My eyes are burning, my head is pounding, and my stomach hurts, but I still have 28 questions left.

The words on my computer are starting to blur together. I know what a Constitutional Convention is, but I’m seeing “Conven-tituational,” and I have no clue what that is.

I guess the six hours I spent studying over the past week just weren’t good enough. I bet if you had given me this same test on paper, I wouldn’t have felt so bad about it.

The unique discomfort and displeasure that comes with taking tests online is a feeling all too familiar.

The shift to digital testing was inevitable during COVID-19 e-learning, but that does not mean it’s beneficial to students. Staring at a computer while taking tests is not just physically uncomfortable—it actively hinders students’ ability to focus on the test at hand, according to a study by the American Institutes for Research conducted in 2016. Without the act of bubbling in, flipping through pages, or scribbling in the margins, I feel a disconnect, making it more difficult to apply the knowledge I have spent weeks learning.

Teachers constantly preach the importance of putting pencil to paper. “Write your notes by hand; it helps you remember better!” they say.

“Show your work so we can give you partial credit!” they insist.

There’s truth to these statements.

The physical act of writing something down causes students to process information more effectively, stay engaged, and better understand new concepts, according to a 2024 study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Conversely, taking notes online often leads to overwriting, meaning that students are not listening or processing the information being shared with them, according to the same study.

In fact, students who do their work on paper outperform their peers who do their work online, according to a study from Reboot Elevate Critical Thinking. The same logic can be applied to testing—when students take tests on paper, they can better understand test questions and answer choices, leading to stronger performance, according to a study from The American Institute of Research conducted in 2018 titled The Effect of Online Testing on Measured Student Achievement.

Additionally, the study from the American Institute of Research conducted in 2018 found that student who took tests on paper scored higher; their scores reflected that they had taken five extra months of math classes and 11 extra months of English classes, proving that tests given on paper give students an advantage in learning.

Beyond academics, paper testing also has critical mental health benefits. Excessive screen time in adolescents increases the risk of depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and sleep deprivation, according to the National Institutes of Health in 2015. Students already spend time on screens outside of school, myself included. The last thing they need is another online test pushing them further toward burnout.

Although using paper testing may seem like a small change, its impact on students’ performance, focus, and well-being is undeniable and important.

South has the tools to provide their students with a better, more effective testing experience without sacrificing sustainability, and should do so in order to boost student success.