Comprehension, they found, was better overall when people read print rather than digital texts. The researchers shared the results in
You absorb more information.
Readers of print books absorb and remember more of the plot than readers of e-books do, according to a study that was presented in Italy in 2014. In an earlier study, print readers also scored higher in other areas, such as empathy, immersion in the book, and understanding of the narrative.
Current research suggests that reading online results in lower understanding and less critical reflection.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that research shows that our brains remember information better when paper notebooks are involved. A 2021 Japanese study analyzed the difference between how your brain responds when trying to remember information that was written down on paper, a tablet, and a smartphone.
In another study, MRI scans of 8- to 12-year-olds showed stronger reading circuits in those who spent more time reading paper books than those who spent their time on screens. For older students, significant research shows that comprehension suffers when they read from a screen.
The researchers found that participants devoted less time to reading the passage onscreen – and performed less well on the subsequent comprehension test. This finding is hardly surprising, given the tendency so many of us have to skim and search when going online, rather than reading slowly and carefully.
Reading via a screen makes the eyes work much harder than reading a print book. Studies have shown that people tend to blink far less when reading on a screen. This can cause the eyes to dry out and become sore. This strain can become irritating and impact a student's performance.
Paper has distinct benefits over digital mediums — such as its visibility, its feel, or the personal touch it brings when given as a handwritten note or greeting card. Using paper may seem like a romanticized notion in the computer age, but it's far from obsolete.
The brain reacts differently--research says better--when you use paper and not a computer. Studies show that students' performance on tests improves when they take notes on paper instead of laptops, and kids who learn to write by hand are better at recognizing letters than those who learn to write by typing.
We found that, compared to reading on a paper medium, reading on a smartphone elicits fewer sighs, promotes brain overactivity in the prefrontal cortex, and results in reduced comprehension.
Some studies have shown that we believe we have understood the text better, when we read from a screen. However, it has been found that we tend to read faster on screen and consequently understand less compared to when reading from paper.
The matter is by no means settled. Before 1992 most studies concluded that people read slower, less accurately and less comprehensively on screens than on paper.
The findings of the American study revealed that the students who wrote on a computer recorded faster, more accurate notes, recording what the lecturer had said much more literally than those who took handwritten notes.
True we can all learn something by reading – we probably do this every day when we research stuff on the internet. In this respect reading is probably one of the most common ways that we access informal learning. But it doesn't deliver when it comes to formal learning and development.
It has been shown that writing by hand on a piece of paper is better for learning by being one of the most effective ways to study and retain information. Along with reading on paper, it also prevents students from being distracted and keeps them focused on the task at hand.
When it comes to paper vs. electronic record keeping, electronic record keeping is far more secure. There is always the risk of a paper document being lost, misplaced, or destroyed by accident. An authorized individual may forget where they left a document or may return it to the wrong place.
For factual learning, taking notes on a laptop may be more beneficial – you can type faster and jot down only the most important details. As for conceptual learning, a 2014 research study is often cited as favoring paper notes, but most other research has shown that computers are better.
It can help improve your communication skills and your vocabulary, it can help improve your memory and can also help you sleep and de-stress.
Reading On A Screen May Make Our Eyes Work Harder
Computer screens, smartphones, and tablets display text and images differently than e-readers and print, using tiny pieces called “pixels.” Focusing on pixels makes our eyes work a little harder than if we were reading a traditional book.
Many of us prefer reading on mobile phones or laptops, but too much screen time can cause headaches and digital eye strain (also known as computer vision syndrome). Computer Vision Syndrome(CVS) is a temporary eye condition that is caused due to continuous exposure to digital screens.
Screen sizes
Better laptops usually have sharper screens with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels or more. You should find a 1920 x 1080 screen easier to read on a 17.3in laptop than on a 13.3 or 14in laptop because everything on the screen will be bigger.
In NNG's most recent study, mobile newsletter readers reported that they: Skimmed newsletters 74% of the time. Fully read newsletters 24% of the time.
Don't worry; there is nothing to be ashamed of. Skimming seems to be what most people do when trying to catch up with their reading nowadays, and who could blame them, right?