CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 253Usability and User Interface DesignGaze Tracking and Assistive TechnologyErgonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 99 of the 100 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Reading text from computer screens

Open access
Mills, Carol Bergfeld, Weldon, Linda J.·1987·ACM Computing Surveys
DOI 10.1145/45075.46162
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

This paper reviews empirical studies concerning the readability of text from computer screens. The review focuses on the form and physical attributes of complex, realistic displays of text material. Most studies comparing paper and computer screen readability show that screens are less readable than paper. There are many factors that could affect the readability of computer screens. The factors explored in this review are the features of characters, the formatting of the screen, the contrast and color of the characters and background, and dynamic aspects of the screen. Numerous areas for future research are pinpointed.

Overview

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1145/45075.46162

Cites

99 of 99 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Verification

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Citations

Cites

Show all 100 references

Research works printed but not linked: 24

  1. BRUCE M. , AND FOSTER , J. J. 1982 . The visibility of colored characters on colored backgrounds in Viewdata displays . Visible Lang. 16 , 382 - 390 . BRUCE M., AND FOSTER, J. J. 1982. The visibility of colored characters on colored backgrounds in Viewdata displays. Visible Lang. 16, 382-390.
  2. FELKER D. B. 1980. Document design: A Review of the Relevant Research. American Institutes for Research Washington D.C. FELKER D. B. 1980. Document design: A Review of the Relevant Research. American Institutes for Research Washington D.C.
  3. HARTLEY , J. , AND BURNHILL , P. 1971 . Experiments with unjustified text . Visible Lang. 3 , 265 - 278 . HARTLEY, J., AND BURNHILL, P. 1971. Experiments with unjustified text. Visible Lang. 3, 265-278.
  4. HELANDER , M. G. , BILLINGSLEY , P. A. , AND SCHURICK , J. M. 1984. An evaluation of human factors on visual display terminals in the workplace . In Human Factors Review, F. A. Muckler, Ed. Human Factors Society , Santa Monica , Calif., pp. 55 - 129 . HELANDER, M. G., BILLINGSLEY, P. A., AND SCHURICK, J. M. 1984. An evaluation of human factors on visual display terminals in the workplace. In Human Factors Review, F. A. Muckler, Ed. Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, Calif., pp. 55-129.
  5. HODGE , D. C. 1962 . Legibility of a uniform-strokewidth alphabet: I. Relative legibility of upper and lower case letters . J. Eng. Psychol. 1 , 34 - 46 . HODGE, D. C. 1962. Legibility of a uniform-strokewidth alphabet: I. Relative legibility of upper and lower case letters. J. Eng. Psychol. 1, 34-46.
  6. HODGE , D. C. 1963 . Legibility of a uniform-strokewidth alphabet: II. Some factors affecting the legibility of words . J. Eng. Psychol. 2 , 55 - 67 . HODGE, D. C. 1963. Legibility of a uniform-strokewidth alphabet: II. Some factors affecting the legibility of words. J. Eng. Psychol. 2, 55-67.
  7. IBM . 1984. Human Factors of Workstations with Visual Displays . IBM Corporation , San Jose , Calif. IBM. 1984. Human Factors of Workstations with Visual Displays. IBM Corporation, San Jose, Calif.
  8. KAK , A. V. 1981 . Relationship between readability of printed and CRT-displayed text . In Proceedings o{ the Human Factors Society 25th Annual Meeting, R. C. Sugarman, Ed. Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, Calif. , pp. 137 - 140 . KAK, A. V. 1981. Relationship between readability of printed and CRT-displayed text. In Proceedings o{ the Human Factors Society 25th Annual Meeting, R. C. Sugarman, Ed. Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, Calif., pp. 137-140.
  9. LANCASTER , F. W. , AND WARNER , A. 1985. Electronic publication and its impact on the presentation of information . In The Technology o{ Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text. vol. 2 , D. H. Jonassen, Ed . Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. , pp. 292 - 309 . LANCASTER, F. W., AND WARNER, A. 1985. Electronic publication and its impact on the presentation of information. In The Technology o{ Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text. vol. 2, D. H. Jonassen, Ed. Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp. 292-309.
  10. MADDOX , M. E. 1980 . Two-dimensional spatial frequency content and confusion among dot-matrix characters . Proc. SID 21 , 31 - 40 . MADDOX, M. E. 1980. Two-dimensional spatial frequency content and confusion among dot-matrix characters. Proc. SID 21, 31-40.
  11. MALLOY , R. 1983 . Videotex brings the world to your doorstep . Byte 8 , 41 . MALLOY, R. 1983. Videotex brings the world to your doorstep. Byte 8, 41.
  12. MANSFIELD , V. 1985 . Staring at the screen . The Washington Post: A Weekly Journal of Medicine, Health and Psychology 1 , 5 , 10 - 11 . MANSFIELD, V. 1985. Staring at the screen. The Washington Post: A Weekly Journal of Medicine, Health and Psychology 1, 5, 10-11.
  13. MERRILL , P. F. 1982. Displaying text on microcomputers . In The Technology o{ Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text , D. H. Jonassen, Ed. Educational Technology Publications , Englewood Cliffs, N.J. , pp. 401 - 414 . MERRILL, P. F. 1982. Displaying text on microcomputers. In The Technology o{ Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text, D. H. Jonassen, Ed. Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp. 401-414.
  14. OL~RON , G. , AND TARDIEU , H. 1978. Influence of scrolling up on the recall of texts . In Practical Aspects o{ Memory , M. M. Gruneberg, P. E. Morris, and R. N. Sykes, Eds. Academic Press , Orlando, Fla ., pp. 137 - 144 . OL~RON, G., AND TARDIEU, H. 1978. Influence of scrolling up on the recall of texts. In Practical Aspects o{ Memory, M. M. Gruneberg, P. E. Morris, and R. N. Sykes, Eds. Academic Press, Orlando, Fla., pp. 137-144.
  15. REYNOLDS , L. 1982. Display problems for Teletext . In The Technology of Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text , D. H. Jonassen, Ed. Educational Technology Publications , Englewood Cliffs, N.J. , pp 415 - 437 . REYNOLDS, L. 1982. Display problems for Teletext. In The Technology of Text: Principles {or Structuring, Designing, and Displaying Text, D. H. Jonassen, Ed. Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp 415-437.
  16. SAUTER , S. L. , GOTTLIEB , M. S. , ROHRER , K. M. , AND DODSON , V. N. 1983. The well-being of video display terminal users: An exploratory study. Rep. 210-79-0034 , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , Cincinnati, Ohio . SAUTER, S. L., GOTTLIEB, M. S., ROHRER, K. M., AND DODSON, V. N. 1983. The well-being of video display terminal users: An exploratory study. Rep. 210-79-0034, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, Ohio.
  17. SEKEY , A. , AND TIETZ , J. 1982 . Text display by "saccadic scrolling ." Visible Lang. 17 , 62 - 77 . SEKEY, A., AND TIETZ, J. 1982. Text display by "saccadic scrolling." Visible Lang. 17, 62-77.
  18. SENDERS , J. 1977 . An on-line scientific journal . Inf. Sci. 2 , 3 - 9 . SENDERS, J. 1977. An on-line scientific journal. Inf. Sci. 2, 3-9.
  19. SHURTLEFF , D. A. 1974 . Legibility research . Proc. SID 15 , 41 - 51 . SHURTLEFF, D. A. 1974. Legibility research. Proc. SID 15, 41-51.
  20. SMITH , D. L. , ED. 1978. Graphic displays: A human engineering guide {or using color in CRT command and control displays. Independent development program C755 , Rep. D66834, Lockheed Missiles & ; Space Co., Space Systems Division, Sunnyvale, Calif . SMITH, D. L., ED. 1978. Graphic displays: A human engineering guide {or using color in CRT command and control displays. Independent development program C755, Rep. D66834, Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., Space Systems Division, Sunnyvale, Calif.
  21. SPENCER , H. , AND REYNOLDS , L. 1976. Factors , Affecting the Acceptability of Micro{orms as a Reading Medium. Readability of Print Research Unit , Royal College of Art , London . SPENCER, H., AND REYNOLDS, L. 1976. Factors , Affecting the Acceptability of Micro{orms as a Reading Medium. Readability of Print Research Unit, Royal College of Art, London.
  22. VARTABEDIAN , A. G. 1970 . Effects of parameters of symbol formation on legibility . Inf. Dis. 5 , 23 - 26 . VARTABEDIAN, A. G. 1970. Effects of parameters of symbol formation on legibility. Inf. Dis. 5, 23-26.
  23. WIGOINS , R. H. 1967 . Effects of three typographical variables on speed of reading . J. Typograph. Res. 1 , 5 - 18 . WIGOINS, R. H. 1967. Effects of three typographical variables on speed of reading. J. Typograph. Res. 1, 5-18.
  24. WILLIGES , B. H. , AND WILLIGES , R. C. 1981. User considerations in computer-based information systems. NTIS No. ADA 106 194 , Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg , Va . WILLIGES, B. H., AND WILLIGES, R. C. 1981. User considerations in computer-based information systems. NTIS No. ADA 106 194, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, Va.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

See all 253

Related

Metadata

Authors
Mills, C. B., & Weldon, L. J.
Affiliations
  • Goucher College (US)
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
Venue
ACM Computing Surveys
Publisher
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Published
1987-12
Volume
19
Issue
4
Pages
329-357
ISSN
  • 0360-0300 (ISSN-L)
  • 1557-7341
DOI
10.1145/45075.46162
OpenAlex
W2021346535
Cited by
253
References
100
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 19
FWCI
3.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.acm.org/publications/policies/copyright_policy#Background (vor)
Locations
ACM Computing Surveys (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Gaze Tracking and Assistive Technology
  • Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
Keywords
computer displays, character design, color, dynamic displays, text display

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review