Electronic or paper books - which is better?
Numerous studies show that reading printed texts instead of electronic helps to memorize information better.
Why it is better to read paper books
Despite all the advantages of digital sources of information, over the past few years there is more evidence that our brains favor analogue media. That is, reading an ordinary book with a book brings a much more effective result.
According to a study by psychologists from Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles, it's much easier to remember something important by writing it down by hand. According to Maud Purcell, a psychotherapist and expert in journalism, the reason for this may be that the letter activates the area of the brain, known as the reticular activating system. It filters and summarizes the main part of the information on which we concentrate.
It was found that absorbing information from the paper helps to better keep it in memory and increase productivity. Anne Mangen, a professor at the Reading Center of the Norwegian University of Stavanger, conducted a study in which she gave the participants the same 28-page detective story - to someone on paper, and to someone on the Amazon Kindle reader. After that they were asked a number of questions on the text.
Read the story from the paper gave more correct answers to questions related to time and chronology than those who read with the Kindle. And when the participants were asked to arrange 14 events in the right order, the people who read the paper book showed the best result.
- Anne Mangen
The participants of another study had the opinion that they better understand the information when they read from the screens of electronic devices. Because of this, they swallowed the text much faster than those who read from paper, and believed that they would show themselves better in the quiz on the text. As a result, fans of the traditional format not only won in terms of understanding the text, but also predicted their results better.
Print and digital information can coexist peacefully
Printed information is not always as good for understanding and memorizing as digital. It is useful to remember that all media and technologies have their own user interfaces. The user interface of the paper can in some cases better influence the memorization and assimilation of complex information than electronic devices.
But in other cases, for example, when displaying presentations with audiovisual materials, a device like a tablet will be more useful. There is no universal solution. It all depends on a number of factors related to the content, the reader, the purpose of reading, or the situation
Take your time when reading e-books
If you can not refuse e-books, it does not mean that everything is lost for you. You probably think that you absorb information faster than it really is, so you read books faster.
A simple solution will be to slow down and give more attention to the analysis of the material. This will help to perceive the information as well as when reading from paper.
And how often do you read?
What do you prefer?
You will ALWAYS learn better with traditional ways, e.g. to learn your lesson before an exam if you copy by hand the important information while you reading them out loud you will learn much more than people that just read.
Why? By writing by hand you do thousands of micro-movement that your brain assimilates to the information, plus, the fact of reading out loud will record the sound of your voice saying the information your head. The more you create stimulus the more your brain will remember something v.s. watching screens passively.
About electronic or paper book:
Personally, I prefer paper books. I do have a small collection of rare books about Greek philosophy and middle-age poetry. The physical rapport with a book is important when is something cultural or something I value a lot.
On the other hand, when I read a book about business, personal empowerment or PDF type I'll absolutely don't mind to go to the electronic book because for me is not stamped high culture. You cannot compare Homer or Aeschylus to Antoni Robins for instance.
P.S. I love this article, continue you do good job :)
Nowadays books become more valuable, therefore to possess a collection of rare books is a pleasure in itself.
I agree with your words that at the time of writing by hand, we use our brains much more. It's like a reflex that our brain is taught since childhood. We write information in lectures only because it allows the brain to be heavily involved.
But the most important thing that will help you learn information on any medium is desire. Due to a strong desire, you will learn any necessary information on any medium.
Good comment, you are excellent at expressing your thoughts.
A thought provoking article. Reading besides giving pleasure enhances our vision, we learn, and grow. A person who doesn't read often may remain stagnant intellectually.
I like to read good literature, geography, environment and about progressive technology. After consuming job hours little time is left to pursue reading for pleasure.
I like to prefer reading in printed form perhaps due to the fact that in my younger days there wasn't technology involved so much like these days.
I'm just like you supporter of traditional reading of books. Unfortunately, lately I do not have enough time to read literature - but I began to read the Steemit. This, too, can be called a large e-book which is supplemented daily with new knowledge
I'm sure here on the international platform we can get the most useful knowledge and get to know excellent people.
I haven't read much lately but I rally enjoy it. I prefer physical books over digital. Mainly because I just like the feel of the actual book in my hands. But I notice I am much faster at reading through digital books.
I think they both have their place. I don't think physical books are ever going away.
I'm glad to see that most people prefer paper books. Soon to have paper books will become a rarity. But this is an excellent source of storage and transmission of information. If there is no electricity in the whole world, it is the paper books that will be the source of knowledge. But this is certainly not likely
Thank you for visiting
I prefer books.
I find it very difficult to read e-books.
I would prefer books than digital books.
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