I see more and more people in meetings taking notes on their laptops or tablets.   These devices are easy to manage and for some, using them eliminates a step, especially if you have to share your notes with others. But, research conducted at Princeton and Columbia Universities shows that college students who handwrite their notes retain and comprehend what they hear better than students who type their notes.

Students were able to type more quickly on their devices – practically capturing their lectures verbatim, but they remembered less even when given the chance to study their notes afterwards.

The results of this study have workplace implications as well. We take notes in meetings to capture important information we’ll need later.   With copious amounts of information coming our way, old-style handwriting may give you an advantage when it is time to put that information to use or master a new process.