Complete Story
01/03/2024
Reading Print Improves Comprehension
Source: The Guardian, December 15, 2023. Content provided by BoSacks.
Reading print texts improves comprehension more than reading digital materials does, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of Valencia analysed more than two dozen studies on reading comprehension published between 2000 and 2022, which assessed nearly 470,000 participants. Their findings suggest that print reading over a long period of time could boost comprehension skills by six to eight times more than digital reading does.
“The association between frequency of digital reading for leisure and text comprehension abilities is close to 0,” said Ladislao Salmerón, a professor at the University of Valencia who co-authored the paper. This may be because the “linguistic quality of digital texts tends to be lower than that traditionally found in printed texts”, he added. Text on social media, for example, may be conversational and lack complex syntax and reasoning.
Salmerón said that the “reading mindset” for digital texts also tends to be more shallow than that for printed materials, with scanning being more common. This can mean the reader “doesn’t fully get immersed in the narration, or doesn’t fully capture the complex relations in an informative text”.
The study, published in the Review of Educational Research, also found that while there is a negative relationship between digital reading and comprehension for primary school students, the relationship turns positive for secondary school and undergraduate students.
Salmerón suggests that this may be because young children are less able to navigate the distractions, such as incoming messages, that might come with reading on a digital device.
The Power of Print
Last Thursday marked the grand finale of our month-long Print Week celebrations. From packed rooms and award winners to the connections that brought our industry together, here are some of the highlights that made it so memorable.
Read More401(k) Refund Checks: Why They’re Not Always a Good Thing
Receiving money back from a 401(k) plan may seem like a win, but it often signals that the plan failed IRS nondiscrimination testing. When this happens, certain employees may be required to take corrective distributions, which can lead to unexpected tax consequences and reduced long-term retirement savings. The article also explains how better plan design can help prevent this issue.
Read MoreUSPS Announces Fuel Surcharge
The USPS filed notice with the PRC to impose an 8% fuel charge on competitive products, effective April 26, 2026 - January 17, 2027. Recent hikes in fuel prices - over a dollar in the last month alone - have had a significant impact. This is the first fuel surcharge the USPS has ever imposed.
Read MoreCan EPR & Single-Serve Beverage Packaging Coexist?
As extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws spread to more states, Packaging Digest asked beverage industry analysts what the ramifications could be for beverage manufacturers and their prevalent use of single-serve packaging.
Read MoreLocal Up Your Print Sales to Combat Rising Fuel Costs
Fuel prices are rapidly climbing right now, which sends a tsunami of rising costs through the economy. Businesses respond by tightening marketing budgets, which has a direct effect on the print industry. Fuel costs are outside a printer’s control. How you respond to them is not.
Read MoreSell Hard, Sell Nothing
You work hard but have no sales to show for it. Selling owners can relate to that. Being busy but not productive is often the rule, not the exception. This week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip changes that.
Read More