Audiobooks versus Books – Which Is Better in the Eyes of Experts?
Even those in your social circle who are considered bookworms whose book collection fascinates and inspires you and others to start reading can often find it hard to pick up a book and start reading. What makes book reading appear like a difficult and dull task is other pastime activities like surfing the internet, using social media, and hanging out with friends or things like laziness.
Today, there are audiobooks to rescue those who find it difficult to start reading a book or read through each and every word of a big, thick novel. These audiobooks are nothing but a very convenient alternative to old-school book reading that requires holding books or handheld devices to read.
For this reason, a lot of best-selling books are now available in audio versions that people purchase or download for free to listen to while doing house chores, jogging, taking a walk, or simply lying in the bed.
However, audiobooks have received a lot of criticism owing to the fact that you don’t get to actually READ books but hear them. Critics say that such reading is not as beneficial as physical book reading.
So, how true do you think that is? Which sort of reading do you think is better and why?
An associate professor at the Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Beth Rogowsky put forward her opinion about audiobooks saying:
“I was a fan of audiobooks, but I always viewed them as cheating.”
What do you think of this statement? Are you also against audiobooks? Are audiobooks really that bad? Here’s what the experts say!
Rogowsky was struck by the idea of studying the difference between comprehensions of those actually read books versus those who prefer audiobooks. She conducted a study where there were two groups of people with each group asked to use one of the two methods.
The study found out that the comprehension levels of members in both groups didn’t have any notable difference. Regardless of whether they read books or listened to them, their understanding was just the same.
That said, no book reading method is superior to another one. In fact, the choices just vary from person to person and each method has its own set of pros and cons.
With physical book reading, you are more likely to grab vocabulary. This method also allows readers to improve your ability to focus.
On the other hand, audiobooks improve your listening skills and tend to inculcate the quality of remembering things without having to read or write them somewhere.
So, which of the book reading methods do you prefer?
Writers and Authors is where you should head to buy books regardless of what your answer is!
