it was all i could do this afternoon to not check my email while reading a research study about how IMing and checking email affects productivity and retention of information learned.

ugh.  the internet is so distracting!!

the results of the study were that IMing and checking email while reading slows the reader down (even when you subtract the time spent IMing - it takes them a little while to get back on task after they read or send an IM), but that they do no worse on tests measuring how much they learned from doing the reading.

you could tell that the researchers were so PISSED at these results.  they clearly wanted to show that IMing is detrimental to learning and kept saying things like "even though they performed just as well on the tests, it took them a long time to get through the reading and students who are crunched for time will suffer if they IM."

i had this sick satisfaction that the IMers did just as well on the test as people who weren't IMing.  yes!  beat the system!  stick it to the man!  no one can tell me to stop checking my email while i'm doing work!

i was perhaps too into it.