Reading Research
This project consisted of an investigation of audiobooks, eBooks, and physical books and the differences in the perceptions and reading comprehension of the users. This three-part project consisted of participant interviews, a survey, and a quantitative experiment.
My Role
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Researcher
Methods
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Experimental Design
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Survey Design
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Statistical Analysis
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Interviewing
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Literature Review and writing
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Human-subjects Research
Time
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August 2020 - December 2020
Introduction
In recent years advancements in technology have allowed people to consume literature in a variety of ways, including through eBooks and audiobooks. These different ways of consuming literature have an effect on the experience of the user in a variety of ways. We performed three investigations in order to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and experiences of users using eBooks, audiobooks and print books
Our Process
Interview Participants
To gather qualitative data about user's thoughts and perceptions towards eBooks, audiobooks, and printed books
Perform a Survey
Based on the data collected in the interviews and served to confirm the interview findings with a larger sample
Perform a Quantitative study
Based on differences in how effectively students learn and comprehend information in different formats
The Goal
To determine participants' thoughts, experiences, and perceptions about different reading platforms including their perceptions, their likes and dislikes, and why they might use one platform versus another.
Process
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Reviewed literature about audiobooks, eBooks, and print books
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Including perceptions, learning differences, preferences, and statistics
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Created questions for the interviews based on the review
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Performed the necessary planning
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Gaining approval
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Planning how to code results
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Planning interviews
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Performed semi-structured interviews
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Analyzed results
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One team-member created a codebook, and the other two members analyzed the interview transcripts
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Wrote up results
Methods
Researchers conducted semi-structured 1:1 Zoom interviews with participants. The questions examined what participants viewed as strengths and weaknesses of each platform, in what situations they use one platform or another, and how using one platform over another changes their experience. The interviews were then coded using a codebook created by the researchers to search for common themes in the participants' responses.
Results
Audiobook Results
Of the participants who used audiobooks, the most common situation they used audiobooks in was multitasking, followed by for work/academic purposes, or to relax before sleeping. The reasons participants liked audiobooks was because of their convenience, the ability to do other tasks while listening, being easy to focus on, and the immersion. Participants' dislikes included poor narrators, higher price, technical frustrations, and being more difficult to focus on than textual books.
EBook Results:
Participants often used eBooks when relaxing, but also in a variety of other situations including passing time, waiting, for academics/work, or travelling. EBooks were the preferred platform when traveling for many participants. Participants said the appeal of eBooks was portability, availability, convenience, and affordability. Participants also enjoyed features unique to eBooks, including the search feature, being self-lit, and notetaking features. Dislikes included digital fatigue, and the technological nature of eBooks. Many participants missed the tactile feeling of a book and the ability to see the progress you are making with the book itself.
Physical Book Results:
Participants sited that the most common times when they used physical books was for academics/work and when relaxing. Some also sited that they would use physical books when they thought they would have an unstable internet connection. Participants liked the tactile feeling of the book, the smell, the aesthetics, and the sentimental connection towards books. The most common things that participants dislike were having to store them, carry them, and the price. Physical books were the preferred method for learning of the majority of the participants, and they said that they felt they learned the best while reading physical books. The majority of the participants also sited physical books as their favorite platform.
Part 2: Survey
The Goal
The goal of this survey was to use the themes we found in participant responses in the interview to construct a survey that could be given to a much larger group of people. This allowed us to confirm that these themes were relevant to a large portion of users, rather than just the much smaller group that we interviewed.
Process
Create Survey
Based on the participants answers to the interview questions
Post Survey Online
Encourage as many people as we can to take the survey
Analyze Results
Using chi-squared test and embedded statistical tools. Then writing up results in a paper
Methods
A Qualtrics survey was created that examined the participants interaction and experiences with eBooks, audiobooks and physical books. The survey especially focused on themes and common answers that were given in the previous qualitative study. 121 participants responded to this survey which was distributed through various internet platforms. Data analysis was performed using the embedded tools in Qualtrics,as well as chi-square tests to explore relationships between variables.
Results
Audiobook Results
Audiobooks were the least commonly used platform out of the three given, with only 42% of the participants having used them. Most participants were able to focus somewhat well when using audiobooks. 78% of participants used Audiobooks for multitasking, 56% used them for travelling, and 36% used them before bed. 88% of surveyed audiobook users said that they considered having listening to the audiobook reading the book. Participants also listed the features they like about audiobooks and the most like features include the ability to multitask and the convenience. The most disliked aspects of audiobook was the price.
A visualization of people's thoughts and perceptions towards aspects of audiobooks
EBook Results
For the most part participants had positive feelings towards eBooks. 66% of participants used them while relaxing, others used around 51% and 52% of participants used them for travelling and academics/work respectively. Participants showed a range of being able to focus with eBooks, this was largely dependent on the individual in question. 39% of participants suffered from digital fatigue. Most participants liked the convenience of eBooks.
A visualization of people's thoughts and perceptions towards aspects of eBooks
Physical Book Results
91% of participants used physical books. Most participants leaned towards liking physical books and most participants said they could focus well while using physical books. The most common situation people used physical books in was relaxation, then work or academics. Many participants also read before bed and during traveling.
A visualization of people's thoughts and perceptions about physical books
Part 3: Quantitative Study
The Goal
The goal of the quantitative study was to test whether reading comprehension differed when reading eBooks or Audiobooks.
Pre-experimental steps
Gather Research
Based on differences in how effectively students learn and comprehend information in different formats
Design Experiment
Based on differences in how effectively students learn and comprehend information in different formats
Perform Preparations
Including finding and preparing passages, gaining approval, and finding participants
Experimental steps
Perform Experiment
Each participant completed two trials, one audio passage and one textual passage
Analyze Results
Analyzed results via JASP statistical analysis software using a Wilcoxon matched pairs test
Write up results
I wrote part of the discussion, the introduction, and the results section.
Methods
Participants completed two trials, one audio passage and one textual passage presented in a digital format. Each passage came with seven questions. These passages and questions were designed to test reading comprehension and came from the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test website. The trials were counterbalanced and randomized using a Latin square approach. Statistics were analyzed using JASP statistical analysis software using a Wilcoxon matched pairs test.
Results
The true mean scores for the reading comprehension test for an eBook was not significantly more than the reading comprehension scores for an audiobook. Based on our results it could be concluded that there is no difference in reading comprehension between listening to a passage and reading a passage. However, this would need to be researched more extensively and in different environments before any conclusions are made.
Reflection
These three research projects allowed me to apply qualitative research methods and increase my skills with making surveys. This research project also gave me valuable practice in performing research studies in a short time frame. We only had a few weeks to perform each of these research studies, so it gave us the chance to increase the speed we could review literature, design experiments, and write papers.