Laptop computers allow students to type lecture notes instead of relying on the traditional longhand (i.e. paper–pencil) method. The present research compared laptop and longhand note-taking methods by investigating how the quality (i.e. complete versus incomplete idea units) and quantity (i.e. total words and total idea units) of typed and handwritten notes differed when students did or did not reply to text messages during a simulated lecture. Accounting for the presence of text messaging while participants took notes situated the present study within the reality facing many students in today’s digital age. Findings indicated that a considerable proportion of the idea units captured in participants’ notes were incomplete, regardless of note-taking method or exposure to distraction during the simulated lecture. However, only the total number of complete idea units stored in student notes meaningfully predicted lecture learning. Furthermore, the presence of digital distraction was particularly disruptive to the quality and quantity of laptop users’ lecture notes relative to longhand note takers. Finally, digital distraction emerged as a more meaningful predictor of lecture learning than note-taking method. Recommendations for improving the quality of student lecture notes are discussed and avenues for future research into note-taking completeness and the interplay between digital distraction and note-taking method are proposed.

便携式计算机允许学生键入讲义，而不是依靠传统的手写（即纸笔）方法。本研究通过调查当学生回答或不回答文本时打字和手写笔记的质量（即完整和不完整的想法单元）和数量（即总单词和总想法单元）如何不同，比较了笔记本电脑和手写笔记方法。模拟讲座中的消息。考虑到文本消息的存在，而参与者在当前数字时代面对许多学生的现实中进行笔记时，将其置于本研究中。研究结果表明，参与者的笔记中捕获的思想单元中有相当一部分是不完整的，无论笔记方法或模拟演讲期间是否会分散注意力。然而，只有存储在学生笔记中的完整构想单元的总数才有意义地预测了演讲学习。此外，相对于长期记笔记者而言，数字分散注意力的存在特别破坏了笔记本电脑用户讲义的质量和数量。最终，数字笔记比笔记技术成为演讲学习更有意义的预测指标。讨论了提高学生演讲笔记质量的建议，并提出了进一步研究笔记记录完整性以及数字分散注意力和笔记记录方法之间相互作用的途径。相对于长期使用笔记的人，数字分散注意力的存在尤其破坏了笔记本电脑用户的笔记的质量和数量。最终，数字笔记比笔记技术成为演讲学习更有意义的预测指标。讨论了提高学生演讲笔记质量的建议，并提出了进一步研究笔记记录完整性以及数字分散注意力和笔记记录方法之间相互作用的途径。相对于长期使用笔记的人，数字分散注意力的存在尤其破坏了笔记本电脑用户的笔记的质量和数量。最终，数字笔记比笔记技术成为演讲学习更有意义的预测指标。讨论了提高学生演讲笔记质量的建议，并提出了进一步研究笔记记录完整性以及数字分散注意力和笔记记录方法之间相互作用的途径。