Students who take notes on laptops produce higher-quality notes than students who write by hand.

Is it true that students who take notes on laptops produce higher-quality notes than students who write by hand?

Partly. The retrieved studies address laptop versus handwritten note-taking mainly through learning and recall outcomes rather than note quality itself. One study reports laptop note-takers wrote more words, while others report worse performance or no recall difference, so the evidence only partially bears on the claim about note quality.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 2 sources for, 3 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Cengiz, G. J. & Hakan, D. (2005). Learning with Technology: The Impact of Laptop Use on Student Achievement. eric.ed.gov. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ795716

M., C. R., Ryan, H., & M., S. T. (2022). The Value of Handwritten Notes: A Failure to Find State-Dependent Effects When Using a Laptop to Take Notes and Complete a Quiz. eric.ed.gov. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320979895

The Use of Portable Computers: A Survey of Visually Impaired College Students. (1992). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x9208600808

No difference in factual or conceptual recall comprehension for tablet, laptop, and handwritten note-taking by medical students in the United States: a survey-based observational study. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2022.19.8

PA, M. & DM, O. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: advantages of longhand over laptop note taking.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581