The Effects of Processing Multimodal Texts in Print and Digitally on Comprehension and Calibration

Abstract

The comprehension and calibration of 54 undergraduates were investigated as they read excerpts from an introductory geology textbook on weather and soil in print and digitally. All excerpts were approximately 1600 words in length and contained a graph, a diagram, and three photographs that complemented or extended the written text. Each student read two texts with medium and topic counterbalanced. Prior to reading, the students completed a demographic survey, rated their topic familiarity, and completed two topic knowledge pretests. They next read one chapter on either weather or soil in print or digitally and then answered a series of short-answer questions. The questions drew on content from the written text only, visuals only, or both. The same procedure was then repeated in the other medium. Analyses indicated processing multimodal texts in print was significantly more advantageous than processing those same texts digitally, and this difference was more pronounced for questions focused on visuals only. Students’ self-rated topic familiarity was compared to their demonstrated topic knowledge for weather and soil and their predicted comprehension performance was compared to actual comprehension performance. Results showed that undergraduates’ calibration was poor overall, but comprehension was overestimated more often when students read multimodal texts digitally.

Keywords:

• multimodal text
• digital reading
• reading comprehension
• calibration
• cognitive processes/development
• literacy
• comprehension