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The current wisdom on texts is that they should start by providing readers with an overview of the content (the topics discussed) & the structure (the relationship between the topics). However, in a recent paper Murray & McGlone (1997) reported that readers benefit from topic information but not from structural information provided in an overview of a very simple text. In the present experiments we ask whether these observations would be applicable to more complex texts in which structural information would be more important. Two experiments, which used a text with a complex hierarchical structure, replicated previous results on reading ...

The current wisdom on texts is that they should start by providing readers with an overview of the content (the topics discussed) & the structure (the relationship between the topics). However, in a recent paper Murray & McGlone (1997) reported that readers benefit from topic information but not from structural information provided in an overview of a very simple text. In the present experiments we ask whether these observations would be applicable to more complex texts in which structural information would be more important. Two experiments, which used a text with a complex hierarchical structure, replicated previous results on reading ...

With such a large volume of material accessible from the World Wide Web, there is an urgent need to increase our knowledge of factors influencing reading from screen. We investigate the effects of two reading speeds (normal and fast) and different line lengths on comprehension, reading rate and scrolling patterns. Scrolling patterns are defined as the way in which readers proceed through the text, pausing and scrolling. Comprehension and reading rate are also examined in relation to scrolling patterns to attempt to identify some characteristics of effective readers. We found a reduction in overall comprehension when reading fast, but the ...

Research on language comprehension has focused on the resolution of syntactic ambiguities, and most studies have employed garden-path sentences to determine the system's preferences and to assess its use of nonsyntactic sources of information. A topic that has been neglected is how syntactically challenging but essentially unambiguous sentences are processed, including passives and object-clefts--sentences that require thematic roles to be assigned in an atypical order. The three experiments described here tested the idea that sentences are processed both algorithmically and heuristically. Sentences were presented aurally and the participants' task was to identify the thematic roles in the sentence (e.g., Who ...

Research on language comprehension has focused on the resolution of syntactic ambiguities, and most studies have employed garden-path sentences to determine the system's preferences and to assess its use of nonsyntactic sources of information. A topic that has been neglected is how syntactically challenging but essentially unambiguous sentences are processed, including passives and object-clefts--sentences that require thematic roles to be assigned in an atypical order. The three experiments described here tested the idea that sentences are processed both algorithmically and heuristically. Sentences were presented aurally and the participants' task was to identify the thematic roles in the sentence (e.g., Who ...

Research on language comprehension has focused on the resolution of syntactic ambiguities, and most studies have employed garden-path sentences to determine the system's preferences and to assess its use of nonsyntactic sources of information. A topic that has been neglected is how syntactically challenging but essentially unambiguous sentences are processed, including passives and object-clefts--sentences that require thematic roles to be assigned in an atypical order. The three experiments described here tested the idea that sentences are processed both algorithmically and heuristically. Sentences were presented aurally and the participants' task was to identify the thematic roles in the sentence (e.g., Who ...

Written sentences often contain several meaningful components (e.g., causes and effects or events in a sequence). Preliminary studies of technical documents showed that typographically segmenting these components improved raters' judgments of the comprehensibility of the information. In the present paper, this segmentation notion is generalized, suggesting that phrase segmentation and indentation can be used to facilitate comprehension. Five experiments were conducted (with a total of 72 college students or technical aides) in which Ss verified sentences by reading complex information in several technical passages. Meaningfully segmented and indented text resulted in 14-28% faster response times than standard text. Both segmenting ...

Written sentences often contain several meaningful components (e.g., causes and effects or events in a sequence). Preliminary studies of technical documents showed that typographically segmenting these components improved raters' judgments of the comprehensibility of the information. In the present paper, this segmentation notion is generalized, suggesting that phrase segmentation and indentation can be used to facilitate comprehension. Five experiments were conducted (with a total of 72 college students or technical aides) in which Ss verified sentences by reading complex information in several technical passages. Meaningfully segmented and indented text resulted in 14-28% faster response times than standard text. Both segmenting ...

In 2 eye-movement experiments, the authors tested whether transitional probability (the statistical likelihood that a word precedes or follows another word) affects reading times and whether this occurs independently from contextual predictability effects. Experiment 1 showed early effects of predictability, replicating S. A. McDonald and R. C. Shillcock's (2003a) finding that words with a high transitional probability (defeat following accept) are read faster than words with a low transitional probability (losses following accept). However, further analyses suggested that the transitional probability effect was likely due to differences in predictability rather than transitional probability. Experiment 2, using a better controlled set ...

Recognition memory for easy & difficult text was examined through the use of a recognition memory paradigm in three experiments. In experiment 1, Ss (N = 103 university students) were asked to read passages from a booklet containing driving regulations & IRS instructions. After five minutes the booklets were collected & Ss completed recognition tests in one of two conditions: immediately following the reading or after a one-hour delay. Results supported the hypothesis that difficulty of reading material is related to memory for that information. Experiment 2 (N = 22 faculty members) replicated experiment 1, using only the delayed condition. ...