Do you ever feel as if you can’t remember all of the information presented by teachers from lectures in class? Is there a reason for your loss of memory? One possible culprit is the way in which you record information: your notes! What are the benefits of handwritten versus typed notes, or vice versa? It is certain that students of Marymount have asked this question: Should I write or type my class notes to best aid me when studying and help me achieve excellent grades? Luckily, two exceptional students have been kind enough to share their valuable opinions.

Sophie Barr, a ninth grader here at Marymount, supports the idea of handwritten notes over typed notes. She states, “I like handwriting my notes better because the action of actually writing the letters helps me remember the information. Even though it takes longer to write than type, I know the process of writing will help me absorb information faster, which results in less time spent studying.” Scientific studies seem to support Sophie’s ideas. According to a study piloted by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, “People remember lectures better when they’ve taken handwritten notes, rather than typed ones.”

While handwritten notes may be beneficial for some, typed notes work well for others. A ninth grader, Jenna Dosaj prefers to type her notes, verbalizing, “In my opinion, it is much faster and more efficient, and I can keep up with what the teacher is saying. I keep a majority of my work on my computer and prefer to keep as much of it as possible in one place. This makes studying and homework much easier for me.” Jenna brings up another strong argument: typing notes can be much faster and more complete.

It is clear both types of note taking bring excellent results here at Marymount; these two arguments bring us to a solid tie.

After hearing two excellent students’ opinions and their reasoning, it is time to evaluate. You can decide on a note-taking regime by a process of exploration: take notes on your computer on Monday and take notes in a notebook on Tuesday. Which classes presented you with ideas still fresh in your mind after waiting a day? Are handwritten notes better for some classes, and the other better for others? When you have determined which classes you better extracted content from, you are ready to confirm or revise your note-taking routine! Keep in mind, everyone is unique, every situation is different, and the type of note taking that works for your best friend may or may not work for you.

**Don’t forget to check out our poll. We want to know how Marymount takes notes**