academic reading

[shootingstar]

I read much more efficiently and faster when I read print documents that are over approx. 15+ pgs. long.

Not only I can markup a useful article..but it's easier to BROWSE a lengthy document to get to certain sections faster since tables of contents or hypertext links in pdf file can be inhibiting for efficient serendiptuous browsing, locating a certain section within a chapter faster.

I have tried to print off sections of long .pdf /WORD documents, even if it means inadvertedly printing off an extra pg. or 2 at beginning of print job because I've miscalculated the start and end portions of report that I wanted to print off.

We have to be realistic with our human eye limitations for electronic...have you ever tried to look at a complex engineering drawing 32" x 24" size pdf with multiple colours and codes --in its totality without it falling off the computer screen? Human brain often needs to look at information fragments/sections --within broader context.

Observing information users as a librarian after several decades of dealing directly with user feedback on various database products with full text e-docs. and print equivalents, I tend to certain say that in organizations that want to be 75% electronic.. but before the end of the business day, several people have printed off the same document in 1 day..even if they only need 50% of the lengthy doc. for content comprehension.