ABSTRACT
The arrival of a new technology, product, or system initiates research into its “value” based on how well it meets its purpose, and how well it compares to alternatives. The development of the personal computer and the rapid growth of its acceptance within commerce, industry, and education, led to many studies in the 1980s focusing on comparative performance levels between computer-and paper-based material. This article reviews research in this area during the past 20 years to identify possible differences in performance levels between the two media. Literature examining the characteristics that distinguish cathode-ray-tube (CRT) monitors from paper is presented to determine whether these have direct effects on cognition, and if so how these might be manifested in performance differences between the media. The relevance of possible differences to human factors and ergonomics research, and whether the “computer vs. paper” comparison is now as important, in view of improvements in CRT monitors, are also considered.
