Cassidy Writes: Printed books vs E-books

Many people enjoy reading, whether it’s an e-book or a physical copy. However, ever since e-books came around, there's always been a debate as to which is better to read. 

By reading print books, you absorb more information and remember more of the plot. According to Paper and Packaging, “ In an earlier study, print readers also scored higher in other areas, such as empathy, immersion in the book, and understanding of the narrative. Scientists believe this effect is related to the tactile sensation of holding a book in your hands.” Print books can also be an educational benefit. They can help with comprehension skills, engagement, and more. 

Young children who read from e-books have been known to have lower comprehension of the story compared to reading from print. “...children get distracted by the electronic device and have a harder time focusing on the story itself. In another study, students who read a short story on a e-reader were less engaged and had a harder time remembering the exact order of events.”

Despite this, e-books have their own pros, too. In some cases, they can mean spending less money, especially if you're reading from online websites which are free. E-books are also more convenient compared to print. According to Challies, “ E-books offer a level of convenience that allows us to search them easily, to take a lot of them with us wherever we go, to keep them safe and to buy more of them for less. What e-books offer is not revolutionary, but evolutionary. They haven’t given us something entirely new–they’ve given us something that tries to do books even better.”

In the end, whether it’s an ebook, or a print book, a good book is a good book. Whatever you decide to read from has its own pros and cons, and neither are going anywhere anytime soo