Just a quick note to praise the longevity of pen and paper and their importance to PhD life...well, mine anyway.
Advances in technology have put computer desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones wherever you look. The main purpose of technology is speed. To make tasks quicker, easier and more efficient. Of course, I am very grateful to be able to type my 80,000 word thesis rather than hand write it, for the software that can compute all the nasty statistics for me and programs that file and organise my references. I admit that mighty Google has been a life-saver on many occasions, and having instant access to materials from around the world through electronic journals has made research a much easier job than scholarly predecessors had. I have barely stepped foot in a library since I started studying but if I ever need to look at an actual book then Amazon.com usually does the trick. Without the beloved computer, my presentation skills would take a massive nosedive if I were forced to return to the days of acetate sheets, overhead projectors and hand-drawing tables and graphs. Let's not forget the hours of procrastination provided by Facebook, YouTube, and, for when you want to pretend you're keeping up to date with current affairs, BBC News.
Yes, technology really is wonderful and most of the time I would say it wins hands down, I couldn't do without it and I will admit to being surgically attached to my iPhone...BUT there are just some tasks I find almost impossible to do on-screen, no matter how fancy, clever and intuitive they make the software.
Reading academic papers, or reading anything for that matter is a key example. Proof-reading chapters/papers, presentations, etc. I am unlikely to be a Kindle convert any time soon. Yes you can highlight text, make comments and track changes when proof-reading and editing but it's just not the same as getting a hard copy and going to town on it with a highlighter, red pen and spreading the pages all over the place. It's much more satisfying scribbling through some ridiculous waffle you previously bashed out and scrawling "what was I thinking?!" in bright red ink, than simply pressing DELETE until the evidence is gone for ever. There's no danger of accidentally leaving some of your own 'bad writing commentary' on the final version as it will be in the recycling; type it in your document and it could be overlooked and sent to your supervisor by mistake.
Personal timetabling is another thing I just don't find as useful in the electronic world. I know there are people who swear by their smartphones, Google calendars, Outlook planners, and have every single aspect of their life synced to ensure they don't forget anything, but it just doesn't work for me. Give me a to-do list on my whiteboard or a list of notes in my diary and I'm happy as Larry (and more likely to turn up to my appointments and get the jobs done - most of the time).
Finally, brain-storming or doing a bit of tough mental work. I can sit and stare at a screen and try and work out a plan, or how my stats all work together and I may, eventually, reach an answer. But. give me a bunch of pens, preferably in a multitude of pretty colours, and some paper to hash out my ideas on and I'll get there much faster and with a greater sense of understanding. I don't know whether it's because you are physically writing out words and this takes you longer, giving you time to work things through, but I find writing things down can often be the only way of wrapping my head around something I'm particularly struggling with. Personally, I don't think you can beat a handwritten spider-diagram for planning or revision.
It may be because you have to engage your brain a little more when handwriting something, at least I think so anyway...don't quote me. Whatever the reason, I value my stationary just as much as the several hundreds of pounds worth of technology I use to help me get through my studies. I will never have a fully digitised existence. My house will always be full of real books and I'll enjoy reading a handwritten card or letter much more than an e-mail. I might not be able to live without technology but I couldn't do without the traditional way either!
Perfect.
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