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The Case for Using a Paper Planner
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Posted by Dr Andus
Apr 1, 2019 at 08:48 PM
WSP wrote:
Yes, I agree. My handwriting has deteriorated badly in recent decades—
>whether because of old age or constant use of keyboards, I’m not sure.
It’s not only old age. Children these days don’t even have the muscles to hold a pencil:
Posted by Dr Andus
Apr 1, 2019 at 09:00 PM
I suspect we discussed this at the time, but there was also the 2014 Mueller and Oppenheimer study about longhand notetakers vs. typists, and the former ended up understanding the content of their notes better and took better notes:
Posted by MadaboutDana
Apr 2, 2019 at 09:23 AM
As someone who touch-types, but also takes more and more brief notes by hand (and wow, am I having to re-learn the skills!), I think there is a significant qualitative difference.
But for speed, touch-typing wins every time. And as remarked previously, sometimes also for flow. Although nothing beats a pen for making very rapid diagrams/flow charts. I’ve tried erasables, but it’s just not the same. What about devices like the reMarkable? It would be interesting to see what users (I believe we have a few) are experiencing as they commit more and more stuff to digital handwriting.
I’ve also discovered a rather gratifying side-effect. If I’m meeting with a client, and taking notes while gazing steadily at them (rather than at the keyboard), it makes a seriously powerful impression. Amusing, but true.
As for the academic research: yes, I’m not joking about this. I’m fascinated in the whole process of ideation, although I hasten to add right now that I’m not a specialist and have no training in this field. But a couple of decades ago, I did discuss the possibility of doing a PhD on the differences between the English approach to expressing a thought vs. the German one (very crudely the verbal vs. the nominal), and my former tutor thought this was a great idea. Since then, there has been some discussion of this in linguistic circles, but the whole field of cognition > expression (verbal or physical) is still, I believe, in its infancy. Fascinating insights are emerging all the time, mind you.
I’d be happy to discuss a possible platform/approach/feasibility study etc. with anyone who’s interested. I can be contacted on b i l l . p r i v a t e [ a t ] w o r d g y m . c o m
Cheers,
Bill
Posted by Hugh
Apr 2, 2019 at 10:34 AM
jaslar wrote:
>That article also urges the reader to check out the Traveler’s Notebook.
>A Japanese product, it does look beguiling.
>https://www.travelers-company.com/products/trnote/about
>
>If anyone uses it, I’d like to hear more about it.
>
>
I have something like the Traveller’s Notebook that you describe. There are four or five things that I like about it:
- it has leather covers and is kept closed with a leather thong. These are relatively robust;
- it is relatively compact: approx. 5 in x 4 in x 1 in;
- it contains several small, easily replaced, notebook refills, bound in a way that’s not obstructive when you write (I’ve never liked large ring-binders of the kind found in Filofaxes and similar items which get in the way of your writing hand as it moves across the page - especially for me, a right-hander, on a left-hand page);
- within its covers it has space for a small pen (I didn’t like the fat pen that came with it, but easily found a slimmer replacement;
- it looks quite cool;
- for what it is, it’s relatively inexpensive.
I don’t use it for organising my life (which is probably just as well, because the page-refills are completely blank, although I believe lined refills are available). But I do use it for frequent hand-written jottings: ideas, thoughts, embryonic plans, recollections and so forth.