Your Cart is Empty
20% Off All Notebook Orders - FREE Shipping on orders over $35
20% Off All Notebook Orders - FREE Shipping on orders over $35
According to a recent IFOP survey, nearly 50% of young people aged between 12 and 25 believe that handwritten notes encourage memorization.
This survey is supported by numerous studies and international research. Although digital is now an essential part of our everyday lives, a paper and pencil remain valuable allies too!
(Handwritten) notes stay… in our memory
On a keyboard, a single stroke is required to write a letter. And it’s always the same one, whether you type an A or an M. In contrast, using a pen in a writing notebook stimulates numerous areas of the brain. It’s necessary to propel the movements of the hand and to activate all the muscles while “thinking” of the word to be written. This process, divided into several stages, proves to be an excellent stimulus for the memory, as linguist Alain Bentolila explains.
If you need persuading, remember those cheat sheets you prepared just before an exam? The mere act of carefully copying your best notes while concentrating on the important elements of the lesson helps you memorize them. Result: Even more reason to use them! So, if you’ve done your lessons on a computer, the best way of studying your notes is still to copy them out by hand.
Writing by hand: our brain says thank you
Moreover, this claim is confirmed by a study conducted by Pam A. Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, researchers from the Universities of Princeton and California. It highlights “the superiority of the pen over the keyboard when taking notes and memorizing. “The reason is simple: when we tap on a keyboard, our brain focuses on the letter and not the content, leading to a word-by-word transcription. In contrast, when we take notes during a meeting or lesson, we encourage our brain to synthesize the key ideas. This analytical effort, combined with the visualization of the words on the paper, greatly improves memorization.
As tapping keys require less motor effort, doing so intensively might even prove negative for our ability to remember. This is highlighted by a Canadian study published in August 2013 following a series of tests on students. Michelle Dresbold writes in her book Sex, Lies and Handwriting “The keyboard has superseded the pencil for a large number of reasons. However, the lack of use of the exercise of writing by hand is likely to deplete our cognitive skills.”
So, open your notebooks and notepads!
We’re ringing in 2020 with a serious dose of innovation that is going to completely change the way you study.
Introducing Flash 2.0—the next generation flashcards, launching at CES 2020!
Powered by SCRIBZEE®, hamelin’s analog and digital bridge, our flashcards offer you the opportunity to jot, write, and draw your notes in your own handwriting (remember, this is key for retention!) and then, with the seamless click of a button, study these notes digitally, whenever and wherever you want.
We sent some hamelin samples to tech writer Andrew George and we’re pretty stoked on his review.
Andrew, who is a fan of Rocketbook’s reusable technology admitted that both the Wave and the Everlast are lacking in the writing feel department. And that’s where hamelin notebooks shine.
Have you heard of CES?
It’s the largest and most influential technology event on the planet. The international conference has been drawing innovative companies from around the world for the past 50 years—and has become the global stage for breakthrough technologies.
Hamelin Brands Inc. is excited to be attending this year’s event. Please stop by and see us at Booth 45253 (in the Family Tech section), where we will not only be demonstrating hamelin’s fantastic new notebooks but also be releasing a brand NEW and EXCITING range of products.