Project description DEENESFRITPL Too Long; Didn’t Read: reading habits in the digital age How has the widespread use of the internet and other digital resources changed our reading habits? There has been a shift from close reading (sustained and focused attention) to hyperreading, non-linear modes of reading (skimming and scanning a text). Does this mean today's readers (especially young people) are losing their ability to concentrate? The EU-funded TLDR project will investigate this issue. The project proposes that readers tend to modulate between close reading and hyperreading, depending on the type of text. For instance, literary texts require readers to switch between the two modes. TLDR will also explore whether reading literature helps to make us better at concentrating and modulating attention. The project will combine textual analysis with questionnaires, eye-tracking experiments and interviews. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective In the information age, technological developments have drastically increased the amount of texts available through different media. This has led to a shift in reading habits from close reading, sustained and focused attention to the text, to hyperreading, non-linear, computer-assisted modes of reading such as skimming and scanning. Consequently, some fear, young people are losing the ability to concentrate. Many scholars align literary reading with close or deep reading and maintain a strict binary conception of this mode and hyperreading at the opposite pole. TDLR proposes that (a) readers tend to modulate between the two modes, that are more integrated than is often assumed and that (b) this is especially true for literary reading, as literary texts demand of their readers to switch between close and hyperreading. The research project will therefore ask: Does reading literature help to make us better at allocating and modulating attention? What elements in literature prompt readers to pay close attention, and what elements invite a more distracted reading? Are experienced literary readers more skilled at determining when to zoom in and close read, and when to skim? And is this skill transferable to non-literary (information) environments and texts? This study will combine textual analysis with questionnaires, eye-tracking experiments, and interviews to answer these questions. Keywords attention concentration close reading culture distraction education digitalization hyperreading literary reading Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator TILBURG UNIVERSITY- UNIVERSITEIT VAN TILBURG Net EU contribution € 253 052,16 Address WARANDELAAN 2 5037 AB Tilburg Netherlands See on map Region Zuid-Nederland Noord-Brabant Midden-Noord-Brabant Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 253 052,16 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA United States Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address FRANKLIN STREET 1111 12 FLOOR 94607 OAKLAND CA See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 165 265,92
