Over the past few years, our technology has advanced considerably, taking over every aspect of our lives. From reading to writing, almost everything we used to do with custom pens and pieces of printed paper is now being digitised. Yet, while some people are embracing the digital era, others are criticising it vehemently. And, until now, it all boiled down to personal preferences.
However, recent research shows that a considerable number of people believe that pen and paper is still the best way to take notes. But how reliable are those numbers, and, more importantly, why are people still using classic methods? Let’s find out!
Paper vs. Screen
Recently, an online notebook retailer, called My Own Stationery, surveyed 102 people. Their goal was to find out how many people prefer pen and paper over digital devices when taking notes in meetings and lecture theatres. According to their own data, 80.4% of subjects prefer taking notes on paper, while 19.6% rely on digital devices. So, at first glance, it seems that an overwhelming majority of people still rely on pens and paper.
Why Do People Prefer Pens and Paper?
While the results are already in favour of pen and paper, the follow-up questions proved to be even more interesting. More specifically, 95.3% of those who use handwriting to take notes in lectures and meetings understood most, if not all, of those notes later. However, only 85% of phone, tablet, and laptop users felt the same way about their own notes.
The results were even more staggering when 15% of those who use digital devices admitted that they only understand some of their notes upon later check. In contrast, only 3.7% of pen and paper users had the same problem. So, it’s safe to say that those who handwrite their notes understand more of them at a later date.
Furthermore, 34.2% of traditional notetakers found that handwriting is much easier and 23.2% believe that handwriting allows them to engage better with the content. Not only that, but 15.9% of them liked notebooks because they were able to draw diagrams right next to their notes. But only 2.4% chose pen and paper because it was much quieter than a normal keyboard. Nonetheless, it’s clear that traditional writing is still the king of note-taking, and will be for a long time.
Why Do People Still Take Notes Using Digital Devices?
By now, you might wonder why people still use digital devices to write their notes. The survey shows that 30% of those against pen and paper found that typing was faster and easier than handwriting. And, more interestingly, 25% chose digital devices over pen and paper due to how easy it is to read and search through the notes. In fact, they consider handwritten notes to be messy and hard to organise.
Additionally, 20% of surveyed individuals revealed that they use laptops and tablets because they need other functions of their devices during writing. As an example, most of them use a calculator or search formulas online when solving maths problems. That also speaks to the multitasking culture that is slowly but surely becoming more prevalent.
Other than that, most digital note takers had a hard time backing up their usage of laptops or tablets. Even so, it’s hard to argue against digital writing, especially when most workplaces or schools put speed above everything else. As a result, there’s no mystery why digital devices are so popular, even when considering their downsides.
Related content:
Printed Notebooks – Better Than Gadgets For Notetaking
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preferences. While some people might find handwritten notes to be more reliable, others might prefer the speed of digital devices. However, one thing is clear — pen and paper is still the preferred method of writing notes and it won’t go away anytime soon. And with so many beautiful and customisable notebooks and notepads, it’s easy to understand why that’s the case.
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