Guest Presenter Chris Nicholas, Language Technologies, Inc. and ReadSmart LLC, presents broad-ranging research demonstrating that subtle changes to word spacing, text size, and line endings substantially improve reading comprehension during a webinar hosted by User Centric. The complimentary webinar, “Reading between the Words: Strategies for Improving the Readability of Printed Text,” on April 25 introduced the benefits of ReadSmart, a unique technology that has a big impact on the user experience. Backed by over 40 years of research from cognitive science, linguistics, neuroscience, psychology and computer science, ReadSmart® works by making small variations to the spacing between letters, spaces, words, size of letters and words and line endings based on the linguistic, psychological and informational properties of the text. There is no change to vocabulary, word order or grammar - layouts, fonts, punctuation, sentences and other structures are unchanged as well as the total amount of space used. Although these sophisticated modifications to the composition of the text are very subtle, the results -- improved reading -- are unambiguous and powerful. Through dozens of research studies in the science underlying ReadSmart, reading abilities including comprehension, speed and persuasiveness improve dramatically, for both good and poor readers. Not limited to the English language, ideal applications of Readsmart include instructions for use, policy and procedures, direct mail, advertising, textbooks, and digital and mobile publishing.

1. Reading between the Words:
Strategies for Improving
the Readability of Printed Text
Christopher D. Nicholas, PhD
@UserCentricInc
Follow: #uxlunch
Webinar | April 25, 2012

2. Thomas
Bever,
PhD
• PhD MIT, Linguis=cs
• Harvard Fellow
• Professor of Linguis=cs, Psychology,
Cogni=ve Science, Neuroscience
• Department Chair, University of Arizona (Linguis=cs),
University of Rochester (BCS)
• Co-­‐founder of the Journal Cogni&on
• Interna=onally recognized exper=se in reading
comprehension and techniques that improve
readability of print through linguis=cally and
psychologically informed text formaSng
• Winner of Humboldt Research Award – 2010

3. Christopher
Nicholas,
PhD
• PhD in Neuroscience
• Exper=se in the how the brain perceives and interprets
words and leZers
• Director of Development, Language Technologies, Inc.
• Chief Technology Officer, ReadSmart
• Instructor, University of Arizona
• Co-­‐inventor of several pending patents for improving text
composi=on and an ebook format, packaging, and
distribu=on system for mobile devices

5. Outline
~ How reading works
~ How phrase-formatted text can help
~ Laboratory studies
~ Field studies
~ Direct marketing case studies
~ Take away

6. How reading works

8. 2°
2°
2° is approximately
equal to the width
of 1-­‐2 fingers
at arms length

9. Fovea ~ 2º of visual angle

10. Some details about reading
• Reading is made up of a series of eye movements,
called saccades. Between the saccades, peoples’ gaze
stops or fixates on what they are reading.
• Fixations typically last ~200-250 ms
• During a fixation, people see roughly 7-15 characters
or ~ 2-2.5 words
• e average English word has 5.5 letters

11. How reading looks in real time...

26. Another detail: ~ 1 in 6 characters is a space.

27. How text formatting helps

28. Ragged-right text
Spaces sizes between words are even within and across lines.

29. Right justified text
Spaces sizes are even within a given line.

30. In print, spaces are not informative to readers.
But it wasn’t always that way . . . .

31. Gettysburg
Address
http://memory.loc.gov/mss/mal/mal3/435/4356600/002.jpg

33. we 46 here 41 highly 20 resolve 42 that 41 these 37 dead
shall 37 not 24 have 48 died 43 in 30 vain; that 20 this
nation 32 shall 28 have 54 a 34 new 34 birth 31 of -5 freedom
and 42 that 31 this 28 government 39 of 20 the 20 people, by
the 11 people, for 23 the 13 people, shall 24 not -5 perish
from 20 the 26 earth.
Numbers = units of space
between the handwritten words

34. If it were word processed, we here highly resolve that these dead
it would look like this. shall not have died in vain: that this
nation shall have a new birth of freedom:
and that this government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth

35. Writers (at least Lincoln/Hayes) Word processors make spaces
naturally change the size of spaces the same size within a line.
between words to create phrase
packages
for us to be here dedicated to the great
we here highly resolve that these dead
task remaining before us – that from
shall not have died in vain: that this these honored dead we take increased
nation shall have a new birth of freedom: devotion to the that cause for which
and that this government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish they here gave gave the last full
from the earth measure of devotion – that we here
highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain; that this nation shall
have a new birth of freedom: and that
this government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth

36. If you think about it,
line returns are a type of “space.”

37. 7 out 11 lines
start with
an new phrase

38. Writers (at least Lincoln/Hayes)
tend to break lines Word processors break lines
at phrase boudaries wherever they end
for us to be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before us -- that from
these honored dead we take increased
devotion to the that cause for which
they here gave gave the last full
measure of devotion -- that we here
highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vain; that this nation shall
have a new birth of freedom: and that
this government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish
from the earth
8 lines begin 4 lines
with a new phrase break a phrase 7 lines begin 7 lines
with a new phrase break a phrase

39. What happens when
we consciously format text this way?

40. Lab studies

41. Standard text Formatted text
People don’t notice any difference--even when they look
at the documents side by side.

42. Standard formatting
Phrase-based formatting

43. Overlaid

44. 40 years of reading studies, across labs, with different methods
show improvement with phase-based formatting.
30% 30%
20% 20%
28%
26%
23%
10% 10% 19%
18% 16% 16%
13%
11% 10%
0% 0%
Reading speeed increase Retention rate improvement
North, 1951 Frase, 1979 North, 1951 Anglin, 1968
Hartley, 1980 Jandreau, 1986 Cromer, 1970 Mason, 1979
Bever, 1989 Gerrell, 1983

45. 25% 30%
20%
20%
When we consciously phrase-format text
15%
10%
people read faster and 10%
remember more.
5%
0% 0%

46. e following studies are based on a specific
automated phrase-formatted text methodology

48. Percentage of students Increase in positive ratings
earning honors grades when textbooks is phrase-formatted
Standard
Phrase- Textbook
formatted Phrase-formatted
Textbook Textbook
78%
Percentage of students
receiving failing grades
Phrase-
formatted Standard
Textbook Textbook
Standard
Textbook 50%
Community College Computer Literacy Course

49. Phrase-formatted text
helps students learn more
and like learning tools better.

50. 50%
40%
30%
20% 38%
10%
0%
Increased in enjoyment
when article is phrase-formatted
Measure: Post-passage survey

51. 50%
40%
30%
Phrase-formatted text
20%
makes reading more enjoyable for adults
10%
0%

53. Native Chinese speakers
30%
20%
10%
12%
0%
Increase in TOEFL Score
when test is phrase-formatted
Measure: TOEFL score

54. Native Japanese speakers
60% 60%
40% 40%
20% 20% 44%
15%
0% 0%
Increase in Comprehension Increase in Comprehension
Advanced Students Basic-level Students
Measure: Reading Comprehension on SAT like Essays

55. Native Spanish speakers
20% 8%
15%
5%
10%
18%
3%
5%
3%
0% 0%
Increase in Reading Speed Increase in Comprehension*
Measure: Comprehension scores for native Spanish speakers
on English SAT test instructed to read for accuracy* not speed

56. Increase in Comprehension
30%
20%
10% 18%
10%
0%
No Distractions
Distractions
Measure: Reading Comprehension

57. Increase in Comprehension
30%
20%
10%
17%
12%
0%
1st 6th
generation generation
photocopy photocopy
Measure: Reading degraded copy (1st or 6th generation photocopies)

58. Phrase-formatted text improves comprehension
when reading is not easy.
• Reading in a non-native language
• While distracted
• From degraded copies

59. What’s happening?
Phrase-formatted Text makes spaces meaningful.
is helps readers plan fixations more effectively.

60. Phrase-formatted
Standard Text
Text
# Fixations Poor
Readers > Superior
Readers
Poor
Readers ≈ Superior
Readers
Fixation length Poor
Readers > Superior
Readers
Poor
Readers ≈ Superior
Readers
Recursive
reading
Poor
Readers > Superior
Readers
Poor
Readers ≈ Superior
Readers
Measure: Eyetracking and Reading comprehension

61. Field studies

62. Standard Formatting
[Brand] and the
free I Can support
program can help 200%
you manage your
type 2 diabetes
150%
100%
142%
Phrase-formatted Text 50%
[Brand] and the free 0%
I Can support program Increase in click-throughs
can help you manage on phrase-formatted ad
your type 2 diabetes
Measure: Click-through rates on webpage ad

63. 20%
15%
10%
5% 10%
Standard Formatting 0%
Increase in likelihood
to send to a friend
8
6
Phrase-formatted Text
4
2
7 0
0
Phrase- Standard
formatted Text
Text
# Comprehension questions
answered more correctly
Measure: Comprehension + Would you forward? survey for on-line newsletter

64. Phrase-based makes content more actionable.

65. Direct Mail Studies

66. Direct Mail Case Study 1
12.6% increase
5%
in response rate
4% when text is
3% phrase-formatted
4.46%
2% 4.12%
1%
0%
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Response Rate

67. Direct Mail Case Study 1
7.7% increase
$15.00 in gi size
when text is
$11.25 phrase-formatted
$7.50 $14.98
$13.90
$3.75
$0
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Average gi size

68. Direct Mail Case Study 1
$1.00
22.8% increase
$0.75 in income / piece
when text is
$0.50
phrase-formatted
$0.70
$0.25 $0.57
$0
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Income / piece

69. Direct Mail Case Study 2
5%
16.3% increase
4%
in response rate
3% when text is
2% phrase-formatted
3.46%
3.09%
1%
0%
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Response Rate

70. Direct Mail Case Study 2
3.2 % increase
$15.00 in gi size
when text is
$12.00
phrase-formatted
$9.00
$14.40 $13.95
$6.00
$3.00
$0
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Average gi size

71. Direct Mail Case Study 2
$0.50
$0.40
19.5% increase
$0.30
$0.50
in income / piece
$0.20 $0.42 when text is
$0.10
phrase-formatted
$0
Phrase-based Standard
Formatting Formatting
Measure: Income / piece

72. Phrase-based makes direct mail more effective.
• Higher response rates
• Larger gis
• Greater income / piece

73. What’s the message?
enjoyable
Phrase-formatted text is more memorable
actionable
persuasive

74. Questions about applying ReadSmart to your documents?
Bob Schumacher
rschumacher@usercentric.com
@UserCentricInc
Follow: #uxlunch
Questions about ReadSmart technology?
Chris Nicholas
chris@readsmart.com