Comparing Books vs Videos for Students

Let us finally put this argument to rest; Books or Videos? A common question among students. Especially with the advent of COVID-19, we have seen a switch to online classes. There is a diversity of aspects to compare before you decide which is better for you; books or videos? Is there one right answer to this that I can give you? NO. We all are different, and we all have different learning process. While some may prefer the feel of the hardbound book, the smell of the pages and the beauty of annotating and highlighting text; others may prefer being time-efficient, and quick reviews of videos before an exam. But what if you are in between?

Maybe you like some aspects of reading from books and some from the video lectures. I am here for those who are in this grey zone. It is ok if you can not decide which one to stick to. In fact, it is not even necessary to stick to one resource.

Not just in studies, but outside of the world of medicine as well, never let someone else carry the remote control of your life.

GAZALA

In this article, I have a table to score yourself based on the criteria you prefer for books and videos.
Let me elaborate; in the below table tick mark in front of each criterion which you prefer either for BOOKS or VIDEOS.

When you are done, count the number of ticks in each column.

Now, multiply the number of ticks in each section by 10 to get the proportion for books and videos, respectively.

	POINTS	BOOKS	VIDEOS
1	Process	Active	Passive
2	Time	More	Less
3	Complexity	More	Less
4	Memory	Scripted	Visual
5	Skimming	Easy	Difficult
6	Power Source requirement	Any light source	Light source Battery Internet
7	Quick review	Difficult	Easy
8	Speed	Self-controlled	May vary
9	Portability	Difficult	Easy
10	Money	Hard bound – Expensive PDFs/ Issued books – Cheap	Relatively less expensive

Let me know your scores in the comment section below.

This table will simplify the process for you. Moreover, it will provide you with a broad view to understand your own learning process.
We often have a fixed idea about things without even trying it ourselves. It is as if you start reading books because I told you that reading standard books are the best way to understand the depth of knowledge in medicine. But is that really helping you? Are you able to understand every line? Do you have time to read everything? Do you even like the hefty information there?
What works for someone else might not work for you. It is predominant to keep this in mind before making any decision.