how does reading on the screen differ from reading text in a book?

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Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 19 Apr 2004 17:50 PDT

connie1428-ga:

Can you clarify your question a bit for me? Are you interested in the
actual physical differences (I am thinking not)? The physiological
differences (ie. the different requirements on the human body)? The
psychological differences (ie. does the mind perceive the read
material differently)?

I'd like to be sure that I understand what you are most interested in,
before attempting to provide an Answer.

Thanks,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

This may be helpful:

"Computer Vision Syndrome... is caused by our eyes and brain reacting
differently to characters on the screen than they do to printed
characters. Our eyes have little problem focusing on most printed
material, which is characterized by dense black characters with
well-defined edges. Healthy eyes can easily maintain focus on the
printed page. Characters on a computer screen, however, don't have
this contrast or well-defined edges. These characters (pixels) are
brightest at the center and diminish in intensity toward their edges.
This makes it very difficult for our eyes to maintain focus and remain
fixed onto these images. Instead our eyes drift out to a point called
the 'resting point of accommodation' or RPA.

Our eyes involuntarily move to the RPA, and then strain to regain
focus on the screen. This continuous flexing of the eyes' focusing
muscles creates fatigue and the burning, tired-eyes feeling that is so
common after long hours at the computer."

http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/faqs.htm

One difference is the way the text on the computer can be presented. 
Hypertext links can change the order parts of the text are accessed or
if they are accessed at all.  In some presentations you can click a
button to go to the next page of text, in others, you merely scroll
down.  I know that sounds superficial, but at least one study says
that reading performance increases when presented on-screen
page-by-page rather than by scrolling. (Effects of screen presentation
on text reading and revising, A.Piolat, International Journal of
Human-Computer Studies, Vol 47(4), Oct 1997. pp. 565-589.)  Other
studies suggest reading on screen is slower, but doesn't result in
less comprehension than reading print, other suggest it does degrade
comprehension.

I much prefer reading from a monitor screen.  The ability to highlight
text is invaluable to me, which you cannot do when reading a book.

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/interface/navigate.html

Scroll down and locate the sub heading "Provide context or lose the reader".
It lists one of the difference.

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/page/dimensions.html

Another Difference

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/page/length.html

Another Slight Difference

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/page/grids.html

Locate the sub heading "Vertical stratification in Web pages"

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/type/character.html

Another difference.

All this are from a view point of a web designer, which I am ... :)

Hope this helps.

Oops!

Another important difference 

--> http://www.webstyleguide.com/graphics/screen-print.html