Writing vs. Typing

This article is more for homeschoolers than public or private schoolers since, at least for me, there is an option for writing your essays. This article will discuss the pros and cons of both writing and typing essays. It will also take into account the length of the essay and related issues.

Writing

Writing is an ancient form of communication. It's been used for millenia, ever since Bible times 4000 or so years ago at the very least. In all those millenia it has proven itself to be a reliable medium to express one's feelings. Here are the pros and cons of it:

Pros

You can really feel the essay you're writing.
Writing trains the muscles in your hand
It's generally good for shorter reports (4 pages or less)
You can write a rough draft and proofread it; that means you can be as messy as you like.
Your work is automatically "saved"

Cons

It generally takes more time
You'll have to sharpen your pencil if you use one
Using paper is not very "eco-friendly"
Long reports take at least an hour to write a draft
You'll have to rewrite your rough draft 1-3 times

Typing

Typing is a new form of communication, having risen to popularity in just over decades. It is more versatile than writing and is a desired skill in jobs nowadays. As with writing, typing has its own pros and cons.

Pros

If you learn proper typing, you can type very quickly
If needed, tables and images can be created and pasted
It generally is more "eco-friendly"
You can type almost anywhere (including a car in a bumpy road!)
Using email to send a report is far faster than snail mail if you should ever need to do so.
Good for longer reports.
When proofreading, you can instantly correct mistakes.

Cons

Generally there is no "autosave" like writing; you will need to remember to save it
Technology is fallible; your computer can crash in the middle of typing.
A word processor can be quite tricky if you don't know how to use it properly.
If you like the "feel" of writing, you will miss it if you type.

Conclusion?

Decide for yourself. I myself prefer to write for reports 4 pages or less; for essays 4 pages or more, I prefer to type because it would take too long to rewrite the report. Judge for yourself. You can even write your drafts on paper and transfer the final draft to the computer if you want or if your school requires it.

-Tee (9/1/10)

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