College Students’ Reading and Digital Listening Habits: A Survey Study

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/7v3zr_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-03-13T22:13:33Z
• Authors: Anisha Singh; Kayla King

The reading landscape in higher education continues to evolve with the proliferation of digital technologies and diverse textual formats. This study examined college students’ reading patterns across different mediums, purposes, and contexts. Data from 922 students of US universities revealed distinct patterns in reading habits and preferences. Students engaged in an average of 1.68 hours of pleasure reading and 4.16 hours of news consumption weekly. Graduate students reported more extensive reading habits (8.61 hours/week) compared to undergraduates (5.55 hours/week). Medium preferences varied significantly by purpose: students favored paper formats for leisure reading (53.79%) but showed a strong preference for screens in academic contexts (76.04%) and news consumption (80.03%). This digital dominance in academic reading persisted despite evidence suggesting better comprehension with paper materials, likely driven by the accessibility and cost advantages of digital texts. Analysis of COVID-19’s impact revealed that 37% of students increased their leisure reading during lockdown, primarily as a stress management strategy. The study also uncovered distinct multitasking patterns: while 36.9% reported reading for pleasure without other activities, only 23.5% maintained singular focus during academic reading. These findings suggest that supporting student success requires understanding and adapting to evolving patterns of textual engagement, particularly as institutions navigate the balance between digital accessibility and optimal learning conditions.Keywords. Reading habits, college students, medium preferences, digital reading