I am a very experienced screen reader. This has been the case for many years. Ironically, I am interested in the screen vs. print research and I have read much of this research. The screen vs. print issue seems to pop up frequently. [Example1, Example2]. I find my own reaction to be very different in several ways from the conclusions of this research.
The literature, quickly summarized, finds an advantage for print reading over screen reading with a greater advantage for informational than narrative texts. I read nearly everything I read on a device. I strongly prefer to read on a device for informational text particularly when reading longer texts (books vs. journal articles). I understand the methodological danger in anecdotal research even when the case used as evidence is yourself so I have tried to think carefully about why I have come to ignore the research and stick with my preferences.
Here are a couple of issues I use to bring some personal understanding to the difference between my perception of my own experience and what the literature seems to be suggesting.
- The research tends to focus on reading comprehension; read and then complete some measure of comprehension. Most of my reading I would describe as reading to write. I highlight and annotate heavily when I read. I find this far more practical to do on a device allowing me to search my annotations quickly and in some cases use the record of my highlights to provide a basis for creating an outline to be used in writing. The time I spend doing this kind of reading may influence my preferences. First, this type of reading is more interactive than the way one would read in preparation for a post reading assessment not allowing review. Perhaps the interactivity changes the nature of my reading in a way that avoids the skimming some see as the reaction of text on a screen. People read for different purposes (enjoyment, understanding). Reading to write as I define it seems similar to what I would describe as reading to study. I think if I were taking classes having the option of a print or digital textbook, I would prefer the digital version. The issue is not so much if I can remember something immediately or later. The issue is whether at a later time I can review effectively.
- I read a lot – probably averaging more than a couple of hours a day. I read many different types of material (books, journal articles, fiction, news) and I do nearly all of this reading on a screen. This has been the case for many years. I wonder about the impact of the amount of experience with online reading of long-form documents.
- I like to change the size of fonts. I find the fonts in many print sources too small. I am older and I find it easier to read with speed with larger text.
