For me writing by hand helps for remembering a very specific type of knowledge. If I need to remember random facts with not much cohesion between them, it helps to write them down. I feel I create a visual memory of these facts. Almost like "oh yes, I remember writing that down near the left bottom of the page". But for any type of knowledge that's more about understanding than pure remembering, I learn better without writing by hand.
Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
271–280 of 297 posts
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#272Earlier quoted context omitted.
Cheap filler note paper is a source of difficulty when writing(ball pens will skip, dark inks will bleed, scratchy pencils and nibs will tear). The index cards work, but I would also go for the slightly more expensive paper brands one can find on JetPens. If you're going for a stationary experience, investing a little more in it goes a long way.
I like use a 5.5 x 8.5 or 9 x 12 Strathmore 300 Sketch tablet for notes. They are sturdy and the paper is quite good. They are a pain if you want to scan/copy them as the paper is either smaller or larger than standard letter size. https://www.strathmoreartist.com/draw-sketch/id-300-series-s...
Yes I also use sketch pads with no lines (The grey spiral-bound ones sold by WHSmith in the UK). I don't understand the attraction of lines given that software is hard to describe without diagrams.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#273I skyrocketed up the ladder at my current company in about 18 months using the following technique. I take crude sloppy notes on a topic or project. I listen for concepts it words I don’t understand. This includes the jargon in my field (FinTech). For projects I take my sloppy notes and format them in a Google Docs that serves as a design/QA testing document. I add technical notes and other details to this document.…
Amazing, all of this "skyrocketing" and "zero to top" stuff. And all of that thanks to your "little system". Do you also have a weird old trick for losing weight that doctors don't want us to know about?
Middle managers hate him.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#274Earlier quoted context omitted.
Agreed. I take notes for my university classes either by using my tablet to type in a markdown file (the content of which I then transfer to Obsidian) or by writing by hand in a small notebook (and then adding the most important things to Obsidian). In both cases, what comes to my memory when thinking about my note-taking is how it's organized in Obsidian and in what part of my file. One of the biggest advantages of…
The interesting part is, should we combine notes and SBS? in my condition, I write note for fetch information in future, redo this part again to add them into my Anki become a repetitive work. how can you organise both side together?
This is strictly specific to my workflow, but:
- My notes contain all the knowledge I have accumulated.
- I extract new knowledge that is worth being remembered from my notes into my SR system so as to add it to my long-term memory (there is some knowledge that is good keeping in a file but that doesn't necessarily need to be learnt by heart).
- After a few months, I remove that knowledge from my SR system because I consider it has been imprinted into my memory.
I must say that the last step is necessary in my case, because otherwise I would have too many recalls to deal with each day and that would ruin all the fun.
If, after having removed the knowledge from my SR system, I still remember it, good! Otherwise, I consider that, if I wasn't able to retain it, it means it has no use in my immediate environment and/or in my daily/weekly tasks.
So, to summarize quickly: SR is awesome, but in my workflow, not everything needs to be memorized, hence my using SR + notes.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#275I seem to get more benefit from constructing and populating directory hierarchies.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
How about dot grid paper?
i use grid paper all the time for notes. i found a little orange notebook for sale at an obscure place many years ago. honestly, it's changed my life. well, at any rate, to make a short story long, since i like orange, have no concept of the value of a dollar, and, have every intention of perhaps someday using at least a few of the methodically-growing collection of various notepads i, for , possess, i purchased this…
Rhodia notebooks are great. Also check out Rite in the Rain. As a lefty I don't care for spiral-bound anything, but I use a pocket-size Rite in the Rain in the gym to track my exercise goals & results.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#277Earlier quoted context omitted.
Have you considered buying loose leaf notebook paper instead of printer paper? You get lines and I’d imagine it’s even cheaper.
I actually distinctly prefer not having lines on my paper, because my notes are typically big outlines and drawings and diagrams. I am planning on coming up with a few different paper templates that I can easily print when I need it (I have a cheap $100 brother laser b&w printer that works perfectly and cheaply for this purpose).
Ah, I see. I love the template idea. I had to look this up just now, but do you mean copy paper? Apparently copy paper is typically a bit thinner and not as bright white. I think my problem may be that I was originally picturing high-end, color quality paper.
I might try this out.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#278I skyrocketed up the ladder at my current company in about 18 months using the following technique. I take crude sloppy notes on a topic or project. I listen for concepts it words I don’t understand. This includes the jargon in my field (FinTech). For projects I take my sloppy notes and format them in a Google Docs that serves as a design/QA testing document. I add technical notes and other details to this document.…
Amazing, all of this "skyrocketing" and "zero to top" stuff. And all of that thanks to your "little system". Do you also have a weird old trick for losing weight that doctors don't want us to know about?
No need to be snarky, this shit really works.
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#279I skyrocketed up the ladder at my current company in about 18 months using the following technique. I take crude sloppy notes on a topic or project. I listen for concepts it words I don’t understand. This includes the jargon in my field (FinTech). For projects I take my sloppy notes and format them in a Google Docs that serves as a design/QA testing document. I add technical notes and other details to this document.…
Amazing, all of this "skyrocketing" and "zero to top" stuff. And all of that thanks to your "little system". Do you also have a weird old trick for losing weight that doctors don't want us to know about?
Did you get the impression the OP was trying to sell you something?
Re: Writing by hand is still the best way to retain information
#280I'm looking into buying a iPad with a pencil for better organizing my work and personal notes with added searchability. The only thing I'm afraid off, as I have ADHD and as a result trouble learning/retaining information, is that the iPad + pencil won't have the same effect as pen and paper. Anyone made the switch from paper to iPad and can't share their experience?
I've gone through a bajillion iterations of this: notebook + pen, tiny carry everywhere notebook + pen, surface pro + pen (this was really good for sitting down studying and class, not good for quick notes obvoiusly), and right now am on samsung zfold 3 and pen as a replacement for all classes of notetaking.
I have three note taking times:
1. Meetings, online or in person 2. Instant. Examples: vet suddenly telling me medicine mgs for my lizard. At hackathon and someone telling me some new software I wanna try. Unexpected philosophical insight from podcast while at gym. 3. Reading book (anywhere: cafe, train, desk, couch) 4. Studying time (at desk)
For said methods, the crosssection of effective note taking strategies I've found to be:
Spiral notebook and pen: meetings, reading book, studying time. Too big to have on me at all times for instant.
Smaller notebook (like, traditional moleskin sized) with pen: effective at all, including instant IF I had my backpack on me, so not truly great for instant.
Surface pro + pen: good for meetings and study time, somewhat ok at reading notes, phenomenal at reading notes if reading on the device itself (splitscreen reading app with onenote). EXCELLENT for classes and meetings because of quick multi-color pen functionality.
Upgrade to notebook resulted from surface pro: use multi-color pen instead of simple black pen. Now same study benefits as smaller notebook, with increased effectiveness in meeting and classes. Missing: cut + paste from surface pro, uploading to onenote to read on phone, etc.
Teensy tiny notebook + pen: best at instant notes, kinda shit at all other notes because so tiny, like think detective notebook. Possibly improved by better strategies, just had conversation with actual detective who made me realize I was probably using the notebook wrong.
Foldy phone with samsung pen thing: Similar to surface pro in effectiveness, better in terms of portability and always having on me (making its instant effectiveness better), worse in terms of its simply kinda small. Would love to use this for reading notes as well, right now can "kinda" split screen but it's really too small for that, would prefer in-same-reading-app note taking feature, yet to find good app for that (considering my books are epubs, this is probably impossible. PDF markup not bad though! in samsung notes app. Surpsrisingly good app). Thing about instant notes is, it's hard to hold, and still slower to get going than a tiny notebook + pen. I'm going to attach a little ring to the back and see if that makes me feel more confident holding this absurdly expensive device in one hand while writing on it while standing up.
TLDR: Technological investment cost of ipad + pen could be worth if you really like the digital features of cloud, multi-device, organization etc. Otherwise, recommend much cheaper option of smaller ipad-sized notebooks + multi-color-in-one pens (check jetpens). Also, this is more fun imo than using digital device, and retains better tactile experience (good for me with ADHD: can click pen as fidget activity).