READING TEXT PRESENTED ON A SMALL DISPLAY

There are a number of applications in consumer and industrial product environments in which there is a need to display a message in a restri cted space. Two general display methods were compared in the present r esearch using an eight-character horizontal display. Text appeared eit her as a sequence of small right-to-left jumps ('leading'), or as a se quence of whole or part-word patterns (rapid serial visual presentatio ns, RSVP), Upper-case versus lower-case letters and slow (171 words pe r minute, wpm) versus fast (260 wpm) presentation rates were compared. In all conditions, sentences were read more accurately in the RSVP fo rmat than in the leading format. Recommendations for future displays o f verbal messages are discussed.