A joker in the class: Teenage readers' attitudes and preferences to reading on different devices

A comparison of 10th graders' reading of a narrative, literary text on a Sony e-reader and in print showed that preferences for reading devices are related to gender and to general reading habits.One hundred forty-three students participated in the study. In a school setting, students were asked to begin reading a novel on one device and then continue reading the same novel on the other device. A survey was administered before and after the reading session, measuring reading habits in general, device preferences, and experiences with screen and paper reading. Results showed that, overall, most students preferred reading on the e-reader. This preference was particularly strong among boys and reluctant readers, whereas avid readers were more in favor of print. Implications of these findings to library policies and priorities are discussed.