Computers and telephones have become note-taking methods for many people.

But do you know if your brain actually gets more benefit from taking notes using pen and paper?

This article was originally published on The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons license.

Whether you’re picky or not, know that a hand tool is a tool for the brain.

Handwritten notes are a powerful tool for encrypting the cognition contained in notes.

Which it supports the brain’s capacity to retrieve information.

Plus, when you take notes by hand, your hands create powerful external memory storage: your notebook.

Taking notes by hand is a win-win solution, and is included in every student’s cognitive tool kit.

Learning how to effectively take notes by hand, and how to embed notes as a primary learning and learning tool, can start as early as grade 3 or 4, but it’s never too late to start.

We live in a digital age where daily activities involve digital communication.

Indeed, automation in keyboards is also an important skill, and the tools and applications for digital communication will continue to evolve.

But they all have their place.

The keyboard does not provide tactile feedback to the brain such as contact between a pencil or pen and paper.

While your laptop may seem faster and more efficient, there are good reasons to have a paperbound notebook and pen.

Researchers have found that keyboard-related note-taking involves word-for-word note-taking in a way that does not involve processing information, hence the term “non-generative” note-taking.

In contrast, taking notes by hand involves cognitive involvement in summarizing, paraphrasing, organizing, mapping concepts, and vocabulary – in short, manipulating and transforming information leading to deeper understanding.