In Praise of magazines, books and pdf slides

Yesterday, I posted this on LinkedIn:

The "breathing room, slow down" part stuck with me. I wanted to dig a little deeper into what's actually behind that feeling.

What the research says

A 2024 meta-analysis of 49 studies found that readers on paper consistently outperformed screen readers on comprehension tests. Researchers call this the "screen inferiority effect."

An EEG study published in the National Library of Medicine measured brain activity during print and screen reading. Print activated higher-frequency brain bands tied to concentration. Screens activated lower-frequency patterns linked to mind wandering. On paper, we focus. On screens, we daydream more.

Whitespace plays a role too. Research on layout and cognition shows that every unnecessary visual element competes for working memory. Clear structure, generous spacing, and intentional hierarchy reduce that load. The brain processes information better when the layout gives it room.

The fixed frame

This is what a well-designed book, magazine, or slide deck does. Fixed dimensions. One idea per unit. No infinite scroll. You have to decide what belongs and what doesn't.

That constraint mirrors how we process information best. Chunked, structured, with space between the parts.

Not nostalgia

I work on screens all day. The tools we have are extraordinary. But I think we underestimate what we lose when everything becomes fluid, scrollable, and algorithmically tailored. The fixed frame creates boundaries. And within those boundaries, ideas get sharper. That's not a limitation – it's a feature.

My kids will probably still call me old-fashioned. But I hope that one day they'll pick up a well-designed book or open a carefully crafted deck and notice the difference. Not because someone told them to, but because their brain did.

P.S. If you're interested in presentation design that actually applies these principles, check out The Master Slides. Their templates are solid, and the TMS Research Report is a useful resource on the topic.