Running head: EFFECTS ON STUDENT COMPREHENSION WHEN TEXTS ARE 1

PRESENTED DIGITALLY

Effects On Student Comprehension When Texts Are Presented Digitally

Meghan Meyers

Franciscan University of Steubenville

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Introduction

Technology is constantly transforming to keep up with the demands of an ever-changing

world. This may be the reason it receives an incredible amount of attention; it is always new and

its designers systematically create it to be intriguing. “Innovative Teaching, Learning, and

Leadership Consultant” George Couros helps people understand why research in the area of

technology is crucial for the filed of education when he proclaimed, “Technology will never

replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational”

(Couros, 2014). It is important to investigate how technology is being used which, for the

majority of people, involves a significant amount of reading. Dr. Ray Reutzel, Chair of Early

Childhood Education at Utah State University, explains that reading is “The learning of a

complex set of strategies, skills, concepts, and knowledge enabling individuals to understand

visual and print-based information presented in a variety of media or technological formats”

(Reutzel, 2012). In this study, digital reading may be called e-reading or iPad reading, and

electronic textbooks may be referred to as eBooks or digital texts. Reading comprehension, in the

context of this study, is defined as how well readers understands what they are reading and the

ability to make changes to their reading approach when or if they realize they are not fully

grasping what they are reading.

Purpose

It is safe to say that elementary school children today are extremely familiar with

technology. Students use technology outside of school for entertainment, communication,

research, directions, photography, music, reading, and more. Through observation in many

classrooms across grade-levels, I noticed the majority of classroom have iPads, Kindles, Smart

Boards, and/or laptop computers. Most teachers are incorporating these technologies into their
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instruction and classroom activities on a daily basis. What are the effects on student

comprehension when texts are presented digitally?

One of the goals that I hope to accomplish is having a small group of students read a

familiar text that has a grade-level appropriate Lexile score on the iPad. Before the students

read, I will give them a brief overview of the e-book functions (highlighting, dictionary, font

size, etc.). They will be encouraged to use these functions while reading. Students will then take

a short comprehension test in a digital format. The same group of students will read a different

familiar text with a similar Lexile score as the previous text, but this time read a traditional print

format of the text. The students will take a comprehension test on text presented in the traditional

print format, on paper. I will compare the results from the comprehension tests to determine if

reading from the technology effected comprehension. After completing this procedure, I would

like to ask the students, through a questionnaire, a number of questions to find out if there is any

biases towards technology, either of the books, preconceived opinions towards printed text

versus digital texts or outlying factors that could have influence of the score of the

comprehension tests.

I predict that the students will score a few points higher on the comprehension test based

off the text they read on the iPad. If this is correct, I would suggest that, as often as possible,

students be given the option to read from a printed book or iPad or Kindle. Students should be

given explicit instruction on how to use the technology appropriately and how to use the e-reader

functions to enhance their reading before being offered the option to read from an iPad or

Kindle.
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Review of Literature

Reading printed text is becoming a less frequent part of students’ day as tablets, iPads,

laptops, and other technological devices because more accessible. The new technology raises the

question if this is the best for young readers. Lotta C. Larson (2015) conducted a study on a

group of twenty-six, sixth graders who used Kindle Fires for their English Language Arts (ELA)

reading assignments. The purpose of this study was to see if the use of e-books and audiobooks

would support students’ comprehension and engagement with the texts they were going to be

studying. The students were given a brief tutorial on how to use the Kindles and then given a

reading assignment to complete on the device. Upon finishing the first of three books the

students read on the Kindles, they completed a questionnaire about what Kindle functions they

used and their feelings towards digital reading. The findings from the questionnaire showed that

twenty-one students responded that they preferred reading on the Kindle versus a printed text;

four students reported that they would have preferred a printed version on the test, and only one

student said they did not have a preference. After finishing the second book, twenty-three

students said they preferred reading the e-book while one student still preferred printed text, and

four students did not have an opinion. From the personal testimonies of the students, the author

highlighted many benefits that came from the students using the Kindle to read their e-books

and/or listen to the audiobooks. One of the findings is the enhanced literacy experience that

allows students to listen and read a book simultaneously. Another benefit is the ability to

highlight text, look up definitions, bookmark page, and the ability to record thoughts through the

use of digital notes. Effective use of these tools increased comprehension because new literacies

are customizable to the students’ unique needs. As a final conclusion, the author noted from this

study that the students reported they could concentrate on reading longer on the Kindle than they
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could if they were reading a print text. Overall, the study uncovered positive results with an

increase in student engagement and comprehension when reading on technology.

Larson’s study was well organized and it seemed that the way the e-books and

audiobooks were introduced and used to enhance the ELA lesson was appropriate. The article

seemed to lack one distinctive hypothesis; therefore the results seemed to be more of a consensus

that the use of e-books and audiobooks is generally a positive experience for students. This

article is relevant to the study of digital books increasing comprehension because it did explicitly

say that when digital tools are used effectively, they could increase reading comprehension. In a

future study, the author could only change one variable and test reading comprehension or

student engagement with the use of new literacies.

Many young students in schools today have a significant amount of experience with

technology. Ofra Korat (2010) conducted a study of forty kindergarteners and fifty first-graders

to see the effect of e-books on children’s vocabulary, story comprehension, and word reading.

Korat hypothesized that “children from both age groups would benefit from the activity with the

e-book compared to the controlled group” (Korat, p. 26). He also had another hypothesis that the

first graders would exhibit more progress in vocabulary, word reading, and story comprehension

than the kindergartners. Students were randomly assigned to a group by grade and then arranged

again into groups of e-book readers and printed text readers. Pre-and post-tests were given to

measure vocabulary and word reading knowledge. The post-test also contained a reading

comprehension section. Children who read the e-book showed progress in vocabulary and word

reading when compared to the other group who did not read the e-book. Overall, the

kindergarteners showed more progress in word reading than the first graders. The final

conclusions for the research confirmed that both age groups benefited from the e-books but
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Korat’s hypothesis that the first graders would show more progress in vocabulary, word reading,

and story comprehension than the kindergartners was not supported by results of the study. There

was inconsistency on whether the e-books had a pulling factor on either age group for a stronger

support of vocabulary, story comprehension, and word reading because of a range in children’s

prior knowledge and experience with printed text, technology, and literacy skills.

This research seemed to have a strong hypothesis but the results were disorganized and

hard to follow. It was unclear how e-books affected students’ vocabulary, story comprehension,

and word reading, which was the point of the study. More explanation on how students were

chosen to participate in this study would have been helpful for understanding why two different

age groups of students were being compared. This research was relevant to the study of reading

comprehension with and without e-books because it emphasized the use of digital books in

reading instruction as a positive experience. Further research could be done on exactly when

digital books should begin to be incorporated into language arts instruction to most benefit

reading comprehension.

It is almost certain that all teachers would unanimously say they hope to educate and

form students to be good citizens who take part in the global community. Research has not

proven that simply reading a digital book versus a print book requires a significant change of

reading comprehension strategies. On the other hand, reading websites on the Internet to gain

information does require new comprehension skills. Today’s students are headed into a world

that runs on technology; therefore they must be prepared accordingly. Tara Kingsley and Susan

Tancock (2013) offer some tangible ways educators can prepare students to thrive in our

technology filled world. Kingsley and Tancock conducted a study with a group of fifth grade

students from nineteen different classrooms. The purpose of this study was to determine if
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comprehension of online reading would increase if students received direct instruction in new

literacy skills. Ten classrooms received instruction in online comprehension and research skills

while nine classrooms did not. The ten classrooms that received instruction were called the

“experimental group” and the nine classrooms that did not were called the “controlled group.”

The instruction focused on teaching students how to ask the right questions that would generate

useful results. The teachers did this by modeling, in a think-aloud format, how to form ideas into

questions that are neither too broad nor too narrow. Students were also taught basic proficiencies

that would be necessary for achieving fruitful information from online sources. This included

how to navigate websites, troubleshoot issues, copy and paste, and use tools and shortcuts.

During the instruction time the students were also told that when reading on the Internet to glean

pertinent information, they would have to connect and synthesize information from multiple

sources. Again through direct instruction, modeling, and guided practice students learned how to

accomplish that task. Both groups of students were given a pretest before the instruction to

measure their present levels. After instruction, modeling and practice, students were given

posttest. Students in the controlled group were also given a posttest even though they received no

instruction or modeling. The findings showed that students who were in the experimental group

made considerable progress on a pretest to posttest assessment in online research and

comprehension skills compared to the controlled group.

The authors made many detailed suggestions about how to help students increase their

online research reading comprehension but lacked in explicitly explaining how data was gathered

to arrive at the conclusion. The results stated that students who were in the experimental group

preformed significantly higher on a posttest than those in the controlled group. Overall, I do

think this article should be used for gathering information on the relationship between online
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reading and student comprehension because of the precise instruction methods shared on how to

raise student achievement. This information will also be relevant as I collect data in a similar

approach on the effects of e-reading on comprehension. For future research, the authors might

consider trying their study out on younger students who may have had less exposure to online

research technology to see if it yields even greater gains in online reading comprehension.

While research has shown that e-books have the ability to engage students and increase

reading comprehension, little is known about the effects of e-reading on students with special

needs. Dr. Michelle Gonzalez (2014) from Marywood University set out to investigate if there

was a difference in oral retelling and comprehension performance with students who have been

identified with reading disabilities when using eBooks. The study was conducted on seventeen

third and fourth graders who have Individualized Education Plans for reading disabilities. There

was a diverse demographic make up of the students in this study although all student participants

were from a Mid Atlantic state suburban elementary school. Comprehension performance was

measured through multiple-choice tests and oral retellings that were scored on Marrow’s (1985)

10-Point Scale. The multiple-choice comprehension tests came from the eBook’s creators and

authors of the traditional print books. The 10-Point Scale was used to determine if the students

could recall key details from the story such as setting, character, plot, theme, resolution, and

sequence of events. The seventeen students read three books: one expository and two narrative

books. All three books were presented in different formats; these formats included an embedded

text-to-speech (TTS) tool (eBook), pronunciation and vocabulary supports (eBook), and a

traditional format printed book with no supports. Each student was randomly assigned the order

in which they would read the books; students read one book pre-week. The students were given

pre-reading instruction where they were orally read the title of the book, prompted to make
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connections with prior knowledge, and asked to formulate predictions. Students read the book

independently with no peer or adult support. Upon completion of the reading, the student took

the multiple-choice test, which was read orally. The students then completed an oral retelling.

The results from this study showed that scores from the multiple-choice test did not drastically

change across book formats. Oral retelling score did differ more significantly across formats.

With this information, it can be concluded that students comprehended text differently based on

the format it was presented when being assessed orally but did not comprehend the text formats

differently when being assessed in a multiple-choice test design. Another finding from this study

suggests that students will have higher oral retelling score when they engage with eBooks that

offer TTS, vocabulary, and/or pronunciation supports compared to traditional printed texts that

do not offer any of these supports.

This article is relevant to the study of eBooks and their effects on reading comprehension,

as it suggests how students use different comprehension strategies based on the format of a text

and how the different formats of text can lead to better or worse reading comprehension. The

researcher was extremely clear on the participants and methodology in the study. The conclusion

of this research was easy to follow, but because of the small sampling size failed to show

dramatic results, which led to a weak confirmation of the purposed hypothesis. Further research

could include using a larger sampling size, using only two book formats (traditional print and

eBooks with total supports), or using a different postreading assessment.

Methodology

A case study on three Caucasian, female college freshmen from Missouri was used for

this study. All three women attended different high schools but, similarly, all three high schools
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had a one-to-one student to iPad program; all reported that they have owned an iPad for four

years. These students were chosen for this study based on convenience.

The students were told that they could complete the study from start to finish or break up

the work over multiple sessions. The study was completed on the women’s own time and I was

not present during the actual reading or test taking. All information was communicated to the

women through an instruction document I wrote. The women were told not to discuss the

readings with anyone and to not consult others about answers on the comprehension test until

after completing the entire study. I also asked them not to preview the comprehension test

questions before reading and not to refer back to the book or their notes when answering the

questions. I asked them to refrain from looking back so I could gain a very unbiased idea of what

information they were able to comprehend based on reading the text one time through and then

answering questions from memory. The students were told to simply take their best guess at an

answer on the comprehension test if they were not confident on an answer and to answer all

comprehension questions to the best of her ability.

In this study the students read chapters one through three in The Kite Runner by Khaled

Hosseini and the prologue and chapters one and two in Paper Towns by John Green. The Kite

Runner has a Lexile score of 840L and Paper Towns has a Lexile score of 850L. These texts

were chosen because they have similar Lexile scores and none of the participants had previously

read either book. The reading from each book was between seventeen and twenty pages.

To begin, the study participant downloaded the Kindle Application onto her iPad from a

given Universal Resource Locator (URL). Clicking on the URL brought her to a Portable

Document Format (PDF) of the text. Once she had The Kite Runner in a PDF open, the student

was able to click the icon in the top right corner of the iPad that would send the text to the Kindle
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App. After getting the text reading, the women then read chapters one through three of The Kite

Runner. In the instructions I noted that they should change the screen brightness, font size,

background color, and format of the text to their own liking. They were also encouraged to add

annotations, highlight text, bookmark pages, and use the embedded dictionary to look up

unfamiliar vocabulary. A URL that gave additional information on how to use the embedded

digital text features was provided. After completing the required amount of reading, the students

took The Kite Runner comprehension test presented on Google Forms from a link provided.

After reading The Kite Runner, and taking the accompanying comprehension test, the

student then read the prologue and chapters one and two in Paper Towns in the traditional print

format. A copy of the book was provided for the participants’ convenience. Again, after reading,

the students took the Paper Towns comprehension test. This test was administered on paper.

Upon completion of the reading and test portion of the study, the students took an “End of Study

Questionnaire” using the pen and paper format. The women reported that they each completed

the study on November 10, 2017 during the day.

Findings

For the privacy of the participants, the women will be referred to a Student 1, 2, or 3.

After analyzing the results from the comprehension tests, the results showed that Student 1

scored considerably higher on the comprehension test from the traditional print format text.

Student 2 and 3 had the exact same score on both the digital reading and the traditional print

format reading tests. To make a final conclusion that if the participants in this study scored better

as a whole on either the digital text comprehension test or on the traditional printed text

comprehension test would not be appropriate due the extremely small sample size of this study.
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For this case study, the results would suggest that for some students there are negative effects on

student comprehension when texts are presented digitally and for other students there is no

positive or negative effect on a student’s comprehension when texts are presented digitally or in

traditional print. More data would need to be gathered in order soundly conclude if there is a

positive or negative effect on comprehension when texts are presented digitally.

Correct Answers on Comprehension

Tests
11
Number of Test Questions

10
The Kite Runner
9
8 (Digital Text)
7 Comprehension
6 Test
5
4 Paper Towns
3 (Traditional
2 Printed Text)
1 Comprehesion
0 Test
Student 1 Student 2 Student 3
Participants

In the End of Study Questionnaire, Student 1 reported that she prefers using traditional

print texts for studying but thinks the use of the iPad for academic purposes does enhance her

educational experience. She mostly uses her iPad for its convenient features and its

communication abilities. Student 1 also reported that if given the opportunity to read both texts

again, she would choose to read them both in the traditional print format. She did say she

preferred Paper Towns over The Kite Runner, which, could have influenced her comprehension

test score due to the possible increased engagement with the text.

Students 2 and 3 indicated that they prefer traditional print texts and feel that the use of

iPads for academic purposes is distracting.

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Student 2 said that she does not use her iPad for academic purposes and solely for

communication purposes and surfing the Internet. Given the opportunity she would like to only

read texts in a traditional print format. Unlike Students 1 and 3, she expressed that she enjoyed

reading The Kite Runner more than Paper Towns.

Student 3 indicated on her questionnaire that she occasionally uses her iPad to access

digital textbooks but does not find it helpful to her academic studies.

Summary of the Questionnaire Findings:

For Mostly uses

Thinks the use Thinks reading
academic her iPad for
of iPads for Uses her iPad off her iPad
studies communicati
academic for academic makes reading
prefers using on or
purposes is purposes comprehension
traditional Internet
distracting more difficult
print texts surfing
Student 1 X X X X
Student 2 X X X
Student 3 X X X X X

Used the
Reading on If she were to
embedded
the iPad read both books
dictionary
decreased again, would she Preferred
feature when Preferred reading
her choose to read reading The
reading the Paper Towns
motivation to both books in Kite Runner
text that was
continue the traditional
presented
reading print format
digitally
Student 1 X X X X
Student 2 X X
Student 3 X X X X

Recommendations

Given the results, I recommend the next step that should be taken is having classroom

teachers of all grade levels provide students with reading comprehension strategies to use when

reading digital texts. Even though two out of three students in this study had the same score on

their comprehension tests, I predict that students would score a few points higher on the
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comprehension test based off the text which was presented digitally and because of how often

students used technology. Explicitly teaching reading comprehension strategies for digital texts

would be important for students who are required to take high stakes reading test in a digital

format. Another step that should be taken is more extensive research. Research that is conducted

on a number of students, in various grades, who are tested multiple times during a year could

provide useful data since students’ reading comprehension typically improves as the school year

progresses. A major limitation in this study was the small sample size. Other researchers who

want to improve on my findings to truly understand the effects on comprehension when texts are

presented digitally, should utilize a larger, more diverse, sample size. Given these results of this

study, I suggest that teachers continue to use more traditional print books rather than digital

books especially when a sound understanding of the text is needed. Since the culture promotes

the use of technology, it would be beneficial for teacher to occasionally present texts digitally so,

overtime, students can learn how to read and learn from digital material. In some cases, like high

stakes tests or in professional work places, students might be required to read texts presented

digitally, therefore knowing how to read and comprehend digital texts would be imperative. This

case study showed that student have different preferences so, when the opportunity presents

itself, teachers should offer students the option to read texts in the traditional print format or a

digital format in order to have students be able to comprehend text in a way that fits them best.
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References

Couros, G. (2014, September 30). We need to see beyond the “tool”. Retrieved from

https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/4803

Green, J. (2015). Paper towns. New York: Penguin Books.

Gonzalez, M. (2014). The effect of embedded text-to-speech and vocabulary ebook scaffolds on

the comprehension of students with reading disabilities. International Journal Of Special

Education, 29(3), 111-125.

Hosseini, K. (2014). The kite runner. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Kingsley, T., & Tancock, S. (2013). Internet inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 67(5), 389-399.

Korat, O. (2010). Reading electronic books as a support for vocabulary, story comprehension

and word reading in kindergarten and first grade. Computers & Education,55(1), 24-31.

Lam, P., Lam, S. L., Lam, J., & McNaught, C. (2009). Usability and usefulness of ebooks on

PPCs: How students' opinions vary over time. Australasian Journal Of Educational

Technology, 25(1), 30-44.

Larson, L. C. (2015). E-books and audiobooks: Extending the digital reading experience. The

Reading Teacher, 69(2), 169-177.

Larson, L. C. (2012). Its time to turn the digital page: Preservice teachers explore e-book

reading. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,56(4), 280-290.

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Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. (2012). Teaching children to read: the teacher makes the difference.

(6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

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Appendix

Comprehension Case Study

Thank you so much for agreeing to help me with this study! Your participation in this
study is greatly appreciated. You may complete this study from start to finish or you may break
up the work over multiple sessions. Please do not talk about the readings with anyone and do not
consult others about answers on the comprehension test until after you have finished the whole
study. Do not preview the comprehension test questions before reading and do not refer back to
the book or your notes when answering the questions. If you do not remember the answer, take
your best guess. Answer all comprehension questions to the best of your ability. Your name will
never be associated with your test results.

In this study you will be reading the chapters one through three in The Kite Runner by
Khaled Hosseini (~17 pages) and the prologue and chapters one and two in Paper Towns by John
Green (~20 pages).

If you have any questions, please contact me at MMeyers002@student.franciscan.edu

-Meghan
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Procedure:

1. Please start by downloading the Kindle app onto your iPad (it’s free).

2. Then copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
http://www.thehazeleyacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IB-English-The-Kite-
Runner-Full-Text.pdf

3. When you have The Kite Runner PDF open, click the icon in the top right corner of your iPad
that looks like this:

Then click “send to Kindle”

4. On your iPad in the Kindle app,

please read chapters one through three of
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
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(~17 pages)*

*I strongly encourage you to change the screen brightness, font size, background color,
and format of the text to your liking. Also try adding annotations, highlighting text,
bookmarking pages, and using the embedded dictionary to look up unfamiliar
vocabulary.

For more information on how to use these features: https://www.imore.com/ibooks

5. Take The Kite Runner comprehension test. Please answer all questions to the best of your
ability. If you do not remember an answer, take your best guess. Please do not refer back to the
book or your notes when answering the questions. Access the comprehension test here:
https://goo.gl/forms/Sj0ezypLFu1bNnJ72

6. Read the prologue and chapters one and two in Paper Towns by John Green in traditional print
format (~20 pages). A copy of the book has been provided for your convenience.

7. Take the Paper Towns comprehension test. Please answer all questions to the best of your
ability. If you do not remember an answer, take your best guess. Please do not refer back to the
book or your notes when answering the questions. A paper copy of the comprehension test
will be provided.

8. Take the “End of Study Questionnaire”. A paper copy of the questionnaire test will be
provided.

Thank you for your time and participation in this important research!
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The Kite Runner Comprehension Test (Answers)

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1. What is the relationship between Baba and Ali?

a) Ali is Baba's brother
b) Ali is Baba's servant
c) Ali is Baba's son
d) Ali is Baba's grandfather

2. What does Baba worry about with regard to Amir?

a) That Amir will turn away from religious instruction as he ages
b) That Amir will not be able to stand up for himself as an adult
c) That Amir will eventually betray Hassan out of self-interest
d) That Amir will grow up to be a writer instead of a real worker

3. Identify Rahim Kahan

a) Baba's closest friend
b) Hassan's father
c) Amir's most loyal friend and half brother
d) Narrator and main character

4. Identify Baba
a) Hassan's father
b) Amir's most loyal friend and half brother
c) The father of Amir
d) Narrator and main character

5. Identify Ali
a) Baba's closest friend
b) Hassan's father
c) Amir's most loyal friend and half brother
d) The father of Amir

6. Identify Hassan.
a) Baba's closest friend
b) Amir's most loyal friend and half brother
c) The father of Amir
d) Narrator and main character

7. Who worked for whom as a servant?

a) Ali worked for Baba.
b) Baba worked for Ali
c) Hassan worked for Amir
d) Amir worked for Baba

8. What is Farsi?
a) An ethnic minority that is characterized by their mongoloid facial features.
b) The second largest denomination of the Islamic faith that believe in the teachings of
Muhammad were carried through his descendants.
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c) An ethnic group forming a majority in Afghanistan and surrounding locations.

d) The language of certain parts of Afghanistan.

9. Define Pashtuns.
a) An ethnic minority that is characterized by their mongoloid facial features.
b) The second largest denomination of the Islamic faith that believe in the teachings of
Muhammad were carried through his descendants.
c) An ethnic group forming a majority in Afghanistan and surrounding locations.
d) The language of certain parts of Afghanistan.

10. What would best describe the tone at the end of chapter 2?
a) Gloomy
b) Hopeful
c) Cheerful

11. What do you think Baba is talking about when he states that there is "something missing"
with Amir?
a) Baba believes Amir is missing his mother
b) Baba believes Amir is missing common sense
c) Baba believes Amir is missing self-defense.

Paper Towns Comprehension Test

1. What did Quentin consider to be his “miracle”?

a) Finding something in the park
b) Not getting caught sneaking out
c) Living next door to Margo
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d) Not getting struck by lightening

2. What word best describes how Quentin feels when he sees the dead body under the tree in the
park?
a) Intrigued
b) Angry
c) Fearful
d) Excited

3. Margo tells Quentin she knows how the dead man they found in the park, Robert Joyner, died.
How did she find out this information?
a) She asked a police officer
b) She eavesdropped during the investigation
c) She asked Robert Joyner’s neighbor
d) She traced the blood back to the evidence

4. At the end of the prologue, when Quentin and Margo are nine years old, what would best
describe how Quentin views Margo?
a) Funny
b) Smart
c) Mysterious
d) Easy-going

5. Who is Chuck Parson?

a) A friend of Quentin
b) A friend of Margo
c) A bully at school
d) A neighbor

6. How do Quentin and Ben feel about Radar’s new girlfriend?

a) They think she is annoying
b) They think she is really cool
c) They think Ben is too good for her
d) They think she is really smart

7. Why would Radar not take his girlfriend, Angela, to his house?
a) He is embarrassed that his house is smaller than hers
b) His house is far away
c) He is embarrassed of his parents’ Halloween obsession
d) He is embarrassed of his parents’ black Santa collection

8. Why does Ben encourage Quentin to ask Margo to prom even though she has a boyfriend?
a) Margo’s boyfriend isn’t a good guy
b) Ben knows Quentin is in love with Margo
c) Margo told Ben she wants Quentin to ask her
d) Ben knows Margo’s boyfriend is going to breakup with her
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9. How does Margo feel about her parents?

a) She loves her mom but feels her dad is too harsh
b) She doesn’t like them because they are overprotective
c) She doesn’t like them because they favor her little sister
d) She likes her parents even though they are strict

10. What grammatical quirk do Margo’s notes typically have?

a) Inconsistent spelling
b) Inconsistent capitalization
c) Run on Sentences
d) Improper use of semicolons

11. What are Quentin’s parents’ professions?

a) They’re both therapists
b) They’re both lawyers
c) They’re both chiropractors
d) They’re both retired

Paper Towns Comprehension Test (Answers)

1. What did Quentin consider to be his “miracle”?

e) Finding something in the park
f) Not getting caught sneaking out
g) Living next door to Margo
h) Not getting struck by lightening

2. What word best describes how Quentin feels when he sees the dead body under the tree in the
park?
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e) Intrigued
f) Angry
g) Fearful
h) Excited

3. Margo tells Quentin she knows how the dead man they found in the park, Robert Joyner, died.
How did she find out this information?
e) She asked a police officer
f) She eavesdropped during the investigation
g) She asked Robert Joyner’s neighbor
h) She traced the blood back to the evidence

4. At the end of the prologue, when Quentin and Margo are nine years old, what would best
describe how Quentin views Margo?
e) Funny
f) Smart
g) Mysterious
h) Easy-going

5. Who is Chuck Parson?

e) A friend of Quentin
f) A friend of Margo
g) A bully at school
h) A neighbor

6. How do Quentin and Ben feel about Radar’s new girlfriend?

e) They think she is annoying
f) They think she is really cool
g) They think Ben is too good for her
h) They think she is really smart

7. Why would Radar not take his girlfriend, Angela, to his house?
e) He is embarrassed that his house is smaller than hers
f) His house is far away
g) He is embarrassed of his parents’ Halloween obsession
h) He is embarrassed of his parents’ black Santa collection

8. Why does Ben encourage Quentin to ask Margo to prom even though she has a boyfriend?
e) Margo’s boyfriend isn’t a good guy
f) Ben knows Quentin is in love with Margo
g) Margo told Ben she wants Quentin to ask her
h) Ben knows Margo’s boyfriend is going to breakup with her

9. How does Margo feel about her parents?

e) She loves her mom but feels her dad is too harsh
f) She doesn’t like them because they are overprotective
EFFECTS ON STUDENT COMPREHENSION WHEN TEXTS ARE PRESENTED 28
DIGITALLY

g) She doesn’t like them because they favor her little sister
h) She likes her parents even though they are strict

10. What grammatical quirk do Margo’s notes typically have?

e) Inconsistent spelling
f) Inconsistent capitalization
g) Run on Sentences
h) Improper use of semicolons

11. What are Quentin’s parents’ professions?

e) They’re both therapists
f) They’re both lawyers
g) They’re both chiropractors
h) They’re both retired
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DIGITALLY
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DIGITALLY
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