Study on ruled vs unruled paper?

[gmax137]

More from memory lane:

Please note, these pads are not marked classified lol.

 

[berkeman]

Do exist maybe some template with grid you can put under blank paper, so you can write straight and nice?

I don't know if it's already been mentioned in this thread, but back in university and then in my R&D work in engineering, using Engineering Computation Pads was very common. The front of the paper is basically blank, but there are grid lines on the back of the paper that you can barely see from the front of the paper. That lets you keep your writing in evenly spaced lines, helps with writing equations, and makes it a lot easier to draw sketches with consistent dimensions. Available in a stationary store (or university bookstore) near you...

 

[symbolipoint]

Do exist maybe some template with grid you can put under blank paper, so you can write straight and nice?

I have seen a square grid ink stamp pad, from many years ago. I cannot remember what company made it or them.

 

[John Mcrain]

I don't know if it's already been mentioned in this thread, but back in university and then in my R&D work in engineering, using Engineering Computation Pads was very common. The front of the paper is basically blank, but there are grid lines on the back of the paper that you can barely see from the front of the paper. That lets you keep your writing in evenly spaced lines, helps with writing equations, and makes it a lot easier to draw sketches with consistent dimensions. Available in a stationary store (or university bookstore) near you...

View attachment 320968

Yes this is good but only lack is that you write at one side of page.
(plus notebook will be twice as thick)

 

[symbolipoint]

Yes this is good but only lack is that you write at one side of page.
(plus notebook will be twice as thick)

How is that the reverse side will not accept pen or pencil markings?

...
I just took another look at post #32. One side is only very lightly line-ruled while the other side is heavy in its line-ruling, so that side will create visual interference upon both writing and reading on that side.

 

[gmax137]

I just took another look at post #32. One side is only very lightly line-ruled

No, these pads are not lined on the "front," rather the paper is thin enough that the lines on the "back" show through.

... while the other side is heavy in its line-ruling, so that side will create visual interference upon both writing and reading on that side.

Yes, that's correct.

 

[Lnewqban]

As you can see below, @John Mcrain, Leonardo was one of the first engineers, who wrote in cursive, while keeping leveled lines and mixing letters and diagrams on blank papers.

You will need a mirror for that one.

Copied from:
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/leonardo-da-vinci-notebook

"The manuscript is written in Italian, in Leonardo's characteristic 'mirror writing', left-handed and moving from right to left."

About the original reasons to use cursive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive

"The origins of the cursive method are associated with practical advantages of writing speed and infrequent pen-lifting to accommodate the limitations of the quill. Quills are fragile, easily broken, and will spatter unless used properly. They also run out of ink faster than most contemporary writing utensils. Steel dip pens followed quills; they were sturdier, but still had some limitations. The individuality of the provenance of a document (see Signature) was a factor also, as opposed to machine font. Cursive was also favored because the writing tool was rarely taken off the paper. The term cursive derives from Middle French cursif from Medieval Latin cursivus, which literally means running. This term in turn derives from Latin currere ("to run, hasten"). Although the use of cursive appeared to be on the decline, it now seems to be coming back into use."

 

[John Mcrain]

As you can see below, @John Mcrain, Leonardo was one of the first engineers, who wrote in cursive, while keeping leveled lines and mixing letters and diagrams on blank papers.

View attachment 321424

You will need a mirror for that one.

Copied from:
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/leonardo-da-vinci-notebook

"The manuscript is written in Italian, in Leonardo's characteristic 'mirror writing', left-handed and moving from right to left."

About the original reasons to use cursive:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive

"The origins of the cursive method are associated with practical advantages of writing speed and infrequent pen-lifting to accommodate the limitations of the quill. Quills are fragile, easily broken, and will spatter unless used properly. They also run out of ink faster than most contemporary writing utensils. Steel dip pens followed quills; they were sturdier, but still had some limitations. The individuality of the provenance of a document (see Signature) was a factor also, as opposed to machine font. Cursive was also favored because the writing tool was rarely taken off the paper. The term cursive derives from Middle French cursif from Medieval Latin cursivus, which literally means running. This term in turn derives from Latin currere ("to run, hasten"). Although the use of cursive appeared to be on the decline, it now seems to be coming back into use."

Cursive is fastest but is hard to read and paper looks like real mess, imagine that books looks like this.
I think is better for learning when paper looks nice,clean organized.

Do you prefer cursive or all caps like engineers/architects often write?



Legibility of this two words are incomparable:

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Cursive is fastest but is hard to read and paper looks like real mess, imagine that books looks like this.
I think is better for learning when paper looks nice,clean organized.

Do you prefer cursive or all caps like engineers/architects often write?



Legibility of this two words are incomparable:View attachment 321433
View attachment 321434

It is hard to read, because they do not teach handwriting in school anymore, and younger people today cannot read it.

I write mainly with fountain pen, and cursive. Largely due to a hand injury from many years ago. No complaints so far. Unlined paper is easy to use Just requires a bit of acclimation, and you will be writing straight in no time.

Look to see what is required from your department. Engineering departments typically require engineering paper. Some of the better made engineering paper is made by Roaring Springs. If you shop around, you can get these pads a bit cheaper than what most university bookstore and amazon sell it for. I once found 100 sheet pads for $2, and ordered about 200.

If you are free to use what ever you want, Seyes paper and dot grid are also interesting choices.

Do you prefer to write in pencil or pen? It makes a difference.

 

[Mark44]

You had to calculate math tasks at blank paper as well? What years was it?

Blank paper? Luxury!
We had to use a pine plank on which we scribbled with a bit of charcoal. We also had to walk to school 20 miles each way, in the snow, and both ways were uphill.

Today all engineering notebooks have grip papers.

Do you mean "graph" paper? Otherwise I don't know what you mean by "grip" papers.

 

[John Mcrain]

It is hard to read, because they do not teach handwriting in school anymore, and younger people today cannot read it.
Do you prefer to write in pencil or pen? It makes a difference.

Where they dont teach cursive? US?
In EU does..

Problem is cursive is not standardized,even if it is , legibility will be always smaller.

Do you mean "graph" paper? Otherwise I don't know what you mean by "grip" papers.

I mean grid.

 

[Vanadium 50]

We had to use a pine plank

You had a pine plank? You were lucky! We had to write on slabs of rocks that we had to smooth with our own tongues, after doing 26 hours of homework every night.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

I mean most..

I understand that Newton wrote at blank paper because at that time ruled paper didnt exist, but in 20century they eixist,so wonder why Einstein do math at blank paper.

All engineering notebooks have grid papers, usualy math/physisc/engineering use grid paper for writing.

What type of notebook do you use for engineering?

View attachment 320890

Einstein also wrote in with a pelikan. Particularly, either a pelikan 100, pelikan 100n, or pelikan 100nn model.

 

[phinds]

Einstein also wrote in with a pelikan. Particularly, either a pelikan 100, pelikan 100n, or pelikan 100nn model.

But not any of his seminal papers (the Pelikan wasn't sold until 1929). Wonder what he used for his early stuff, though I doubt it mattered to him since he would have been focused on WHAT he wrote, not what he wrote with.

 

[gmax137]

We had to write on slabs of rocks that we had to smooth with our own tongues, after doing 26 hours of homework every night.

Lucky bastard! The nuns cut our tongues out when we weren't looking. We had to write with particles of chalk dust we tweezed out of the erasers...

 

[Frabjous]

Lucky bastard! The nuns cut our tongues out when we weren't looking. We had to write with particles of chalk dust we tweezed out of the erasers...

What is this “writing” that you speak of? Physics is performed in one’s head, memorized and then recited to the masses. The succesful physicist learns to avoid the throne stones.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Erasers? You had erasers? ...

 

[PhDeezNutz]

Simple solution. Get printer paper. Put lined notebook paper underneath. Shine desk lamp. See lines through paper without having lines on paper.

I actually used to do this before I just put up a huge whiteboard.

 

[phinds]

I think this thread should be re-routed to something more substantial. I propose that we discuss how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

 

[John Mcrain]

 

[Dr Transport]

Erasers? You had erasers? ...

I had a teacher who was so frugal, she made us erase anything that was wrong on the page and rewrite it. If it was wrong again, repeat. I had times where I was so 'effed up I erased right thru the page.....

She even had a collection of card board backers for the really specific pads she required in class, and this was second grade.... I remember it well, although, I do not remember the specific paper, but it had a map of all the counties of New York State on it. She also required that we write in 4H pencil, as opposed to the typical #2H now a days that can be read by a scanner.

 

[Vanadium 50]

as opposed to the typical #2H

I had a teacher who was so tough, she'd say "I said a #2 pencil. This looks like about a 1.98. Go find a 0.02 and fill them in."

I do miss the iconic 482 Faber Mongol pencil. Also immortalized in the movie Animal House.

 

[gmax137]

I remember the teacher telling us we must "bring a number two pencil " to the test. I thought it was a very odd way to say we needed to bring 2 pencils. Seriously, I didn't get it for a long time.