By Nayria Figueroa Colon
Do note-takers prefer taking notes on physical paper or writing on an iPad?
When it comes to note-taking in the 21st century, we now have a preference for how we put our information on “paper” or how we “write it down.” No matter your profession or situation, many might want to get the important things written down before they forget or eventful things that might matter later.
Note-taking is essential to a college student’s understanding of the material, no matter how they take notes. What does note-taking mean? “Note-taking is where you actually get your hands on the material and begin constructing and organizing the material for yourself.” Depending on the specific classes you’re taking or specific structures, there could be different techniques for note-taking. Taking notes gives you the ability to analyze and answer questions that you have about a specific topic. “There’s the difference between writing down what the professor says or shows versus writing down your own thoughts and analysis.”
The term “Pen to Paper” has always been literal to me, but is it literal to those who use iPads and aren’t writing on physical paper? Ipads have a lot of versatility. Those who are visual learners have the ability to search the web for images, stickers, diagrams, videos, and templates to help make their notes more exciting and have something to look forward to when taking notes for long periods of time, especially those taking notes for lectures. The other benefits of iPads are that they organize everyday ideas, which include color coding or putting your notes in folders or tabs. It also helps the environment without having to use too much paper. Though all of these are benefits, of course, for some people, there will be cons as well. The biggest con is that iPads are very expensive. Not everyone can afford an expensive piece of technology that will carry the same information that will be on a piece of paper. IPads could also be a very big distraction, as they have access to social media and the internet, which are some of the biggest things that we all use every day.
Those who write in notebooks or on paper feel like they learn better from physically feeling the pen or pencil write on the paper. Also, the exercise of the hand moving while writing on paper gives the brain a signal to remember what you are writing. Memory recollection helps with cognitive understanding. We are able to remember the most important information by focusing on the notes we’re taking. You have zero distractions when it comes to “pen to paper.” We put all of our attention onto what we are writing. Notebooks and paper are more cost-effective than iPads. There could be limits with space, accessibility, and organization, causing bulkiness and time constraints.
Many might have their pros and cons to note-taking for any situation, but it all comes down to if you remember the information and personal preference. What do you prefer and find most effective?