What parents need to know
If a student spends 10 hours reading books on paper, their comprehension will be 6 to 8 times greater than if they read on digital devices for the same time. This isn’t a small difference – it’s massive.
Full Citation
Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2023). Do New Forms of Reading Pay Off? A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Leisure Digital Reading Habits and Text Comprehension. Review of Educational Research, 93(1), 3-30.
Publication Type
Meta-analysis published in Review of Educational Research
What They Studied
Valencia University’s Interdisciplinary Reading Research Structure (ERI) conducted a meta-analysis examining whether leisure reading on digital devices provides the same comprehension benefits as leisure reading on paper. The study analysed data from approximately 450,000 students, examining the relationship between reading habits (paper versus digital) and reading comprehension development over time.
Key Findings
- “If a student spends 10 hours reading books on paper, their comprehension will probably be 6 to 8 times greater than if they read on digital devices for the same amount of time”
- This represents one of the largest effect sizes reported in reading comprehension research
- The finding comes from analyzing data from 450,000+ students, making it one of the most robust studies available
- Digital leisure reading shows “weak or no association with comprehension development”
- The research has profound implications: replacing book reading with digital reading isn’t just slightly less effective – it’s dramatically less effective
- “In primary and secondary schools reading should be encouraged, especially in printed format”
- The Guardian covered this research: “Reading print texts improves comprehension more than reading digital materials does”
- The magnitude of difference (6-8 times) suggests this isn’t about minor preferences but fundamental differences in learning outcomes
- For schools replacing libraries with e-books or encouraging digital reading, this research shows they may be seriously undermining literacy development
- Even casual, leisure reading shows these dramatic differences – it’s not just about academic reading
