Which is better for taking notes in college?

[GoSharks]

Originally posted by: Kanalua
Laptop...much cleaner notes, will prepare you for writing in the real world (i.e. - on a keyboard), will improve your typing skills

I would hope that by the time you are in college, you won't need to practice those skills anymore. Typing isn't something that you forget overnight.

Pencil and paper FTW. The only time laptops are useful is when there is a lot of text coming at you quickly and there are no handouts or powerpoints to download. Example - old school teacher who used prepared overhead transparencies.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Anything with a lot of math paper and pencil (who the fuck uses pen for note taking)

Anything else a laptop hands down. Some classes might move so fast it can make just copying the bullet points tough, let alone any fleshed out details that are presented on a screen or board. Not only is typing so much faster, its is far easier to touch type than to touch write, making the experience even more comfortable and capable of allowing you to focus as you're not spending all your energy just to keep your head above the water just copying.

If there is anything that requires some drawing there's nothing stopping you from using paper and pencil if the laptop isn't adequate alone.

Originally posted by: spidey07
Pen and paper. The act of you actually writing it will make it stick in your head much better. Easy to draw arrows, emphasize points, link ideas, etc.

I disagree, if hand writing is slow enough relative to the presentation to the point where all you're doing is trying to keep pace copying, there's far less chance you're actually paying attention to what is being said and actually copying it into your brain.

 

[octopus41092]

A tablet, it's both combined!

You can draw diagrams and stuff and you can type when you want to have text notes.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I debated on getting a laptop throughout all of college and never ended up getting one. If I would of had lot of classes where it's strictly note taking I probably would have. It's much easier to keep up with the prof typing then writing by hand, though it is true by hand it's easier to do diagrams and stuff.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles

Originally posted by: spidey07
Pen and paper. The act of you actually writing it will make it stick in your head much better. Easy to draw arrows, emphasize points, link ideas, etc.

I disagree, if hand writing is slow enough relative to the presentation to the point where all you're doing is trying to keep pace copying, there's far less chance you're actually paying attention to what is being said and actually copying it into your brain.

Note taking is about grabbing the relevant points and linking them in your own mind from the speaker. Not copying what is on the board/screen.

 

[xSauronx]

for taking notes during class, i use a pencil and paper (its been a while since i had a class where i did this, i mostly take tech stuff)

for classes where i take notes from material put online or taken from a book, i type it up

 

[BeauJangles]

Pencil and paper. With a computer you get sucked into writing everything the professor says down. P+P allow you to take down exactly what you need to know, draw lines, arrows, whatever to connect information. Plus, you get a leg up when you go to study because you'll remember more.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: LW07
Is pen and paper still good for taking notes in college or should i splurge for a laptop?

many profs will not allow you to use a laptop in class for note taking.

 

[nerp]

If you're distracted with a laptop in class, use Writemonkey or something so you just have full screen, green on black text and nothing else.

Or, learn some self control.

 

[Shadow Conception]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: LW07
Is pen and paper still good for taking notes in college or should i splurge for a laptop?

many profs will not allow you to use a laptop in class for note taking.

Why? Just to be assholic?

 

[drinkmorejava]

I need my laptop for a variety of things everyday: Matlab, Maple, Embedded Control, but never for notes other than viewing slides.

Pen and paper is where it's at. Can't stand pencils though, the crap rubs everywhere, transfers to other pages, lead is always breaking. I find I make fewer mistakes knowing I can't erase with a pen either.

 

[lokiju]

This would work well.

Have the quickness of pen and paper with being able to transfer to digital very easily.

 

[MotF Bane]

Laptops are quite distracting.

 

[Throwmeabone]

I hate having disorganized notes so I first write everything down on looseleaf and then go back and type it up while rewording and reorganizing the notes as necessary. There is the added benefit of also being forced to go over the notes soon after class making them stick more in your mind.

 

[thescreensavers]

Originally posted by: lokiju
This would work well.

Have the quickness of pen and paper with being able to transfer to digital very easily.

used this for a bit, annoying had to use special paper. Its still sitting in my cabinet collecting dust since I ran out of paper.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: Throwmeabone
I hate having disorganized notes so I first write everything down on looseleaf and then go back and type it up while rewording and reorganizing the notes as necessary. There is the added benefit of also being forced to go over the notes soon after class making them stick more in your mind.

It's a bit time consuming, but that's both an effective study method and an effective way to keep clean, organized, and searchable notes that can be stored and distributed easily.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Pencil and paper serves two purposes. First, writing notes is usually faster and second, transferring your notes from paper to the computer reinforces the comprehension and retention.

 

[CraKaJaX]

0.5mm lead mechanical pencil + notebook.

 

[nageov3t]

laptops were so annoying in class, with the constant clack clack.

 

[Demo24]

I've never wanted to bother bringing my laptop to class so I take every thing with a legal pad + pen. All my classes have powerpoint lectures so I just copy what I need down as I don't have to keep up with the professor talking.

 

[theflyingpig]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: newb111
Moleskin notebooks are the way to go

lol.

my vote is papyrus and the blood of the innocent.

I can't believe I was beaten to this. Writing with the blood of the innocent is glorious, is it not?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Laptop.

I can't read my own handwriting and the laptop does all the formatting for you in a easy to see way

 

[oiprocs]

Depends on major.

Liberal arts, laptop. Math/science, pencil paper.

 

[HybridSquirrel]

from my experience. i do better in classes where i take notes on paper/pen

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Shadow Conception

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: LW07
Is pen and paper still good for taking notes in college or should i splurge for a laptop?

many profs will not allow you to use a laptop in class for note taking.

Why? Just to be assholic?

For the same reason they dont allow phones and blackberries in class.

because it can be disruptive.


noisy keys, the potential for email/internet causing you to not pay attention, dead battery, etc.