Online survey calls for eBook device users

A recent post on the eBook-List by Miriam Schcolnik called for eBook device users to participate in a Web survey as part of a PhD study. The survey is for any readers using devices such as Rocket eBook, iPaq, Jornada 545 & 548, REB 1100 & 1200, eBookMan, Softbook and Palm to read electronic content. Also, Miriam has kindly offered to share the results once the survey is complete.

The full message from Miriam follows:

Dear dedicated e-reader user,

The first commercially available e-readers were released only a couple of years ago, but there are new developments in the field all the time.

One of the interesting questions that emerge is whether we read differently in the new medium, and if so, how. There are already a number of scholarly reports and papers on electronic reading, focusing mainly on research for the purpose of interface design, market research, or the implications of the use of these devices for libraries and library users. The present study will focus on the process of reading with dedicated e-reading devices and will hopefully shed light on the use of a "new medium" for implementing an "old skill."

If you own an e-reader, I would greatly appreciate it if you would complete my survey questionnaire. The web survey is part of my PhD research, and the topic is Reading with Dedicated E-Readers. My study investigates users' habits and strategies as well as their preferences and problems while reading with dedicated e-readers. It will also attempt to characterize "ideal texts" for reading on these devices.

I can assure you complete confidentiality and anonymity, and I ask for no identifying information on the questionnaire form. The study has been approved by the "Research with Human Subjects" review committee of my university, Nova Southeastern University.

The web survey will be posted for a period of one month, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 28. If you can spare some time, please answer all the questions. Your answers will greatly contribute to our knowledge about e-reading, what is read, how often, and most importantly, how it is read! Once my study is complete, I will be glad to share the results with anyone interested.

I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Miriam Schcolnik
Doctoral candidate - Nova Southeastern University
smiriam@post.tau.ac.il

The questionnaire is at:
http://www.scis.nova.edu/~scholnik/Questionnaire.html