A comparison of the influence of electronic books and paper books on reading comprehension, eye fatigue, and perception

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the usability of electronic books (e-books) and paper books (p-books) with objective measures, including user comprehension, eye fatigue, and perception. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 56 sixth-year public school students participated in this study. This paper was conducted in the following order: pre-CFF measurement, p-/e-book reading, post-CFF measurement, quiz, and questionnaire. A standard CFF device, a computer with a monitor for reading e-books, p-books, desks, and chairs were provided. Findings – This paper found that there is a significant “book effect” on quiz scores; compared to e-books, p-books appear to enable better reading comprehension. Regarding eye fatigue, students had significantly greater eye fatigue after reading e-books than after reading p-books. Students were satisfied with the e-book, but they preferred p-books. Research limitations/implications – Students would show satisfaction with e-books and acknowledge their usefulness, but still prefer p-books. However, a clearer understanding of this paradox in perception is needed. Further studies should try to explore the students’ perceptions of e-books. Practical implications – Surprisingly, though, Korean students studied herein, who have had a higher level of exposure to technology than those in other countries, did not show positive behavioral intentions toward e-books. Overall, the responses from the Korean students suggest that there was general satisfaction with reading e-books on screen. However, this study also found a discordance in the students’ perceptions of e-books. In this study, most students grew tired of reading on the screen; this tiredness could have an adverse effect on both reading comprehension and the perception of e-books. In further analyzing user responses, many of the critical remarks were found to refer to the screen/text size or clarity rather than to the e-book itself. Originality/value – Although this study suggests that students in general are not yet ready to entirely give up p-books, e-books are becoming increasingly common. However, great challenges remain in terms of making e-book content more available and in enabling improved comprehension and reducing eye fatigue.