A system and method for changing data displayed on a touch-sensitive display screen. The present system and method recognize handwritten strokes made with a stylus on the touch-sensitive display screen of a PDA or palmtop computer in order to alter or correct displayed data. In one mode of operation, computer controlled association of the location of the handwritten strokes on the display screen with one or more of the displayed characters will result in automatic replacement of those characters by the handwritten strokes. In a second mode of operation, matching at least one of the handwritten strokes with one character of the displayed data will result in replacement of one or more characters of the displayed data with the handwritten characters. With the present system and method, the number of steps required to alter displayed data is reduced to the number of handwritten strokes. A significant reduction in time and effort as well as a simplification in application is therefore offered.