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Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

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Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#41

Post by tjr »

bayesian_horse wrote: post #20

There seems to be zero proof to that. Too long ago that I can up with actual citations I read about studies that said a better way to "retain" information, in the context of college reading material, is recitation. With recitation they meant verbally explaining the content from memory. One of the problems with most such studies is that they don't compare techniques with each other.

The remark from Alan Perlis feels pretty accurate to me: You think you know when you can learn, are more sure when you can write, even more when you can teach, but certain when you can program.

I can read a book on a subject, and understand it to a degree. If I write down what I learned in my own words, then I must come to grips with the fact that I didn't understand everything; writing it down forces me to come to a better, more organized understanding. Teaching it to someone else means I must be able to explain for someone who does not necessarily have my own background, and who may stop me to ask questions. Programming the knowledge to a computer means that I must account for all questions; the knowledge must be completely and precisely defined.

I reckon very little knowledge has yet been adequately programmed into a computer, but many people stop at the first step, and never write or teach.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#42

Post by silveira »

Starting a daily journal/planner for my work/personal stuff was one of the best things I've done. I always sketched in lose notebooks, papers, postits but moving to a dedicated and specialized book was a game changer. I started with a Hobonichi Techo Planner and it is just amazing. It's a piece of technology.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#43

Post by midjji »

Mostly confusing the benefit which taking notes provides with the benefit paying the minimum attention taking notes requires. Though there is also the memory habit confounder, i.e. if you are used to needing to remember only the things you write down, you are less likely to remember it if you dont. Similarly, if you are used to not need to remember what you type, you wont. However, if you are able to pay attention regardless, and are used to needing to remember even if you aren't taking notes, you will. These confounders are obvious and the article is completely oblivious to them.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#44

Post by sethammons »

noNothing wrote: post #31

FOr me, if I write it down I will remember it and do not need to refer to my notes. But if I don't write it down I am likely to forget. So I did some testing and found that it isn't only the act of writing that helps me, it is quickly looking at what I have written. I think, for me, writing in my own words, and then reinforcing by going over what I have written, is the secret to remembering things. As far as handwrit…

I'm in the same boat. In university, folks would ask how much I study to get good grades (20 years ago). I would write my notes and review them once or twice. When looking at the written word, I recall where I was sitting, what was going on in the environment, and often a lot (a lot a lot) of context that I would have otherwise forgotten had I not reviewed the note once or twice.

However, for myself, the keyboard creates some disconnect when reviewing notes. It's got to be hand written and, like mentioned, I usually only need to review it once or twice over the span of a week or two and then I'll retain the info. Lots of scaffolded and reinforced-by-association information.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#45

Post by ebjaas_2022 »

I don't agree with this article. I write hundreds of lines of notes each day, as a part of my coding and work routine. I do it all digitally, in Visual Studio Code, as pure text. I think, as long as you can write fluently on a keyboard, and as long as the writing and typing itself does not steal CPU cycles from your brain while you're doing it, it works just as well as handwritten notes, and, I would wager, probably even better, as you're able to write quite a bit faster on a keyboard than you are when you're writing with a pen.

As for the "slowness" of the writing being a point in itself, I don't think that's true. I achieve the same by editing my text as I write it, pondering over my wording, to make sure that I communicate (to myself, mind you) the precise intent that I'm going for.

I think the fondness for handwriting is mostly based on romantic notions, for lack of better words, predicated by our closeness in time to a period where handwriting was much more common. We think of it as the "original" way of writing, and the most "pure" way of writing. Personally I think jotting down text notes on a keyboard is just as "pure", and I don't really think that there are any extra qualities associated with handwriting, as far as learning and retaining information goes.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#46

Post by psychomugs »

crazygringo wrote: post #35

I just want to add a gigantic caveat: NOT FOR EVERYBODY. I know a lot of people who insist writing by hand helps them. But I also know it's TERRIBLE for me personally. The article claims: > Writing by hand on paper creates a tactile, personalized experience... The complex experience of hand writing on paper contains a multitude of variable elements: the creativity of an individual’s written representation of language…

Studies like this are never universal, nor do they claim to be. The only thing they can claim is statistical significance.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#48

Post by thenerdhead »

crazygringo wrote: post #35

I just want to add a gigantic caveat: NOT FOR EVERYBODY. I know a lot of people who insist writing by hand helps them. But I also know it's TERRIBLE for me personally. The article claims: > Writing by hand on paper creates a tactile, personalized experience... The complex experience of hand writing on paper contains a multitude of variable elements: the creativity of an individual’s written representation of language…

Have you gave it an old college try though before giving up? Like two years before dismissing it?

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#49

Post by emadabdulrahim »

jonnybgood wrote: post #15
uptownfunk wrote: post #2

There’s something about writing that makes it very personal. I’ve noticed when I make information personal I retain it better.

Absolutely. I love to write since I got in to fountain pens. It forced me to change my grip for the better, motivated me to practice spencerian, and appreciate quality paper. Writing is now very personal and delightful. I take what I write more seriously and thoughtfully, which causes me to retain it far better.

I've recently got into fountain pens and I'm totally in love with the whole experience. Use them for writing, sketching and drawing.

TWSBI is my favorite so far.

Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information

#50

Post by psychomugs »

CodeIsMyFetish wrote: post #32
_-_-__-_-_- wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you using the host your wiki and write markdown? I'm looking at self-hosting a similar system.

Not OP, but I use an app called Obsidian for this. It's my favorite way to take notes and make connections between topics.

I also use Obsidian, and paired with a handwriting keyboard for Apple Pencil support (e.g. mazec; Apple's built-in scribble feature is too finnicky), it's been my Goldilocks note-taking method for the past few months.
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