Effects of screen type, Chinese typography, text/background color combination, speed, and jump length for VDT leading display on users’ reading performance

Abstract

“Leading” display is one of the conventional Internet homepage design methods for presenting dynamic information on visual display terminals (VDTs). This study investigated the effects of display screen type (cathode ray tube and liquid crystal display), Chinese typography (computer type, standard Kai type), text/background color combinations (white-on-black, black-on-white, blue-on-white, red-on-white, blue-on-yellow, and green-on-white), speed (250 and 300 wpm), and jump length (0.35, 0.7, and 1.05 cm) for leading display on subjects’ reading performance. The results of this study showed that screen type, Chinese typography, and speed had no significant effect on subjects’ reading performance. Text/background color combination and jump length, however, were significant factors for subjects’ reading performance. Additionally, the interaction between jump length and color combination of leading display also had a significant effect on subjects’ reading performance. When the jump length of leading display was at lower levels (that is, 0.35 and 0.7 cm), users’ reading performance was not significantly different under different levels of text/background color combination. However, when the jump length was at a higher level (1.05 cm), subjects’ reading performance for the text/background color combinations with higher color difference was significantly better than performance for the color combinations with lower color difference. Relevance to industry Screen type, Chinese typography, text/background color combination, speed, and jump length are key factors for Chinese leading display that affect users’ reading performance. The results from this study may assist in designing Chinese leading display and in improving the performance of leading display information users.