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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

#91

Post by kayodelycaon »

egypturnash wrote: post #55
kerkeslager wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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…

If you're using multiple devices to read a book, physical memory goes right out the window. The location of a phrase on your phone screen is very unlikely to correspond with its location on a tablet screen. It gets even worse if you change the font size depending on your situation.

I think it depends on what you remember. For me, I tend to remember how far into a book something is (my kindle always shows the percentage completed) and what keywords I can search for. Remembering what a page looks like is actually more difficult for me.

As a result, I generally have an easier time locating things in digital books. I'll occasionally read a physical book and then start looking for the search button... tap words, pinch to zoom... etc. I get really irritated when I realize I can't change the font. XD

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

#92

Post by eigenhombre »

munificent wrote: post #52
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…

I love handwriting. As in, I hand-lettered every single one of the hundreds of diagrams in my two books [1]. I am also a sucker for nice pens and fancy paper. Office supply stores are like toy stores for me. (What can I say, I was a teacher's pet growing up.) So I am 1000% the kind of person to get into fountain pens. But I'm also a lefty. :( I know it is possible to learn to use a fountain pen while writing left-han…

I remember the diagrams in Crafting Interpreters and thinking what a great application of hand-done diagrams it was. So glad you did them that way.

Also left handed, BTW. If you're ever interested in going it even more old-school -- dip pens with India or Sumi ink are the absolute bomb. The ink is blacker than anything I've seen except perhaps in intaglio/etchings -- it can be made darker than fountain pen ink because there is no fear of clogging. Yeah, there's a bit of cleanup after every use, but very satisfying too, for some use cases.

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

#93

Post by softfalcon »

bgoated01 wrote: post #71
ics wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I picked up a preppy a couple of weeks ago. I got a fine nib, and after seeing how it writes I should have gotten extra fine, but the biggest issue I'm having is that it seems to want the pen held at a shallower angle than what works for me. If I fold my pinky and ring finger under in an uncomfortable position then I can get my grip close enough to the page that it consistently inks, but otherwise it isn't consistent…

> What is the pleasure that I should be looking for?

It should feel effortless and an absolute joy to glide the pen across the paper. If writing with a BIC pen is 3/10 tedious, a well made fountain pen should be 0/10 for tedium.

It should be so easy, you find yourself able to write for longer without tiring than you usually would. Ink should always flow freely, control of movement seamless, hand comfortable and not even the least bit stressed/cramped, and the nib should not feel scratchy or catching against the paper. It should glide.

This is why I went all-in with a proper fountain pen after being frustrated with various other pens. On a budget, I have tried and can recommend the Jinhao 51A to get started. If you are willing to go all-in, Visconti and Parker makes amazing pens.

The Jinhao 51A is a clone of the Parker 51 which was a staple every-day pen for white collar work in the 40-50's. They are physically wider to fit large hands and the pen tip is fine and precise.

Good luck, I hope you're able to find something that works for you, fountain pens have very different characteristics. I own several and none of them are quite the same as the other.

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

#94

Post by goda90 »

fatnoah wrote: post #79
chenxi9649 wrote: post #51

I wonder if it also had to do with the fact that handwriting is slower . Which means that you generally hold the concept in your working memory for longer than typing. Which often times does not require the concept to be held in working memory at all because typing speed matches reading speed. I also wonder if looking down at the page as you write vs looking up at the board. Constantly looking up and down is like a h…

My own personal and completely based on anecdote opinion on note taking is that I can write notes while paying attention to something else, but typing has a much higher cognitive load, so more of my attention is focused on operating a keyboard vs. listening. I'm also someone that needs good visual organization to really study and learn things, so a habit I built in college was to write all of my notes, and then later…

Maybe it's because I have terrible and slow handwriting, or because I had a job transcribing audio interviews as a teenager, but I find it's the complete opposite for me. Writing makes me miss more because I can't keep up.

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

#95

Post by iamacyborg »

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…

There’s nothing wrong with cheap pens, some of them are fantastic to write with. A lot of fountain pen enthusiasm just feels like tool fetishisation.

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

#96

Post by xanderlewis »

iamacyborg wrote: post #95
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…

There’s nothing wrong with cheap pens, some of them are fantastic to write with. A lot of fountain pen enthusiasm just feels like tool fetishisation.

There are nice cheap pens out there, but fountain pens are beautiful and separating the choice of ink from the choice of pen gives a lot of flexibility.

What’s particularly wrong with appreciating tools? Why brand it ‘fetishisation’? For me, a good fountain pen is a work of art; the fact it happens to be useful for work is an added bonus.

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

#97

Post by xanderlewis »

intelligencesec wrote: post #70
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…

I can never get over the "scratching" feeling of fountain pens. It gives me a weird goosbump feeling and makes them impossible to use. Am I using them wrong? Using the wrong brand/type?

Certain brands like Platinum and Sailor are known for this — it’s somewhat euphemistically known as ‘feedback’ and some people like it. I’ve been partial to it in the past.

Pilot is an example of a brand known for smoother writing. Try one!

There is also the possibility that the nib is just out of alignment. You might need to look at it under a loupe and perform some adjustments… there are various guides online or you can pay an expert to do it.

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

#98

Post by softfalcon »

munificent wrote: post #52
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…

I love handwriting. As in, I hand-lettered every single one of the hundreds of diagrams in my two books [1]. I am also a sucker for nice pens and fancy paper. Office supply stores are like toy stores for me. (What can I say, I was a teacher's pet growing up.) So I am 1000% the kind of person to get into fountain pens. But I'm also a lefty. :( I know it is possible to learn to use a fountain pen while writing left-han…

Ooof, yeah, left handed with a fountain pen is not easy. I once foolishly went left handed "just to try" and ended up with a beautiful shade of dark green ink all over my palm and wrist. The ink just doesn't dry fast enough, even with premium papers. Maybe there are new inks that work well for this?

It sounds like you've found some other pens that work well for you if you managed to hand draw hundreds of diagrams. I do feel sad you won't be able to fully experience "the glide" you get from fountain pens though. It's a real treat.

(also, side note, thanks for writing Game Programming Patterns, Crafting Interpreters, they are excellent books!)

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

#99

Post by hot_gril »

zharknado wrote: post #57

The only conclusion that seems even remotely supported by the evidence here is that writing by hand is important for learning letters . As in, learning your ABC's. No arguments there. The new study cited is a Norwegian small-sample-size study of college kids typing vs. writing Pictionary words while wearing an EEG. Not learning, I would point out. What they observe is more connectivity between brain regions when they…

I learned to read the Armenian alphabet a few years ago, and writing actually didn't help at all with that, reading did. What I did was try my best to read passages and have the English transliteration underneath as a cheat sheet. Despite not knowing much vocab, I learned the alphabet quickly this way. Then vocab helped later on because it made words more recognizable.

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

#100

Post by softfalcon »

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?

For Parker's, there are just so many options. However, it can be extremely pricey to buy-and-try or your local store may not have many in stock.

I started with the Parker 51 by trying out a clone by name of Jinhao 51A.

My suggestion is to look for the knock-offs like Jinhao and buy a few of them (you can get 4-5 pens for the price of the cheapest Parker). Then you can try them all and whichever you like most, when you choose to upgrade, buy that variant of Parker it was trying to clone. Or maybe the Jinhao ends up good enough for you and you stick with that, nothing wrong with a nice affordable pen!

Also, the Jinhao's make pretty gifts for small occasions, they're very colourful and elegant, if you upgrade away from them, can gift them to friends/family.

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