What parents need to know
Meta-analysis found reading on paper leads to significantly better comprehension than reading digitally, from elementary school through college. As Jonathan Haidt notes: tablets and laptops “are great tools AND they are powerful addiction mechanisms when used in schools with insufficient controls.”
Full Citation
Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2018). Don’t throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on reading comprehension. Educational Research Review, 25, 23-38.
Publication Type
Meta-analysis published in Educational Research Review, synthesizing multiple studies on reading comprehension across different mediums
What They Studied
Researchers conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis examining studies that compared reading comprehension when the same text was presented on paper versus on screens. The analysis included studies across age groups from elementary school through college, different types of texts, and various digital formats. By combining results from multiple studies, the meta-analysis provides highly reliable evidence about the overall effect of reading medium on comprehension.
Key Findings
- Reading on paper leads to significantly better comprehension than reading digitally across all age groups studied – from elementary school to college
- The paper advantage was consistent across different study designs and methodologies
- The benefit of paper reading was particularly pronounced for expository (informational) texts requiring deeper understanding
- Jonathan Haidt posted about this meta-analysis on LinkedIn, referencing Jean Twenge’s New York Times article: “a 2018 meta-analysis found that reading on paper, compared with reading digitally, led to significantly better comprehension among students, from elementary school to college”
- Haidt added: “I hope everyone – teachers, admins, parents, state leaders – will do what they can to limit the use of tablets and laptops. They are great tools! AND they are powerful addiction mechanisms when used the way they are currently in schools, with insufficient controls”
- The meta-analysis provides some of the strongest evidence available that the medium through which students read affects their learning
- This isn’t a subtle effect – it’s large enough to be educationally significant
- The finding has profound implications for textbook decisions, homework assignments, and classroom reading activities
