Researcher Dr. Sofia Martinez claims that handwriting notes leads to better retention than typing. She theorizes that the slower speed of handwriting forces students to process and summarize information rather than transcribe verbatim.
Which study result would provide the strongest support for Martinez's claim?
Students prefer typing because it's faster
Handwriting activates different brain regions than typing
Typed notes contained 60% more words but handwritten notes captured more conceptual content, and handwriters scored higher on comprehension tests
Laptops in classrooms can be distracting
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. This shows quantity vs quality tradeoff and proves the outcome (higher comprehension).
- Context clues: Martinez claims processing/summarizing leads to better retention.
- Evidence evaluation: Fewer words + more concepts = deeper processing. Higher scores = better retention.
- Verify: The comprehension test results confirm the retention claim.
💡 Strategy: Claims about learning outcomes need data measuring actual learning.
Choice A is incorrect because preference doesn't measure effectiveness. Choice B is incorrect because different brain activation doesn't prove better retention. Choice D is incorrect because distraction is a separate issue from handwriting benefits.