Dating back to 3200 BCE with Mesopotamian cuneiform, human beings have long used writing to document information. Writing has always been used as a form of communication, originally for economic reasons like tracking tokens used for trade, but later moved toward expression of thought and memory.
As technology continues to evolve, people have moved away from handwritten notes, marking a transition toward a greater use of technology to record thoughts. Using a computer to type out your notes does not provide the same benefits as writing everything out by hand.
It is not as common today to see college students using a physical notebook in the classroom, but people should consider the benefits of handwritten notes and move away from typing.
“I remember the things I write down a lot more when I write them by hand,” English junior Harry Nowotny said. “The few times I have taken computer notes, I didn’t retain that information as much.”
It is tempting to use technology in order to shorten writing time, but there are ways to create shortcuts with handwriting.
“Over time, I’ve started using shorthand, like (the) W slash (w/) to abbreviate with,” Nowotny said. “(When) you build up enough of those shorthand symbols, (it) can help you catch up to the pace (of the lecture).”
Scientifically speaking, taking the time to trace each letter helps to improve your memorization of a topic. According to the National Institute of Health, typing a verbatim transcription of what is being said doesn’t require as much concentration as actually writing down your thoughts in a notebook, which involves processing and rephrasing the information. The NIH conducted a study comparing the free word recall between adults who wrote words by hand and ones who typed. Adults who created handwritten notes had a better recollection when recalling the words.
Commonly in many workplaces, employees are not allowed to use their computers when in a meeting. Not only does the removal of technology help people focus better, but it also can be seen as more respectful to not stare at a screen.
“I have my teams write out their notes,” said Lee Almond, the global director of partnering personalized healthcare systems for Roche CDx. “They’re actively engaged in listening as well as remembering what was captured during our meetings.”
Physically writing your notes is an active form of engagement when trying to pay attention to something. Handwriting activates your motor, sensory and cognitive processing, which is something you can miss out on when typing.
“Writing it down keeps me engaged in the conversation,” Almond said. “(It) helps me to be able to go back and reflect at the end of the day if there’s something that I can’t remember.”
Many students may try to do shortcuts with note-taking in order to save time, but lose the concept of how beneficial handwritten notes are. Not only does it improve your memorization, but it also can help your brain be more active in a lecture.
Although technology continues to evolve, we shouldn’t change the way we take notes. After all, handwritten notes have been around for 5,225 years for a reason.
Healy is a journalism junior from San Antonio, Texas.
