You comprehend what you read printed on paper better than print on a screen
If you find that reading books on that new e-reader you got for your birthday just doesn’t seem the same as the “old fashioned” way, you’re not just clinging to the past, you’re 100% right!
Studies over the past 20 years have shown that reading from paper, instead of a screen, improves comprehension and recall of text. And that was true even of this digital generation who can text faster than thumbs were ever meant to move.
Researchers think that eyestrain and headaches from the bright screen light could be part of the problem.
But if you like the idea of having a library in your pocket, newer devices can help. The Kindle Paperwhite and Nook, have screens that are much more natural and “paperlike.”
And they sure beat carrying a bag full of books around.
Sources:
“Why the Brain Prefers Paper” Ferris Jabr, Scientific American, Vol. 309, 10/15/13, nature.com


