Cognitive map or medium materiality? Reading on paper and screen

This systematic literature review was undertaken primarily to examine the role that print and digitally mediums play in text comprehension. Overall, results suggest that medium plays an influential role under certain text or task conditions or for certain readers. Additional goals were to identify how researchers defined and measured comprehension, and the various trends that have emerged over the past 25 years, since Dillon's review. Analysis showed that relatively few researchers defined either reading or digital reading, and that the majority of studies relied on researcher-developed measures. Three types of trends were identified in this body of work: incremental (significant increase; e.g., number of studies conducted, variety of digital devices used), stationary (relative stability; e.g., research setting, chose of participants), and iterative (wide fluctuation; e.g., text length, text manipulations). The review concludes by considering the significance of these findings for future empirical research on reading in print or digital mediums.

Why Digital Displays Cannot Replace Paper, 2020

We first describe the current situation, in which digital media is rapidly becoming widespread in the field of reading and writing and paper media is being pushed aside. Next, we summarize the convenience of digital media and consider why digital technologies are used widely. We discuss e-book readers and word processors as typical examples of digital reading and writing technologies. After that, we introduce the opinions of experts who have pointed out the dangers posed by the fact that digital media dominate the intellectual activity of reading and writing. Finally, we demonstrate our awareness of the current problems, reconfirm the impact of media on reading and writing, and clarify the aim of this book. The central theme of this book is a comparative study of paper media and digital media in reading and writing. By comparing the characteristics of these two types of media and the behavior of people when they read and write using them, we want to show the advantages and disadvant...

De stralende lezer. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar de invloed van het lezen, Ed. Frank Hakemulder, 2011

This article investigates the influence new technologies might have on ways we read and understand literature in the age of electronic media, specifically in terms of interacting with digital interfaces. As a number of media and communication theorists suggest, electronic media bring about the way we use and understand texts, what in turn has an impact on our thinking. An experiment was designed in order to test whether electronic interface affects literary processing in terms of attention, interest and understanding. Additionally, readers’ performance was compared to their personal preferences for reading on screen or in print. Participants read a short story and were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: reading the story from a computer screen or in print. They were asked to underline striking passages while reading, and to fill out a questionnaire afterwards. Contrary to popular belief, results suggested that reading from screen versus reading in print do not yield significant differences.

Mind, Brain, and Education, 2018

ABSTRACTThe present research aimed to determine the circumstances under which comprehension between paper and e‐readers is comparable and what role working memory plays in successful comprehension of text presented in these formats. Narrative and expository texts were presented in electronic and paper formats to determine whether readers glean different information for these text types via different presentation formats. Results indicated that comprehension for paper and electronic formats may not be equivalent. Although comprehension of thematic information presented via e‐reader was better than when reading for detail (as in expository passages), it did not lead to comprehension as successfully as printed text. In addition, removing working memory led to the disappearance of the effects of presentation method and the type of questions, suggesting that it was important for individual differences in use of the e‐reader device. Implications for the appropriate use of e‐readers are di...

Frontiers in psychology, 2017

While the senior population has been increasingly engaged with reading on mobile technologies, research that specifically documents the impact of technologies on reading for this age group has still been lacking. The present study investigated how different reading media (screen versus paper) might result in different reading outcomes among older adults due to both cognitive and psychological factors. Using a laboratory experiment with 81participants aged 57 to 85, our results supported past research and showed the influence of cognitive map formation on readers' feelings of fatigue. We contributed empirical evidence to the contention that reading on a screen could match that of reading from paper if the presentation of the text on screen resemble that of the print. Our findings also suggested that individual levels of technophobia was an important barrier to older adults' effective use of mobile technologies for reading. In the analyses, we further showed that technophobia ...

International Journal of Educational Research, 2013

Objective: To explore effects of the technological interface on reading comprehension in a Norwegian school context. Participants: 72 tenth graders from two different primary schools in Norway. Method: The students were randomized into two groups, where the first group read two texts (1400-2000 words) in print, and the other group read the same texts as PDF on a computer screen. In addition pretests in reading comprehension, word reading and vocabulary were administered. A multiple regression analysis was carried out to investigate to what extent reading modality would influence the students' scores on the reading comprehension measure. Conclusion: Main findings show that students who read texts in print scored significantly better on the reading comprehension test than students who read the texts digitally. Implications of these findings for policymaking and test development are discussed.

2014

＜Abstract＞ As e‑books have become prevalent during the past few years screen design of e‑book readers (EBRs has also become a key issue for better readability; EBR screen design should be such that it supports the reading process. The purpose of reading is important in determining a reader’s strategy for text comprehension because readers adjust their thinking process to fit the purpose. This study therefore examines the effect of EBR screen formats designed to improve readability on reading performance and cognitive loads. The results revealed that reading for entertainment demanded the least mental effort. When participants were reading for study their self‑evaluation was higher than those of other groups. One interesting result was that the response time for secondary tasks was fastest when a reader’s purpose was study using a multiple screen format EBR. Multiple screen format yielded better results by increasing mental effort and perceived ease of use. This result indicates that...

This paper reports the result of an experiment which tested the users' experience regarding electronic-or paper-based reading. The use of electronic means for reading is widely spread and utilized for a wider variety of tasks, including on-line or electronic reading. In addition, the development of "E-Book" has become fashion in IT industry and even been predicted to replace the conventional paper-based reading. Nevertheless, little research has been done to understand the association of user preferences between these means, in particular, with regard to Chinese environment. A qualitative performance measurement applied to 20 university students was carried out, in which recorded the user behavior and critical incidents in different reading modes based on an analysis of a videotape of reading process, in order to understand the usage of different means, as well as to monitor how people responded to various reading environments. The results showed that most people did not cope with e-based reading well. The disadvantages of paper-based reading, however, did not yet converted to advantages for e-based reading. The main barriers identified are the lower level of man-machine interactions and self-control during e-reading process. Other technical issues such as the glaze of screen, and layout and reading position were also reported. A list of recommendations was made in order to design an e-based reading device which can provide a more comfortable reading experience. Additional implications and future research directions were also discussed.

The effects of reading on pixel vs. paper: a comparative study, 2019

The aim of this study was to examine the effects that reading on screens (using digital devices with different screen sizes) and on paper have on reading time and comprehension. The study group was comprised of126 secondary students from a private school. To ensure balance, the participants were assigned into test groups, formed according to the size of the reading device, based on class levels, gender, and average school grade. In the data collection process, a narrative text was transferred to both print and electronic media. Access to the text was provided on paper and three digital devices. There were no time limitations. After reading, participants were given comprehension tests that consisted of twenty multiple-choice questions. Female participants' on-screen comprehension scores were found to be relatively higher compared to their paper comprehension scores. They also acquired better scores as the screen size increased. Conversely, male participants had higher comprehension scores on tablets and smart phones. Participants who read the text on smart phones and tablets completed the tasks in less time compared to other groups. However, the effects of reading modality on comprehension and reading time were not found to be statistically significant in either the male or female groups. ARTICLE HISTORY

Journal of Research in Reading, 2021

Background: The digitalisation of literature is proliferating, and the increasing spread of digital reading devices and the availability of digital texts is likely to make books on screen a lasting phenomenon, but little attention has been paid to the consequences of digitalisation for the experience of narrative fiction. While on the one hand, reading literature on a digital reading device might trigger a superficial processing of the text, and problems regarding orientation within the narrative, the awareness of reading a literary text might, on the other hand, lead to more in-depth and complex processing, independent of reading medium. This study examines whether the reading performance and the emotional and cognitive experiences of the reception of a literary text vary between reading a printed book or an e-reader. Methods: Using a between-subjects experimental design, 207 participants read the beginning of a novel either in a printed book or on an e-reader. They then completed a reading comprehension test and questionnaires about their cognitive and emotional experiences. Results: Overall, the results do not suggest the clear superiority of either of the two reading media. Neither reading speed nor reading comprehension differed significantly between the two groups. Even though a broad range of reading experiences was measured, neither cognitive nor emotional reading experiences differed significantly between the groups. Conclusion: An e-reader does not affect either reading performance or cognitive and emotional experience of reading a narrative text, compared with a printed book.