Taking notes on computer or pen and paper?

titaniumx3

titaniumx3

titaniumx3

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Just wondering, what is the best way to take notes whilst studying from a book or presentation of some sort? I've always taken notes on pen and paper, but was told that it's a lot more convenient and quicker to take notes on a computer (using a word or something like that).

Taking notes traditionally using pen and paper definitely helps me to retain information, but was wondering if doing it on computer would be any better or worse.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated!
 
Depends what it is. If it's meeting notes then a computer is fine. If I'm trying to learn something then a notepad is far more convenient.
 
I find typing much more efficient (especially with Word thanks to the spell checker) than using a pen and paper. It's quicker, neater and easily backed up to the cloud or what ever, and easy to edit and amend. I'm a quick typist though, so if you're slow on the keyboard, you may prefer the pen and paper option.
 
i've been debating this myself. writing helps memory, but getting an electronic format would save paper and make organisation a hell of a lot easier [one document per subject for example]

thing is, dunno about you, but i can't type as fast as i can write, and i can do neither as fast as a lecturer can talk.
 
I tend to use a pen and paper at work in meetings. It's great and superior to using a pc or tablet as I can draw links, diagrams or visual stimuli to remind me of the item being discussed. Furthermore, I can abbreviate but also write more than I could type, in such a way that makes more sense. It helps me add to blocks of information. I do notes like mind maps or information flow diagrams, they're easy to type up or just refer to.

If I am in a conference and have nowhere to write notes, I jot them down on a tablet (I have a work ipad :().

I've tried scribing tools on an ipad and it's just not quick or easy enough to use. I'm afraid I'm a bit old fashioned like that - and when it comes to remembering things, I tend to remember things better if I write them down.
 
adolf hamster said:
i've been debating this myself. writing helps memory, but getting an electronic format would save paper and make organisation a hell of a lot easier [one document per subject for example]

thing is, dunno about you, but i can't type as fast as i can write, and i can do neither as fast as a lecturer can talk.
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When I was studying mathematics at uni I wouldn't dream of using anything other than pen & paper, but for a simple IT course, I'm wondering if it's just as good doing it on a computer.
 
titaniumx3 said:
When I was studying mathematics at uni I wouldn't dream of using anything other than pen & paper, but for a simple IT course, I'm wondering if it's just as good doing it on a computer.
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you have a point, the only option i'd consider atm would likely be something like a tablet with a stylus and text recognition [ie neating handwriting]

typing wouldnt make sense if there's any characters involved, i'm doing engineering so plenty of random greek letters needed.
 
Meetings - I bring the department's laptop and take minutes using MS Outlook and email it to myself. Then I format it up in Word later.

Desktop PCs in the office and at home - I keep a Masternotes.txt or similar filename (Notepad) window open. Sometimes in Excel too, as that's tabbed.

What makes me despair is when I delegate a task to someone by email, then they print it out and pop it on my desk with the word "done" handwritten on it. Couldn't they just hit respond? lol Also, staff members who print out PDF newsletters and policies that have a font size of 10. Easier for me to read the PDF on the screen as I can zoom in.
 
It depends on what you are taking notes of.

At uni using a computer would be next to impossible, as most of what I was writing was equations and diagrams, and no matter how quick you get at LaTeX and Visio, pen and paper will be faster still.

Now I'm in the workplace though, its rare to draw diagrams write equations, so a keyboard is the better option.
 
I don't get how people can type up notes on a phone or tablet, I find that so awkward.

Always a pen and paper for me, helps me to remember plus I tend to scribble diagrams and dimensions at work so I keep a pad handy.
 
At uni I took notes on pen and paper but I lost a lot of my notes because of my general retardation. So In my second year I got a netbook and whilst typing quickly enough wasn't a problem and I organised my notes and backed them up to dropbox, I did end up playing Transport Tycoon, worms and even BF1942 in lectures. I went back to pen and paper in my third year.
 
One point about taking notes with a laptop is it can be a bit distracting for other people in the meeting if the keys are noisy - obviously doesn't apply for every laptop keyboard but worth considering.

I tend to just use a pen and paper as I find it's often quicker and if I subsequently need to put the notes into an electronic format then typing them up helps refresh my understanding.
 
I have always preferred to take notes using a pen with a A4 notebook. You can scribble, draw diagrams, link notes, make annotations and use your own shorthand. It's quick and then it's always there for quick reference the day after or two months down the line.
 
Pen and paper, every time. Apart from anything else, people tapping away on keyboards during meetings is incredibly off-putting.

I have no end of A4/A5 notebooks on my desk for various different workstreams.
 
tres said:
Pen and paper then type up on computer. You learn and remember more this way.
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This is what I do sometimes as well.

I just find it very cumbersome to bring a laptop into the lecture theatre also there is something about writing by hand that makes a connection that helps retain slightly more information.
 
People who use pen and paper have better recall of the lecture than people who use a computer. There was a paper on it published recently.
 
Pen and paper, too many times in meetings people go back to a previous subject or things link up and it is easy to draw arrows to link them up. I also use special characters a lot when writing short hand notes so typing would be too slow.
 
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