Lecture Notes: The Laptop Superiority Effect, Note-Taking Methods, and Replication Debates

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture about note-taking, the laptop effect, and related research debates.

Laptop superiority effect

The claimed advantage of typing notes on a laptop over handwriting for memory recall.

Encoding benefit

The increased probability of recall that comes from how information is encoded during note-taking.

Storage benefit

The idea that simply having notes stored externally improves exam performance.

External storage hypothesis

The hypothesis that notes serve as an external memory store, aiding performance independent of encoding style.

Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard

Mueller & Oppenheimer (2014) finding that handwriting enhances recall more than typing.

How Much Mightier is the Pen than the Keyboard?

Morhead et al. (2019) study questioning replication of the handwriting advantage; found handwriting did not consistently beat typing.

Morhead et al. replication

A replication study challenging Mueller & Oppenheimer’s handwriting advantage results.

Cohort effect

Differences in study results due to characteristics of participant cohorts (e.g., typists’ skill levels).

Paraphrasing

Restating information in one’s own words; cognitively demanding, especially in lectures.

Transcribing

Typing or writing notes verbatim from the lecture.

Negative instruction

Instructions like 'don’t think about X,' which can be ineffective due to thought suppression limits.

Operation span task

A standard measure of working memory that combines processing and storage tasks.

Working memory

The cognitive system that temporarily holds and manipulates information.

Typing proficiency

An individual’s skill level at typing, used as a moderator in note-taking studies.

Note quantity

The amount of notes produced; often greater in typing/ transcription conditions.

Verbatim overlap

The degree to which notes reproduce exact wording from source material.

Lecture simulation

An online or simulated lecture used as the experimental learning material.

24-hour delay

A 24-hour interval between learning and testing to assess retention.

Cue cards

Notes created by participants to cue recall during later testing.

Constructivist vs Transmission teaching

Debate about learner-controlled, construction of knowledge versus teacher-led transmission.

Learning styles myth

The debunked idea that teaching to a learner’s preferred style reliably improves learning.

APA formatting

Guidelines for formatting psychology papers and references; recommended to use reference managers.

AI etiquette statement

A declaration stating whether and how AI tools were used in preparing the assignment.

Zotero/Mendeley

Reference management tools recommended for organizing citations and formatting.