How Web Document Design Affects Reading Process in L2 Reading

Abstract

The design of documents affects the manner in which they are read, how readers acquire information from them, and the degree of readers’ comprehension. How does document design influence reading and information acquisition for readers with different language backgrounds? Given the growing number of non-native Japanese residents who attain sufficient competence in Japanese and use it for their daily communication, there is a high demand for document design that facilitates reading by non-native speakers. This study explores elements of document design that may affect the reading of Japanese web documents by non-native speakers. We conducted an experiment to examine the effect of document structure (hierarchical, networked, and relational) on the reading of administrative documents by native and non-native speakers. The results showed several differences between native and non-native Japanese speakers’ reading patterns and the degree of information acquisition in relation to document structure and design elements.