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Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

scientificamerican.com

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Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#41

Post by myth2018 »

sowbug wrote: post #11

Anyone else remember less from reading an ebook compared to a physical one? This happens to me, and I think it's a similar explanation. I recall less of where I read something in an ebook. But in a physical book, I often remember that a phrase was at the top or middle or left side of a page, or that I was sitting in a particular chair when I read it. There's simply more of the brain working when I read a physical boo…

I can relate. I thought it was due distractions, but I usually get more distracted at the phone than I do at the computer and, yet, I get worse results out of my readings at the latter. An e-paper based ebook reader didn't improve the situation either.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#42

Post by Izkata »

jpcfl wrote: post #25
potsandpans wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing that bothers me is that I can't flip back and forth the same way I can with a book. I'll frequently read something and want to go check something 100 or so pages back. It's so easy with a physical book you hold the place and scan backwards. Much more difficult with an ebook.

I also tend to remember where a tidbit of information was physically. For some reason, details like "~50 pages back around the end of the paragraph in the top-right corner of the right page" will stick in my brain. Then I can quickly scan and parse out keywords to find what I'm looking for. This doesn't work reliably with e-books for me.

This is exactly the theory I proposed in a previous post about handwriting aiding memory - that it's the paper and spacial memory assisting, not the handwriting itself.

I did this often during school, looking up information in textbooks - I'd remember roughly the chapter/page, recognize the exact page, and know where on the page something was, even if I couldn't directly remember the thing itself.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#43

Post by JoeDaDude »

softfalcon wrote: post #31

I was late to this game of "going backwards" to improve my memory and understanding of what I read and wrote. Being raised by two technologically forward engineers, we jumped on the palm-pilot/laptops/tablets/phones/e-readers bandwagon very early. 5 years ago I started turning back to calligraphy, fountain pens, and hand writing. I buy books and fill up my bookshelf. It wasn't just for the memory recall, it was the p…

FWIW: I went to an unusual grade school which required us 3rd graders to use fountain pans. There were many stained fingers and homeworks, but yet, they insisted on using what seemed to us archaic devices. Fast forward to now, decades later, and I have recently rediscovered fountain pens and what a delight it is to use one compared to the cheap disposable ball point. I am using an inexpensive Pilot Metropolitan pen and, given a choice, will never go back to ball points.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#44

Post by ta8645 »

potsandpans wrote: post #23
sowbug wrote: post #11

Anyone else remember less from reading an ebook compared to a physical one? This happens to me, and I think it's a similar explanation. I recall less of where I read something in an ebook. But in a physical book, I often remember that a phrase was at the top or middle or left side of a page, or that I was sitting in a particular chair when I read it. There's simply more of the brain working when I read a physical boo…

The thing that bothers me is that I can't flip back and forth the same way I can with a book. I'll frequently read something and want to go check something 100 or so pages back. It's so easy with a physical book you hold the place and scan backwards. Much more difficult with an ebook.

That's simply a shameful indictment of ebook readers. They should be able to provide (almost) all the ergonomics of a paper book, and more.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#45

Post by Zambyte »

Better for memory doesn't necessarily mean better for recall. I think if high fidelity recall is your goal, it is best to assume your memory is flawed, and create artifacts to account for that. The product of writing by hand is useful, but relatively clumsy next to a lot of computer-based note taking systems. Hyperlinking and backlinking are gold when it comes to note recall, and you can't really get that with handwritten notes.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#46

Post by abdullahkhalids »

ambrose2 wrote: post #37
softfalcon wrote: post #31

I was late to this game of "going backwards" to improve my memory and understanding of what I read and wrote. Being raised by two technologically forward engineers, we jumped on the palm-pilot/laptops/tablets/phones/e-readers bandwagon very early. 5 years ago I started turning back to calligraphy, fountain pens, and hand writing. I buy books and fill up my bookshelf. It wasn't just for the memory recall, it was the p…

Very interesting! Is there a particular Parker model you’d recommend?

Everyone's hand and preferences are different. Just look at a guide like this [1] and buy one within you budget. You will eventually learn what works for you.

[1] https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Fountain-Pens-for-Ever...

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#47

Post by ics »

softfalcon wrote: post #31

I was late to this game of "going backwards" to improve my memory and understanding of what I read and wrote. Being raised by two technologically forward engineers, we jumped on the palm-pilot/laptops/tablets/phones/e-readers bandwagon very early. 5 years ago I started turning back to calligraphy, fountain pens, and hand writing. I buy books and fill up my bookshelf. It wasn't just for the memory recall, it was the p…

People wishing to try experiencing the pleasure of fountain pens but avoid it because they are afraid of going down a rabbit hole can use the following: get one Platinum Preppy pen with black ink and either Medium (if you like thick, felt pen like lines), Fine (comparable to a regular ballpoint), or Extra Fine (if you keep your pencils extra sharp or normally use .38 or smaller pens) for $10 or less, and any notepad made in Vietnam for less than $5 at Walmart/CVS/Michaels/Amazon/etc. You don’t need to read any product reviews to try this out for around $15.

Why I recommend it this way: I enjoy pens and have done illustration and calligraphy professionally but the Preppy has essentially replaced my other pens except when I specifically want something special. Writing with it still feels special, mind, but to enjoy things you also shouldn’t be afraid of damaging or losing something precious, nor should you miss a day of writing because you didn’t want to carry some fancy instrument in your hoodie pocket or whatever. As for the pads, fountain pens are wet compared to other types and some paper will make it impossible to use or enjoy. Vietnamese paper is cheap, available, and known to work well for this.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#48

Post by satao »

JoeDaDude wrote: post #43
softfalcon wrote: post #31

I was late to this game of "going backwards" to improve my memory and understanding of what I read and wrote. Being raised by two technologically forward engineers, we jumped on the palm-pilot/laptops/tablets/phones/e-readers bandwagon very early. 5 years ago I started turning back to calligraphy, fountain pens, and hand writing. I buy books and fill up my bookshelf. It wasn't just for the memory recall, it was the p…

FWIW: I went to an unusual grade school which required us 3rd graders to use fountain pans. There were many stained fingers and homeworks, but yet, they insisted on using what seemed to us archaic devices. Fast forward to now, decades later, and I have recently rediscovered fountain pens and what a delight it is to use one compared to the cheap disposable ball point. I am using an inexpensive Pilot Metropolitan pen a…

Was it a Waldorf school?

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#49

Post by nescioquid »

kerkeslager wrote: post #33
sowbug wrote: post #11

Anyone else remember less from reading an ebook compared to a physical one? This happens to me, and I think it's a similar explanation. I recall less of where I read something in an ebook. But in a physical book, I often remember that a phrase was at the top or middle or left side of a page, or that I was sitting in a particular chair when I read it. There's simply more of the brain working when I read a physical boo…

> Anyone else remember less from reading an ebook compared to a physical one? [...] But in a physical book, I often remember that a phrase was at the top or middle or left side of a page, or that I was sitting in a particular chair when I read it. This seems weird to me. Does your ebook reader not have a "page" concept? I read China Mieville's Kraken on a Rakuten Kobo about 6 months ago and I distinctly remember the…

For me, the biggest difference between print and ebooks are:

- I just won't carry around some door-stopper printed books, so I am less likely to read them in printed editions.

- So much of what I want to read isn't in print anymore.

I am in the habit of writing in the margins of print editions as I read, but I haven't started doing this for ebooks. One sometimes remembers the place on the page and page in the book, the smell, the tactile experience, but I can't regard these as real criticisms of ebooks or true benefits of printed editions.

In my experience, having a digital copy of the book is, often enough, the difference between reading it and not reading it.

Re: Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

#50

Post by cannonpr »

As someone with dysgraphia (more info here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysgraphia), I often find the discussion about handwriting both amusing and sometimes disheartening. I understand that handwriting may help some people learn better, but I have found many other effective learning methods. It was liberating when I first managed to get my school teacher to accept printed homework. I'm not keen on articles that label handwriting as the "best" method, mainly because I believe there are many other equally valid approaches.
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