Koa has a confession: she owns a laptop, a tablet and a phone, and she still reaches for a notebook when it's time to really learn something. Today we look at what research actually says about handwriting vs typing, share one classic note-taking method, and introduce Koa's newest desk companion.
Pen or keyboard? What the studies say
In 2014, psychologists Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer published a famous study with a very quotable title: "The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard." Students watched short talks and took notes either by hand or on a laptop. The laptop group tended to copy more word for word, and the handwriting group did better on conceptual questions.
The story didn't end there. In 2019, Kayla Morehead, John Dunlosky and Katherine Rawson ran a replication using the same materials, and also tested students again two days later. They did not find the same clear advantage for handwriting, and after the delay the note-taking method made little difference.
So what's the takeaway? Koa's version: the tool matters less than what you do with it. Notes that you put into your own words, and then actually review, beat perfect transcripts that you never open again. A notebook just makes it a little harder to copy everything verbatim, and a lot harder to get distracted by notifications.
Try the Cornell method this week
The Cornell note-taking system was devised in the 1950s by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University, and popularised in his book How to Study in College. It needs nothing but a lined page:
- Right column (about two-thirds): your notes during class, short and in your own words.
- Left column (about one-third): after class, add keywords or questions.
- Bottom strip (a few lines): a two- or three-sentence summary of the page.
To review, cover the right column and quiz yourself using the questions on the left. It's active recall in disguise! Koa likes to do one Cornell review per focus round on the free Pinkoa study timer: 25 minutes of quizzing, 5 minutes of tea.
New in the shop: Koa Study Buddy Spiral Notebook
Our very first Desk & Study product! A soft pink spiral notebook with Koa (glasses on, book in paws) on the cover. 160 pages, and you choose the inside: blank, dot grid, lined (perfect for Cornell notes) or task pages. Meet the notebook.
Koa's desk picks to go with it
- Koa Study Buddy Sticker: the same bookish Koa, for your laptop or water bottle.
- One More Pomodoro? Sticker: for anyone who says "just one more round".
- Pinkoa Study Planner: a printable planner to map out what goes into your notebook each week.
Shade of the day: Baby Pink
Baby pink, #F4C2C2. A light, gentle pink whose first recorded use as a colour name in English dates back to 1928. In Western culture it has long been linked with baby girls, the way baby blue is linked with baby boys, but today it's simply one of the calmest pinks around.
- Pairs well with: soft grey, cream, mint green and a deep navy for contrast.
- On your desk: use it as a highlighter colour for definitions, or for the summary strip of your Cornell notes.
- In your planner: mark rest days and study breaks in baby pink, so your week looks as kind as it feels.
- In your outfit: a baby pink sweater with light denim or grey trousers is an easy, cosy library look.
Now grab a pen, open a fresh page and pinkoa. Koa believes in you!