Research

VSS | Space for Readability: Effects on Reading Speed from Individuated Character and Word Spacing

Building on prior work, the authors demonstrate that individual typeface selection per reader can significantly increase reading speed while maintaining comprehension. 
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NOW | Readability Research: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Readability can be enhanced by changes to the set of typographical characteristics of a text. These aspects can be modified on-demand, instantly improving the ease with which a reader can process and derive meaning from text. We call on a multi-disciplinary research community to take up these challenges to elevate reading outcomes and provide the tools to do so effectively.
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SSSR | The Effect of Individualized Font Formats on Reading Speed and Comprehension for Students in Grades 3-5

This study assessed if the methods used to assess format readability gains in adults are appropriate for use with children and investigated if the format readability gains seen in adults generalize to children. The study results indicate that format readability gains seen in children mirror those observed in adults.

TOCHI | Towards Individuated Reading Experiences: Different Fonts Increase Reading Speed for Different Individuals

This study considers whether manipulating font choice can improve reading outcomes in adult readers. When comparing fastest and slowest fonts, there was a 35% increase in reading speeds. This was not consistent across fonts, indicating that one font does not fit all. This points to a need for individuation, discussed in this study.
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HFES | Optimizing Electronic Health Records Through Readability

Digital reading formats are a crucial component in regards to medical professionals engaging with Electronic Health Records. This study evaluates whether personalized reading formats can accelerate this engagement process without training or sacrificing comprehension. The results indicate that font optimization may be a direct way to accomplish this.
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CHI | Accelerating Adult Readers with Fonts

This study evaluates both font preference and effectiveness. The research shows, after evaluating sixteen different fonts, that Noto Sans and Lato are optimal when the combination of reading speed and comprehension score is the measure. Across the full set of measures, Noto Sans was the “clear favorite.”
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JoV | Considering the Speed and Comprehension Trade-Off in Reading Mediated by Typography

This research looks at how typography affects the tradeoff between speed and comprehension in reading. The results suggest that typeface design can help minimize these tradeoffs.
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Ergonomics |The Great Typography Bake-off: Comparing Legibility At-a-glance

There is presently no accepted scientific method for comparing font legibility under time pressure, in ‘glanceable’ interfaces such as automotive displays and smartphone notifications. A ‘bake-off’ method is demonstrated with eight popular sans-serif typefaces. The results produce actionable information to guide design decisions when information must be consumed at-a-glance.
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VSS | Individual Differences in Font Preference & Effectiveness as Applied to Interlude Reading in the Digital Age

Personalized reading formats can improve reading outcomes. The results of this study constitute a methodology for running large-scale controlled reading studies, a computational toolkit of crowdsourcing experiments, a list of concrete recommendations about favorable and effective fonts, and font normalization strategies.
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VSS | Widened Letter Shapes Have Implications for Improved Readability

The goal in this study was to investigate the effect of font width on letter recognition. The results indicated a positive correlation between font width and letter recognition. The authors suspect that this is due to a reduction in the crowding interference from surrounding letters.
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Ergonomics | Glanceable, Legible Typography over Complex Backgrounds

Typography over complex backgrounds, meant to be read and understood at a glance, was once niche but today is a growing design challenge for graphical user interface HCI. We provide a technique, evidence-based strategies, and illuminating results for maximizing the legibility of glanceable typography over complex backgrounds.
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