The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard

"Psychological Science" recently published a research article showing that taking notes by hand is a more effective method than typing them on a laptop when it comes to processing information conceptually. Sixty-five college students watched various TED Talks in small groups, and were provided with either pens and paper or laptops for taking notes. The students were tested afterward. While the groups performed equally on questions that involved recalling facts, those who had taken longhand notes did significantly better when it came to answering conceptual questions.

Laptop users were trying too hard to transcribe the lecture rather than listening for the most important information and writing it down by hand

Another 2012 study indicated writing is particularly important in the cognitive development of pre-literate children.

So there you are. It would appear that the pen is not yet irrelevant.

The original article is here: http://writerscircle.com/cs-longhand-benefits-research/

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Snollygoster

I subscribe to dictionary.com’s “Word of the Day” and one of its most recent offerings was “snollygoster”. Isn’t that a brilliant word? The meaning is even better: “a clever, unscrupulous person, especially a politician.” We definitely have some politicians here in Australia that fit that description, and judging by America’s latest shenanigans they have them there too.

So I followed up the history of the word, and found that it emerged in America at a similar time, and with a similar meaning to “carpetbagger”. Which had me remembering reading Harold Robbins’ book, “The Carpetbaggers” (which wasn’t banned in Australia).

Another really cool word is “lagniappe” meaning a small gift. It’s a friend’s favorite word, and it rolls off the tongue as evocatively as “snollygoster” but it has a far prettier meaning. It’s also derived from the Quechua language, and I have friends who worked with the Quechua people for many years, which makes it even more relevant to me.

So, what words inspire you, or make you think and remember?

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.