Handwritten vs typed essay exams
in a first year, first semester course
Jessie Paterson, School of Divinity
Nora Mogey, Institute for Academic Development
The University of Edinburgh
Students in School of Divinity
and the choice they made
for their examination
Dec 2010
May 2011
Dec 2011
Type
13 (9.4%)
11 (8.6%)
??
Hand
125
117
Class total
63
Student can change font size,
colour and set a timer
Basic word processor only
Versions for PC and Mac
Students download & install
Locks laptop
so no access
to internet /
hard drive
www.extegrity.com
Regular
snapshots of
student work
Word count, timer provided
All data
encoded
Final submission via wireless network
Scripts can be printed for marking
Questions still on paper
Diagrams better on paper
Foreign language characters OK
Course team decide on options eg
spellchecking
What do we know already?
In a fixed time, most students type more than they can handwrite
(but we know some are also very slow or very anxious)
Score correlates with amount written (for essays) (Powers, 2005)
…. but not necessarily in timed conditions (Lovett, 2010)
Frequent revision of essay drafts correlates with score (Burke & Cizek, 2006)
The same words handwritten or typed WON’T get the same mark
(unless we give the markers extra training!) (Powers et al, 1994; Mogey et al 2008)
When typing I tend to
type fast and have to
go back and correct
the inevitable mistakes
I will feel more
inclined to reread my work on
computer
I have always written exam essays
by hand; it’s what I am used to and
what I expect
Comfort with what’s familiar
Typing speed
Anticipated differences in writing
Revision of finished work
Concentration
My hand won’t hurt as
much on a computer
With the computer
it is easier to have
an overview and to
organise the
structure
I’m not sure whether using a
computer would actually hinder my
ability to write fluently and
condense what I mean, as I would be
constantly going back over my work
and rewording parts of it
What would you do?
Why ?
Can you be sure that’s the best choice ?
Practice Exam
Two questions, no choice
Everyone does question ‘A’ first, then ‘B’
Half the class type first
Half the class type second
Surveys & focus groups to collect opinions
Essays marked and feedback provided
2 x £50 prizes as an incentive to really try hard !
Student reflections
Would you ever consider using a computer to word process an essay type exam?
BEFORE
AFTER
No
Yes
Total
No
4
2
6 (17%)
Perhaps
2
13
15 (42%)
Yes
2
13
15 (42%)
Total
8 (22%)
28 (78%)
36
Note that some students totally changed their minds
Student reflections
Would you ever consider using a computer to word process an essay type exam?
Yes > No
I feel more comfortable writing
in an exam situation
I preferred the hand written
exam
No > Yes
I learnt that using a computer is
much more productive as it is
more flexible.
I’m quicker and I use a better
vocabulary when I type
Student reflections
Would you ever consider using a computer to word process an essay type exam?
Students who changed their minds :
I also find it helps by just
appearing more structured
and less messy than my
hand-written exams.
from Perhaps to Yes ( 13 / 36 )
I think I may be willing
to change and improve
sentences more.
I feel that I am quicker at
writing on the computer,
and sometimes more
articulate.
Image from Gersie_Ann, Wikipedia commons
Student reflections
I think I would become distracted by the editing of the structure
possible on a computer. I would also be prone to deleting more of my
writing so would up with less written work on the topic. Although it
may be more accurate, it is a risk that is probably not worth taking.
I felt more confident using the computer since that is what I am used to,
possibly over confident, because I felt I was much more careful with the
handwritten exam. I think that the main difference in my approach was
in my planning. I wrote more words on the computer, probably too many,
but had no time to cut down because of my haphazard way of just writing
and changing things as I go along.
Planning
I made a plan for the handwritten essay,
but not for the computer version.
I stunned myself because I did no planning for
the answer that I typed; I simply began to write
and revised in the course of the composition of
my answer.
I started typing immediately
because I knew that I could edit my
answer as I went along.
Does planning help? … Yes !
Handwritten I had
thought about it
before I started so
I knew where the
essay was going, but
less thought was
involved in the
computer version.
When typing you
write more, so you
say more things
that might not
actually be
necessary.
The handwritten
version will be
better structured.
Does planning help? … No!
Although the
handwritten version is
better planned, then
you tend to stick to
that plan, its not really
changed. The typed
version develops much
more as it goes.
When handwriting, I feel
that I am forced to
approach the task with
linear and sequential
thinking, whereas with
the ability to type, I am
able to come to the task
with a more scattergun
approach.
Score handwritten
Does planning help ? No convincing info!
I made a more detailed plan
when using pen & paper
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Score wordprocessed
Students who plan lots when
handwriting should get better
marks when handwriting and
hence would appear in this area.
Students who plan more when
typing should get better marks
when typing and hence would
appear in this area.
How important is appearance?
It’s a good feeling to know that with
typing I am able to insert a thought
seamlessly into what I have previously
written. It can be embarrassing to do
so with handwriting, inserting all sorts
of asterisks and arrows pointing to
different notes.
I am familiar with gauging
my progress in an exam by
the number of pages I have
written and I did not have
the ability to do this with
the computer.
The computer editing
opportunities allowed me
to work longer and make
revisions that I would not
otherwise have done.
Is appearance important for tutors?
It’s faster and it gives you the
option of editing your work.
However, I feel that a tutor reads
typed and handwritten answers
differently, instinctively expecting
more lucidity from a typed page.
Because of this it seems that
handwriting is advantageous, despite
the benefits of typing.
Going into this experience, my sense was that my personal strengths were with
handwriting the exam and this experience confirmed this to me
Going into this experience, my sense was that my personal strengths were with
typing the exam and this experience confirmed this to me
I’m not very good at computers and expected to hate it, but I felt much more
relaxed and will probably type in the exam.
Predicted performance
Score handwritten
No response
Score wordprocessed
So what happened in the exam?
“Just a quick email to say what a
massive difference it made being
able to sit my exam by laptop. I
reckon it made about 15%
difference!”
Dec 2010
May 2011
Dec 2011
Type
13 (9.4%)
11 (8.6%)
11 (18.3%)
Hand
125
117
49
Choice compared to best mark from practice exam
Score in Practice
Exam
Mode
Hand
better
Typed
Better
Handwrite
30
11
Type
7
4
Choice compared to viewpoint after practice exam
Would you
consider typing?
Exam
Mode
Yes
No
Missing
Mean
score
Handwrite
23
8
18
59%
Type
8
0
3
62%
Of the 11 who typed, 6 had written notes by hand in their exam book, 5 had nothing
News flash!
Dec
2010
May
2011
Dec
2011
May
2012
Type
13
(9.4%)
11
(8.6%)
11
(18.3%)
13
(19%)
Hand
125
117
49
54
References
Burke J & Cizek G (2006) Effects of composition mode and self perceived computer scores on essay
grades of sixth graders. Assessing Writing 11(3) 148-166
Lovett B, Lewandowski L, Berger C, Gathje R (2010) Effects of response mode and time allotments on
college students’ writing. Journal of College Reading and Learning 40(2) 64-79
Mogey N, Purcell M, Paterson J, Burke J (2008) Handwriting or Typing exams – can we give students
the choice? Paper presented at Computer Assisted Assessment conference, July 2008
Powers D, Fowles F, Farnum M & Ramsay P (1994) Will they think less of my handwritten essay if
others word process theirs? Effects of essay scores of intermingling handwritten and word processed
essays. Journal of Educational Measurement 31, 220-233.
Powers D (2005) Wordiness: A selective review of its influence, and suggestions for investigating its
relevance in tests requiring written responses. Research memorandum, Educational testing service.
Thank you for listening
But with special thanks to
HEA, Philospohical and Religious Studies subject centre
Prof. John Cowan
Nora.mogey@ed.ac.uk
Jessie.Paterson@ed.ac.uk