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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

#61

Post by emodendroket »

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…

I think the slower, deliberate nature is the point here. The article does at least attempt to cite some research rather than just relying on anecdote.

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

#62

Post by blindhippo »

ebjaas_2022 wrote: post #45

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…

To be clear, haven't read the article yet.

But I disagree that fondness for handwriting is a romantic notion. For me writing things down by hand engages a different part of my brain. It's similar to "rubber ducking" for me, meaning I have to think about the information in a different way. I don't get the same from typing, for whatever reason.

Literally, different strokes for different folks.

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

#64

Post by emodendroket »

ebjaas_2022 wrote: post #45

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…

Your point about many lines of notes is actually highlighting another benefit of writing: handwritten notes simply force you to choose which things are truly important because you cannot possibly record as much. This process also helps retention. I don’t actually look at most notes I take very often.

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

#65

Post by dunefox »

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…

Just because you don't like does not mean the arguments don't hold. If you liked doing it it would help.

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

#66

Post by graphenus »

It looks like folks haven't studied in a modern environment or haven't used all the tools available to them.

During classes you take notes using a keyboard. The you and your colleagues merge everything into a single set of notes. E.g., in a private wiki. That makes you review your notes at least once, and in the end you will end up with mega notes written in the language common to students of the year that you wouldn't be able to creat on your own. Beat that.

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

#67

Post by newsclues »

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…

If you need to memorize a phone number rather than learn a complex subject, do you feel the same way?

Are your feelings backed by data?

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

#68

Post by technovader »

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…

This was my first thought as well.

I know for me personally; I always absorb more information when I am just listening and not writing.

When I'm writing whatever the teacher is saying, I can't understand it at the same speed. So I just write without actually comprehending the sentences.

But my listening was always so good that I rarely took notes throughout all my school years. I would just stare at the teacher and listen without writing anything.

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

#70

Post by hyperturtle »

I find the lack of learning science and the state of teaching how to learning to be detrimental to our current society where people are required to know more and more. Knowledge that doctors, lawyers, even computer engineers keep increasing as time goes on, but the way we learn has never been scrutinized or emphasized and is mostly up to each person to deal with.
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