Ipad or classical textbook for notes?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the comparison between modern notetaking technology and traditional pen and paper, particularly from the perspective of a physics student. Advocates for digital notetaking highlight advantages such as cloud storage, the ability to include graphics and calculations easily, and better organization of notes. Digital tools allow for features like resizing and re-coloring handwritten content, and they facilitate the retrieval of old calculations without the risk of physical deterioration. Users appreciate the convenience of accessing notes on multiple devices and the ease of replicating documents.Conversely, supporters of pen and paper emphasize the tactile experience and memory retention benefits associated with physically writing notes. They argue that handwritten notes can be more expressive and visually organized, allowing for personal touches like doodling that enhance creativity. Ultimately, the choice between digital and traditional methods appears to depend on individual preferences, with some users finding a balance between both approaches.
DasTohl
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Hi,
I want your opinion regarding modern notetaking technology. Is it better than using the classical pen & paper? As a physics student it would be an advantage to save my notes in the cloud.
 
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Welcome, I'm quite aged (57) so I choose old-fashioned paper. I think it depends on the amount of the information. If you are serious, save in the cloud
 
mcastillo356 said:
Welcome, I'm quite aged (57) so I choose old-fashioned paper. I think it depends on the amount of the information. If you are serious, save in the cloud
Thanks! I also prefer old-fashoned paper. And compared to an ipad, it never runs out of battery ;)
 
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For me, I work on various handwritten calculations... sometimes based on a passages from a book or paper.
With a digital notebook, it is easier for me to include graphics and calculations from (say) wolframalpha or Maple, etc... I can more easily resize and re-color my handwritten calculations and drawings. I can copy portions... especially if working on a long algebraic derivation.

In my digital documents, I use a stylus and the handwritten ink is in a format that is treated like "digital ink"... as opposed to merely marks (as if done with a paint program).

I can stop and resume later... and I could organize digital documents better than sheets of paper.
I can (and have) gone back to old calculations that I had put aside many years ago...
(I also have found old calculations on paper that have the pencil marks smeared. It was in an old box that was stored away. By contrast, calculations on digital documents can be easily replicated and carried around on a flashdrive or kept in the cloud.)

I've been using a tabletPC since they came out (around 2003).
(Here's an old thread https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...science-teaching-blog-entry-from-2006.767963/ ). I have lecture notes from courses I have taught since then... they came from the board notes in class I wrote using my tabletPC and a projector. (I uploaded pdfs to the course-management website.)

Of course, do whatever is more comfortable or more convenient.
I have gone the digital route. Certainly, at times, I use paper... but many more times, I work digitally.
 
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Have you tried this? Most people can write much faster using pen and paper.
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
Have you tried this? Most people can write much faster using pen and paper.
I was taught that physically writing notes aided memory retention better than typing.
 
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For me, being highly visual, layout is a very strong tool for organizing thoughts/notes.
Text size, location, heaviness, etc. say as much about the information I'm writing as the words.
So a pen and paper are far more rich and expressive than typing.

Also, when not actually writing, I can mindlessly doodle in the margins, which is critical.
 
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