Listening vs. Reading: Which Is More Effective for Studying in 2024?

Listening vs. Reading: Which Is Better for Studying and Remembering?

People learn in different ways. Some prefer reading textbooks, while others like listening to lectures or podcasts. Your choice often comes down to personal preference, convenience, or availability. Still, many wonder: is listening or reading more effective for remembering and studying?

How People Remember Information

Many factors influence how well you remember what you study. These include:

• How you receive the information (listening or reading)
• The complexity of the topic
• Your personal learning style
• Possible learning disabilities

Transcriptionists are a clear example. To turn audio recordings into text, they need strong listening skills. Without this, it would be hard to produce accurate transcripts for things like law enforcement interviews or legal depositions.

Audiobooks vs. Textbooks: Which Helps You Remember More?

In the past, people mostly read books and papers to learn. Technology has changed that. Now, listening to audiobooks, podcasts, and lectures is common. Some people even think listening could become more popular than reading for learning in the future.

Topic Complexity Affects Learning Style

The best learning method can depend on how difficult the subject is. According to Professor Matthew Traxler from the University of California, for simple topics, both reading and listening work well (Traxler, 2018).

For example:

• Light topics (news, entertainment): listening and reading are equally effective
• Complex topics (science, law, math): reading is often better because you can pause to think and reread

Reading lets you stop and reflect. You can quickly skim back to check details. Listening can be harder if you need to pause, rewind, or find a section again. This is especially true for live audio, where you cannot control playback and might need a transcript to review the material.

The Science: How the Brain Processes Listening and Reading

Research shows your brain handles information differently depending on whether you hear or see it. According to a 2016 study, most people can remember content equally well whether they listen to it or read it (McLoughlin et al., 2016).

Further research by Indiana University professor Polly Husmann found that students’ test scores were not strongly affected by their preferred learning method (Husmann, 2017). In other words, using a non-preferred method like reading instead of listening—or vice versa—did not make a big difference in their grades.

Key points:

• Most people can learn and remember information by reading or listening
• Preferences matter, but other methods can work just as well
• Mixing listening and reading may help reinforce understanding

Modern Classrooms: Combining Listening and Reading

Today’s classrooms use both reading and listening. Traditional, in-person classes let students ask teachers questions and discuss readings. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many classes have moved online, offering more learning options and flexibility.

Online classes often include:

• Live lectures (listening into real-time classes)
• Recorded lessons (playing back to review)
• Class transcripts (reading for clear understanding)

Having transcripts or captions means students can choose how to learn best—by reading, listening, or both. This flexibility helps everyone, including students with different learning needs.

Does Reading Help You Learn Faster Than Listening?

When it comes to speed, reading is usually faster than listening. The average adult reads at about 250–300 words per minute (Carver, 1992). Most people speak at around 150–160 words per minute (National Center for Voice and Speech, 2019).

Here’s a quick comparison:

• Reading: 250–300 words per minute
• Normal speech: 150–160 words per minute
• Auctioneers: up to 250 words per minute (which is difficult for most listeners to comprehend)

Because reading is faster, converting audio files to text with transcription services can help people review materials more quickly and efficiently.

How Transcription Services Improve Learning and Memory

Transcripts and captions offer many benefits for learning and studying:

• Allow people to choose between listening and reading
• Make searching for key information faster
• Improve accessibility for people with hearing or learning differences
• Help reinforce memory by engaging multiple senses
• Support remote work and online education

Businesses and schools can order automated transcripts to make lessons, meetings, and events easier to understand and review. This helps both students and employees learn and remember key information better.

Choosing the Best Method: Listening, Reading, or Both?

There’s no single best answer for everyone. Whether listening or reading suits you better may depend on:

• The subject’s complexity
• Your personal learning style
• Your environment and available tools

Combining both methods can lead to deeper understanding and higher retention, especially when using transcripts alongside audio or video. For recorded lectures and meetings, ordering professional transcripts makes information more accessible to all types of learners.

GoTranscript Offers Effective Solutions for All Learners

No matter your preferred learning style, having both text and audio formats can make studying easier and more effective. GoTranscript provides a range of options, including human-powered transcription, AI transcription subscriptions, closed caption services, and subtitling services. We also offer text translation and audio translation services for even greater accessibility.

If you’re ready to enhance your learning or provide more options for your students or employees, order a transcript today. To learn more, visit our pages on transcription pricing and captioning prices.