When it comes to reading, usually people associate it with reading a book. However these days there are electronic books. An electronic book is not a physical book, but a book that someone reads on a device (like a Kindle or another e-reader device).
Change can be a good thing, but in regards to reading the best way to read comes from books. Some people have a hard time reading off a computer screen, and after a while they have to stop because their head hurts.
With e-books there can also be technical difficulties. With a book, one never has to worry about it malfunctioning or dying. An e-book, however, can act up and not work.
If that happens to someone, they have to go and get technical support from a place that provides assistance with electronics, which can be a hassle. A minor problem for e-books would also be battery power. An e-book is battery-operated, while traditional books don’t require power.
There are several benefits to reading a book instead of an e-book. One of them is shown in studies done on reading speeds.
According to a CNN article titled “Study: E-books take longer to read than print,” reading speeds for people using an iPad decreased 6.2% and, for people using a Kindle, speeds decreased by 10.7%.
These percentages aren’t a huge decrease, but it’s a downfall for e-books because if people need to get reading done fast, books are the way to go.
At school when a teacher sends out an article via email for students to read, how do they usually do it? From my experiences, if the article is more than a few pages, students will print out the article to read it.
The students then have a physical copy to read rather than reading off the computer. Also it is a benefit for students because if they forget to read or want to refer to something they read while in class, they can just look at the printed article.
There are other discrepancies in regards to e-books that participants in the study of reading speeds noticed. For one, they were not a fan of how heavy the e-books were.
They are a little heavier than a paperback book, yet probably lighter than a hardcover. Another complaint that arose was the contrast level on the Kindles.
The contrast level was commented on because it was low; with a low contrast it makes the screen dimmer. An e-book also requires knowledge of technology. Someone who is older may not have the desire to learn a new gadget.
In conclusion, my opinion is books all the way. I am not a fan of sitting with a Kindle and reading a book that way. I hope that books never die. I don’t want to see only e-books in the future; books can’t die and they won’t malfunction. I have been raised reading books.
I am a fairly fast reader and going from books to e-books is a difficult transition for me. I can’t look at a computer screen for too long without getting bored.
With a print book I like to use my fingers as a stopping point at a place to where I intend to read. If I were reading an e-book it wouldn’t be possible to hold that spot.
The debate between books and e-books is a toss-up. There are positives and negatives of both and it is really anyone’s choice; my choice is books.
Ellissa Coburn can be contacted at
ecoburn1@ksc.mailcruiser.com