Identifying mainstreams of contemporary digital reading research: insights from a co-citation network analysis and systematic review

This study conducted a systematic review to identify the mainstreams of contemporary digital reading research. We performed a co-citation network analysis to examine the streams and features of key topics in digital reading research. We also performed content analysis and used the bibliometrix R-package to map digital reading research themes and identify several trends in the field. In this study, we (a) identified three mainstreams of research within the digital reading co-citation network (namely, differences in reading comprehension between print books and e-books, adolescents’ habits and preferences related to digital reading and their digital reading literacy, and the analysis of reading behaviors as well as the use of interactive learning books); (b) determined that most studies on digital reading have employed quantitative or mixed methods, involved the use of tests and questionnaires to evaluate learners’ performance, and have not focused on specific application domains or learning strategies; and (c) discovered that most studies on digital reading had investigated the affective aspects of learners’ experiences, followed by cognition, learning behavior, and correlation or cause-and-effect analysis. We identified “engagement,” “digital media,” and “digital literacy” as key topics in research on digital reading. Directions for future research and digital reading education are provided.