A majority of Sweden’s students read most of their course literature and also find it easy to understand. However, younger students read significantly less than their older peers. This is revealed by a new study from Chalmers University of Technology, which sheds light on the debate concerning a potential reading crisis in higher education.
The report, Reading in Higher Education: A Quantitative Study of Students’ Reading Habits in Swedish and English, is based on a survey of 1,000 randomly selected students in Sweden who answered questions about their reading habits and comprehension. The results indicate that 72 per cent read the majority of the compulsory Swedish-language course literature, and 86 per cent consider it easy to read and understand.
This study is one of the few extensive examinations of reading in higher education carried out to date. It was led by Hans Malmström, Professor at Chalmers’ Department of Communication and Learning in Science. He points out that further insights into students’ reading habits are in demand among many stakeholders, and he believes the study offers important perspectives to the ongoing debate about declining reading skills among students. Hans Malmström also emphasises that the perceived severity of the problem largely depends on the expectations held.
“It is hardly realistic to expect that all students will always read all the course literature. I find it encouraging that the results show an overwhelming majority of students do read and absorb the course material – this gives us reason to reflect on the extent of the so-called reading crisis in higher education that is currently being discussed,” he said.
Differences by Age and Subject Area
The study also reveals significant differences between various groups of students. A clear finding is that younger students read less than their older counterparts.
“It is possible that younger students engage with academic texts in different ways from older students – for instance, by using digital resources or summaries to a greater extent. It may also reflect changing reading habits over time among the younger generation. However, even though younger students are less inclined to read compared to their older peers, the majority still read most of the literature,” explained Linda Eriksson, a PhD student at Örebro University and one of the report’s co-authors.
I find it encouraging that the results show an overwhelming majority of students do read and absorb the course material (...).
Reading habits also vary by subject area. Students in the humanities and arts read the most course literature, with 86 per cent reading all or nearly all of it. In contrast, students in engineering read the least, with only 61 per cent doing so.
Language Matters
Another conclusion from the study is that language affects reading habits. When the course literature is in English, the inclination to read it drops noticeably.
“One third of the students state that they only read a small portion – or nothing at all – when the course literature is in English. This could have consequences for learning, as a large part of the course material is in English,” said Hans Malmström.
“These are pressing findings for us,” added Linnea Hanell, Language Expert at The Institute for Language and Folklore (Isof), a collaborative partner in the study. “The choice of course literature always entails a language choice, and this study may raise awareness of the implications that linguistic decisions can have.”
Addressing the Challenges
Hans Malmström believes that the study clearly shows the complexity of the issue of students’ reading abilities.
“While the results indicate that the majority of students seem to manage academic reading well, there are smaller groups who risk being marginalised in terms of knowledge because they do not read enough and/or do not understand the material. How higher education – and indeed primary and secondary school – choose to address these challenges could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for individual students’ learning,” he said.
An Overview of the Study
Reading in Higher Education: A Quantitative Study of Students’ Reading Habits in Swedish and English is a collaboration between Chalmers, Örebro University, and The Institute for Language and Folklore. The study was carried out by Verian and is based on a survey of 1,000 randomly selected students from a nationally representative sample in Sweden. The data has been weighted to facilitate comparisons between different student subgroups. The report focuses on students’ academic reading habits, their preferences for Swedish versus English texts, and how well primary and secondary school have prepared them for academic reading.
Due to the inclusion of a “don’t know/unsure” response option, the total percentages presented do not always add up to 100 per cent.
Results for All Students (Swedish-Language Course Literature)
- 72 per cent of students read the majority of the compulsory Swedish-language course literature.
- 22 per cent read only a small portion or nothing at all.
How Students in Different Age Groups Read (Swedish-Language Course Literature, Overall Group Level)
Read most or all:
- 18–29 years: 65 per cent
- 30-44 years: 81 per cent
- 45-59 years: 96 per cent
- 60-79 years: 90 per cent
Read a small portion or nothing:
- 18–29 years: 27 per cent
- 30–44 years: 17 per cent
- 45-59 years: 4 per cent
- 60-79 years: 0 per cent
How Students in Different Subject Areas Read (Swedish Course Literature, Overall Group Level)
Students in the humanities and arts read the most course literature, with 86 per cent reading all or nearly all of it. In contrast, students in engineering read the least, with 61 per cent reading all or nearly all.
How Students Read Swedish versus English Course Literature (Overall Group Level)
- 60 per cent of students read most or all of the course literature when it is in English, and 33 per cent report that they read only a small portion or nothing at all.
- 86 per cent find Swedish-language course literature easy to understand, compared with 61 per cent for
- English texts; notably, undergraduate students in particular struggle with English texts.
- A majority of students – 70 per cent – prefer academic texts in Swedish over those in English.
Preparation for Academic Reading
61 per cent of students report that primary and secondary education have prepared them for academic reading in Swedish, whereas the corresponding figure for English texts is 41 per cent.
Questions?
- Assistant Head of Department, Communication and Learning in Science