92 Percent of Students Prefer Paper Books Over E-Books

[Brian in Mesa]

92 Percent of Students Prefer Paper Books Over E-Books

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...r-books-over-e-books-survey-n511371?cid=sm_fb

E-books may be convenient and cheap, but they aren't displacing paper just yet, at least in the hearts and minds of college kids. That's what Naomi Baron, linguistics professor at American University, found out as part of the research she conducted for her new book, "Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World."

She and her fellow researchers surveyed over 300 university students from Japan, Germany, Slovakia and the U.S., and found that 92 percent preferred to do serious reading in paper books — rejecting e-readers, laptops, phones and tablets.

For light reading, such as news articles or anything with a large visual component, a screen might be the better choice — and publishers are exploring that with high-tech, interactive titles. But when it's time to settle down with that new bestseller or power through a book for class, paper appears to be safe for the moment.

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I'm right there with them.

Have yet to read an e-book. Prefer to read a real book.

 

[Catlover]

This makes no sense. I know they exist but I've yet to meet even a single person that gave e books a real chance that didn't prefer them for casual reading. Once they get over the introduction they're sold. Textbooks and such, e books can't compete, but your average bestseller is a no-brainer IMO. Much better in e book format. And more importantly, it's far better for the planet.

 

[NoelPHX]

Personally for me, I enjoy not looking at screen. All I do is look at screens all day. It gives my old eyes something else to focus on.

 

[DWKB]

I have an irrational paranoia about e books.

Mostly I'm worried about mass historical editing and censoring.

 

[Covert Rain]

I used to hate e-books but I have embraced them. I have multiple bookshelfs at home with even more books in storage just taking up space. My wife and I have gotten into e-books and love them. No space requirements and no clutter.

 

[slinslin]

I'd need a waterproof e-book reader.

 

[PDXChris]

Depends for me what it is. For fiction, I enjoy a real books. Not sure why, but I do. Why self help type of book, I prefer e-readers. Now, for technical books, like SQL, I like desktop programs or even PDF format.

 

[Iceman]

I am not a book reader. I am horrible about keeping focus to what I am reading!

 

[Catlover]

I'd need a waterproof e-book reader.

We have 2. Sort of. They make waterproof covers for Kindles and we use them in our spa/pool frequently.

 

[oaken1]

I am a book lover.... e-readers are not books.

 

[Catlover]

I am a book lover.... e-readers are not books.

I am a book lover, my e-reader isn't a book but it contains several hundred of them.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I am a book lover, my e-reader isn't a book but it contains several hundred of them.

It's full of virtual books. They don't really exist. You cannot hold them or flip their pages. You cannot place your favorite bookmark in any of them to save your place. I prefer real books - hardcover or softcover.

I have thousands of comic books as well. Not digital comics, but real bagged and boarded comic books. Big difference.

 

[Catlover]

It's full of virtual books. They don't really exist. You cannot hold them or flip their pages. You cannot place your favorite bookmark in any of them to save your place. I prefer real books - hardcover or softcover.

I have thousands of comic books as well. Not digital comics, but real bagged and boarded comic books. Big difference.

It's still a book, unless you'd still call it a book if the pages were blank because we're there for the content not the container. It's still a song whether the artist is in your living room or whether you're listening to it on a Victrola or CD player or Sirius radio.

You can do some things with physical books that you can't do with the digital version, that's true. And if you ever make the switch you will probably always miss a few of those things. But you gain so much too and what you gain is so much more than what you lose IMO.

My husband has a large comic book collection and while he's tried to make the switch to reading them on a tablet, he says it just doesn't work for him. He also loves to read comic strip collections. For years he's collected Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Andy Capp, Calvin & Hobbes, Far Side, Dilbert and others. He's purchased several of them for his Kindle Tablet too but again, he says it just isn't the same. He always goes back to his old paperback copies.

But you couldn't pry his Kindle away from him when it comes time to read your basic fiction book. And the same goes for me. Kindle is right up there with the Tivo and ipod for having changed our lives for the better (not that any of them were necessarily first, they just all did it right). Physical books still have their place and perhaps will forever but e books are the future and for many of us, the future came awhile ago.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Kindle is right up there with the Tivo and iPod for having changed our lives for the better (not that any of them were necessarily first, they just all did it right).

LOL

You just named three things I have never used.

 

[Catlover]

LOL

You just named three things I have never used.

I meant to say Tivo, ipod and the toilet.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I meant to say Tivo, ipod and the toilet.

 

[Shaggy]

I am not a book reader. I am horrible about keeping focus to what I am reading!

Your missing out.

I enjoy reading both e-books and really books.

 

[DWKB]

I am not a book reader. I am horrible about keeping focus to what I am reading!

Like anything, it's a skill you develop. It just takes practice and purpose.

I'm a very slow reader myself. I think it takes me a bit to turn the words into the visuals in my head.

 

[Zeno]

I much prefer paper books to e books, have a nook I use to use and I have an iPad that I never use for e-reading. I tried it but it just never took with me. My wife on the other hand loves her e-books.

I like having books on my shelves at home. I do donate some but I probably keep 75% of what I purchase.

 

[Iceman]

Like anything, it's a skill you develop. It just takes practice and purpose.

I'm a very slow reader myself. I think it takes me a bit to turn the words into the visuals in my head.

That's what people say. I see people (my wife) get into a book series and she is non existent until the books are done. That's probably what would happen to me if I started too

 

[Catlover]

I much prefer paper books to e books, have a nook I use to use and I have an iPad that I never use for e-reading. I tried it but it just never took with me. My wife on the other hand loves her e-books.

I like having books on my shelves at home. I do donate some but I probably keep 75% of what I purchase.

I've never tried a Nook so I have no opinion on it. But I do know that if my only digital reading options were the Ipad or a Kindle tablet, I'd stay with paperbacks. Reading on a Kindle Paperwhite is an incredible experience. So easy on the eyes, no headaches and no strain. I can read for 10 hours straight (when my cats let me) with no problems. I can't read a paperback for 90 minutes straight anymore and it's even worse trying to read on a computer screen or tablet.

And, yes, I really miss having books on my shelves at home.

 

[Mainstreet]

IMO, there is something about reading a physical book for those who need to study. It seems to help the learning experience. Also it is easier to review information (bookmark, highlight, etc.) from a tangible copy. If I want to seriously study I want a book or physical documents.

That said, I haven't studied seriously from a book in years. I use my computer for almost all my reading and information. However, I know many that consider a hard copy book as part of their reading enjoyment, something to treasure and hold. Often they plan to go back and read it again.

 

[Catlover]

IMO, there is something about reading a physical book for those who need to study. It seems to help the learning experience. Also it is easier to review information (bookmark, highlight, etc.) from a tangible copy. If I want to seriously study I want a book or physical documents.

That said, I haven't studied seriously from a book in years. I use my computer for almost all my reading and information. However, I know many that consider a hard copy book as part of their reading enjoyment, something to treasure and hold. Often they plan to go back and read it again.

I agree. The ability to search is nice but a physical book is much better for use in an academic environment. The reasons you've mentioned plus the simple act of paging can throw you off a bit if you're struggling with a concept. When you're reading Gone With The Wind it's no problem to page frequently but it's a different story when you're fighting your way through your Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy textbook.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

IMO, there is something about reading a physical book for those who need to study. It seems to help the learning experience. Also it is easier to review information (bookmark, highlight, etc.) from a tangible copy. If I want to seriously study I want a book or physical documents.

That said, I haven't studied seriously from a book in years. I use my computer for almost all my reading and information. However, I know many that consider a hard copy book as part of their reading enjoyment, something to treasure and hold. Often they plan to go back and read it again.

I prefer a physical book if I'm studying or reading something I might refer to later. I have a photographic memory, for want of a better word, and I can "see" where something was in the book and where it was on a page. Which allows me to pick up the book and re-read something to fact check or refresh my memory. Or re-read a favorite passage. I can't do it with a Kindle or tablet. On an e-reader.. one page looks like all the others in my brain.

 

[Mainstreet]

I agree. The ability to search is nice but a physical book is much better for use in an academic environment. The reasons you've mentioned plus the simple act of paging can throw you off a bit if you're struggling with a concept. When you're reading Gone With The Wind it's no problem to page frequently but it's a different story when you're fighting your way through your Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy textbook.

Wow. That just whizzed by my ear.