A pilot study of note-taking: speed and forms of writing in three schools

Abstract

This work analyzes whether writing modalities (cursive or print) and pencil grip influence writing speed and the ability to take notes in class. The study, conducted in 2024 in Salto and Paysandú (Uruguay), included 145 participants between 12 and 60 years of age, with educational levels ranging from elementary school to university level. Factors associated with the relationship between writing speed and writing style in different age groups were analyzed. For this purpose, three texts containing 100, 50, and 35 words read in one minute were dictated. The way of holding the pencil, the writing modality, and the use of abbreviations were documented using photographs. The results show that the average writing speed is 50 words per minute, lower than the expected 80. It was evidenced that the older participants tended to use the classic gripper to hold the pencil, while the younger ones presented significant deviations. In terms of writing style, cursive predominates in the older groups, while print is more common in the younger ones. These findings suggest a transformation in the writing skills of Uruguayan students, which could have implications for teaching and learning processes. The need for more detailed studies to understand these trends and their educational impact is highlighted