Print vs Digital Reading: What is the Difference for Readers

It is a known fact that English is a leading dialect in the world. Even the natives of those countries where English is not the first language have to learn the vernacular for it to be accept universally. So many types of research that have shown that one of the effective ways of learning a new language. Via reading for reading substantially helps in a person’s character. Moreover, intellectual building, career prosperity, along with proving to be a great resource for higher studies.

Apart from academic and professional benefits, reading helps a person in decision making as well, for it widens the thinking horizons. Moreover, alters the irrational perceptions that were set from the past without any evidences. (Pardede, 2019)

Moreover, other benefits of reading include making the reader a better writer. (Anderson, 2003) Through reading, the reader can decipher different sentence structures, understand the tone of writing, learn the use of punctuation, and get familiar with the syntax of the language that is supposed to be follow when writing or speaking the dialect. Not only the rules, but reading also introduces the reader with new words and enhances their vocabulary to better ornate their piece of writings and prove to be a good college assignment help for students as well. Therefore, it is imperative for English learners to delve into reading along with writing and speaking practices.

Benefits of Reading

For numerous benefits of reading, it has been included in various English learning programs as well like the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and has been a part of otherwise learning as well from a long time. Earlier, in ancient times only printed texts were available in the form of textbooks, journals, new papers. Even the conversation between people used to take place through telegrams and letters. Nonetheless, in the contemporary world where digitalization has taken over massively, print writing is gradually getting replace with digital books called e-books. Not only the books but plenty of printed items like newspapers, articles, and journals have been substitute with electronic items. With this change comes a question that what effects it brings to the reader when they read electronically rather than in printed versions.

There have been several studies evaluating, differentiating paper reading, and electronic reading for the readers. It said that only a bibliophile could figure out the right difference between the two. Nevertheless, some recent findings on a similar topic have resulted in favor of in-print reading and negatively for online or e-reading.

About Electronic Reading 

In the fast-paced world where everyone is in hurry and are engage with multiple activities simultaneously, electronic reading has been a useful and handy innovation. Not to mention the facility of audiobooks which can be a blessing in disguise. Electronic reading facilities like Kindle is much more convenient to carry due to their portability than books. (Blundell, 2018) Since one kindle pad has a number of books in its memory, therefore, it saves the hassle of carrying different books in one’s bag and bearing that load on their shoulders. The wireless Kindle device can give the reader the access and ease of purchasing books online and not only books but daily newspapers as well. The device could be a best friend to a frequent traveler with its transportability and additive features like bookmarks, highlighting, and lookup for meanings of new words. (Pollette and Strickland, 2021)

Even though with abundant advantages of electronic reading, the studies that wanted to figure out the preference of students stated that when students are given a choice between electronic reading or in-print reading, often they are seen opting for printed books over e-books. (Baron, 2017). It was evaluate that most of the students spent less time indulging in electronic versions of reading because of its low comprehensibility. Baron’s other study suggested that 92% of students out of a large number of 400 candidates in the study, answered that it is much easier to concentrate while reading printed books than electronic books. (Allcott, 2021)

Impacts of Electronic Reading

One of the research projects in similar topics discussing the advantages and disadvantages of electronic reading by (Hooper and Herath, 2014) listed some of the impacts of electronic reading on the readers. Some of them are:

• Increased frequency of reading
• Accessibility to excessive reading material
• Enhanced ability to go through and skim the paperwork
• Provides access to best websites for assignment writing

While there are some undeniable advantages of electronic reading, some disadvantages that cannot be overlooked. For example;

• Eye-strain
• Inability to concentrate
• Distraction
• Loss of patience

Impacts of Print Texts 

In-print books have the benefits that known to everyone some of them, which are apparent and most result-orient, are as follows:

• In print, texts enable the reader to sustain and retain more information than e-learning.
• Helps the reader to become a better reader since it eliminates the distraction
• In-print books are user-friendly as they are easy to eyes of the reader and save them from eye-strain
• Since in-print books do not have the blue light emerging out of, it helps the reader to sleep better at night without having any issues with the eyesight when you wake up.
• In-print books are directly proportionate to higher academic results since it forms a habit of reading thoroughly and with concentration.

Summary

To terse, where electronic reading has its advantages, it is not spare from the disadvantages too. However, largely, it depends on the reader how they are wanting to read and what option they want to choose between electronic and in-pint reading. Nonetheless, according to several types of research, most people do prefer reading manually than electronically because it offers better understanding and comprehensibility, immense intellectual ability to the readers, and long sustainability of the information. Such benefits are always fruitful for the readers in the long run for perpetual growth. Moreover, enable people belonging to every field be it students, professors, professionals with immense knowledge.

References

Allcott, L. (2021). Readers on-screen vs readers in print: What’s the difference for learning? National Library.

Anderson, N. J. (2003). SCROLLING, CLICKING, AND READERS ENGLISH. The Readers Matrix .

Baron, N. S. (2017). Readers in a digital age. Phi Delta Kappan.

Blundell, S. (2018, October 13). Dear Reader. (N. Z. Listener, Interviewer)

Hooper and Herath, V. a. (2014). Is Google Making Us Stupid? The Impact of the Internet on Readers Behaviour.

Pardede, P. (2019). Print vs Digital Readers Comprehension in EFL.

Pollette and Strickland, C. a. (2021, August). How the Amazon Kindle Works. Retrieved from electronics.howstuffworks.com: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/travel/amazon-kindle.htm