Home Amid E-Book Growth, Students Still Prefer Paper Textbooks

Amid E-Book Growth, Students Still Prefer Paper Textbooks

Over the past half-year, we have written extensively about e-books and e-readers. We’ve discussed the merits of e-books over paper books. We’ve covered Kindle e-books outselling hardcover best-sellers and their strength over the holiday season. We’ve even included the growth of e-readers and e-books in one of our Top Trends of 2010 posts.

But, as ReadWriteWeb editor Richard MacManus discussed in “5 Ways that Paper Books are Better than E-Books,” everything from price to packaging to, most importantly, the feel of physical books may keep them on the shelves for a long time to come. Now, in a study called “Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education,” another round in the debate has been settled on the side of paper. 75% of student preferred old-fashioned, paper-and-board textbooks over electronic versions.

The surveying entity, the Book Industry Study Group, announced the results yesterday. The 75% who preferred paper textbooks cited “a fondness for print’s look and feel, as well as its permanence and ability to be resold.”

Additional findings:


  • Students love a bargain. Survey respondents said they often buy previous editions of a textbook (16% did this for their current class ) or international versions (18% did this at least once).

  • Piracy is pervasive. More than 40% of survey respondents said they bought a textbook from a pirate website, or know others who have. In addition, many respondents reported copying their friends’ textbooks.

  • Some learning tools have high value. Print study guides, Campus Learning Management Systems — such as Blackboard and WebCT — and diagnostic self-tests held high value for survey respondents.

  • Some learning tools have low value. Online tutoring, audio study guides and “clickers” used in the classroom by instructors held low value for survey respondents.

The 12% who did favor e-textbooks — “mostly males, and often MBA-seeking or distance learners” — said they valued the “lower cost, convenience and portability.”

Textbook photo by Nina Scaletti | other sources: ResourceBlog

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The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

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