarer sight, yet students should consider picking up pen and pencil once again when taking notes.
The main difference between digital and paper note-taking is quantity vs quality. People generally type faster than they write, yet the extra time spent writing paper notes improves information retention.
The slower pace of handwriting notes also encourages students to record information in their own words, rather than repeating an instructor’s lecture verbatim. This helps students attain a deeper understanding of course material and draw their own conclusions.
Additionally, writing notes on a computer risks the student becoming distracted. It’s all too easy to think there might be enough time to quickly surf the web or work on something else, only to become too committed to a side activity to pay close attention to the lesson.
Though it is easier to keep notes organized and available for use when they are typed on a computer, digital notetakers also need a source of power. If a computer’s battery dies during a lecture and an outlet is not available, students won’t be able to take or access their notes, a problem that paper doesn’t have.
However, not all students might agree with the above. After all, everyone has different preferences and both have their merits.
Sierra Baumann, a sophomore majoring in meteorology, thinks that how you take notes really has no effect.
“Everybody has their different note-taking preferences,” said Baumann. “It does not matter how you take notes, as long as you retain the knowledge and you understand what you’re talking about.”
However, some students like Sanai Young, a first-year majoring in pre-nursing, do agree that physical note taking is the way to go.
“I do think both are great ways to take notes,” Young said. “But just out of preference and depending on what I’m studying, either or could be less or more helpful. There are some classes that are a little more rigorous that need more attention, so I would take paper notes for those.”
