Search results

Adults, as well as children these days often read an extensive amount of information online. Thus, the need to address the ergonomic issues associated with this type of medium has become even more important. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of line length on online reading performance by both adults and children. This study found no significant differences in reading time or reading efficiency between the three line length conditions for both the adults and children. However, the results did support the finding that shorter line lengths are preferred more that full-screen line lengths. As far ...

Recent studies have shown that temporal expressions like "around 2 o'clock" and "then" are used by speakers and writers to signal thematic shift and that "and" signals continuity in narratives. The role of these markers was investigated by measuring the availability of words from the preceding text. Results from 3 experiments suggest that temporal markers modify the availability of preceding words. Segmentation markers like around 2 o'clock and then reduce this availability, whereas continuity markers like and improve this availability. Results are compatible with the hypothesis that segmentation markers lead readers not to integrate new information with preceding information, but ...

Recent studies have shown that temporal expressions like "around 2 o'clock" and "then" are used by speakers and writers to signal thematic shift and that "and" signals continuity in narratives. The role of these markers was investigated by measuring the availability of words from the preceding text. Results from 3 experiments suggest that temporal markers modify the availability of preceding words. Segmentation markers like around 2 o'clock and then reduce this availability, whereas continuity markers like and improve this availability. Results are compatible with the hypothesis that segmentation markers lead readers not to integrate new information with preceding information, but ...

In three experiments we tested the effects of spatial visualization ability on performance of a motion-verification task, in which subjects were shown a diagram of a mechanical system and were asked to verify a sentence stating the motion of one of the system components. We propose that this task involves component processes of (1) sentence comprehension, (2) diagram comprehension, (3) text-diagram integration, and (4) mental animation. Subjects with law spatial ability made more errors than did subjects with high spatial ability on this task, and they made more errors on items in which more system components had to be animated ...

In three experiments we tested the effects of spatial visualization ability on performance of a motion-verification task, in which subjects were shown a diagram of a mechanical system and were asked to verify a sentence stating the motion of one of the system components. We propose that this task involves component processes of (1) sentence comprehension, (2) diagram comprehension, (3) text-diagram integration, and (4) mental animation. Subjects with law spatial ability made more errors than did subjects with high spatial ability on this task, and they made more errors on items in which more system components had to be animated ...

Investigated the interaction of the structure of information in text, the reader's background knowledge, and the reader's purpose or goal for reading with respect to text processing and memory. The study also examined whether information in text is selectively processed as a function of text and reader attributes and how this processing is related to text recall. 90 undergraduates who demonstrated knowledge of physics or music principles read 3 texts about laser annealing, musical notation, and parakeets. Sentences were identified as high, intermediate, or low in each text structure hierarchy. Ss received 1 of 3 sets of instructions targeting specific ...

The effects of topic knowledge, text coherence, and topic interest on learning from text were examined. One hundred sixty high school students participated in 1 of 4 groups according to their levels of topic knowledge and interest. Participants read 1 of 3 versions of a scientific text: minimally coherent, locally coherent, and locally and globally coherent. Text comprehension was examined by tasks aimed at tapping both textbase and situation-model levels. The contribution of topic interest seemed to increase according to the quantity of learners' topic knowledge. High-knowledge and high-interest students performed significantly better than those in the other 3 groups ...

Concludes that nominal writing style, substituting nouns for verbs, adversely affects reader interest and reading speed. ...

The demand that text processing imposes on learners' cognitive capacity was measured with a secondary-task technique; the meaning of the textual materials was held constant while several structural (surface) variables were manipulated. Exp I (36 undergraduates) showed that text versions with simplified vocabulary and syntax (but equivalent content) required less cognitive capacity to process than standard versions. Exp II (96 Ss) revealed that the reduction in use of cognitive capacity was due primarily to syntactic factors. Exp III (72 Ss) demonstrated that texts containing signals about idea importance and relations required less cognitive capacity to process than texts with approximately ...

The demand that text processing imposes on learners' cognitive capacity was measured with a secondary-task technique; the meaning of the textual materials was held constant while several structural (surface) variables were manipulated. Exp I (36 undergraduates) showed that text versions with simplified vocabulary and syntax (but equivalent content) required less cognitive capacity to process than standard versions. Exp II (96 Ss) revealed that the reduction in use of cognitive capacity was due primarily to syntactic factors. Exp III (72 Ss) demonstrated that texts containing signals about idea importance and relations required less cognitive capacity to process than texts with approximately ...