Taking notes in the digital age: Evidence from classroom random control trials

Taking good notes is linked to success in college. However, increased use of computers to take notes necessitates reconsideration of the linkages between note-taking and learning. One difficulty is disentangling the latent student characteristics that may correlate with computer use from the actual effect of computer note-taking on information retention. The authors employ a within-subject, random control experiment to distinguish whether the commonly perceived negative correlation between digital note-taking and performance is due to the note-taking process itself, or is instead due to the characteristics of students who choose to use computers. Their findings suggest that digital note-taking does not have a statistically meaningful impact on student performance; rather, the problem likely lies in the students’ choice to use the computer.