Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Maryland at College Park, 1997. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

M.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2003. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-108).

The purpose of this study was to determine whether three typeface variations of dot matrix print [single density, dual density, and photocopied dot matrix type] and two formatting variations [fully justified and left justified] had any effect on the reading rates or reading comprehension of college students when compared to the same typewritten material. A pretest/posttest design with experimental and control groups utilized the Cloze Reading Test and the Nelson Denny Reading Test to measure reading comprehension and reading rates respectively to college students [N= 240]. Subjects were randomly assigned to the groups to test the effects of the six treatment levels and two control groups of the independent variables [typefaces and type formatting] on the dependent variables [reading comprehension and reading rates. Four test sessions were used to collect the data and answer the research question: Do either of the three typeface variations of dot matrix print or the two formatting variables have any effect on reading comprehension or reading rates of the subjects when compared to typewriter type? A factorial analysis of covariance [p. < .05] was used to analyze reading comprehension; and a two way analysis of variance [p. < .05] was used to analyze reading rates. The findings indicated that typefaces or formatting made no significant difference in the reading rate or reading comprehension scores of the subjects tested. / Ph. D.

Science fiction has long promised the digitalization of books. Characters in films and television routinely check their palm-sized (or smaller) electronic displays for fast-scrolling information. However, this very technology, increasingly prevalent in today's world, has not been embraced universally. While the convenience of pocket-sized information pieces has the techno-savvy entranced, the general public still greets the advent of the e-book with a curious reluctance. This lack of enthusiasm seems strange in the face of the many advantages offered by the new medium - vastly superior storage capacity, searchability, portability, lower cost, and instantaneous access. This dissertation addresses the need for research examining the reading comprehension and the role emotional response plays in the perceived performance on e-document formats as compared to traditional paper format. This study compares the relative reading comprehension on three formats (Kindle, iTouch, and paper) and examines the relationship of subject's emotional response and relative technology exposure as factors that affect how the subject perceives they have performed on those formats. This study demonstrates that, for basic reading comprehension, the medium does not matter. Furthermore, it shows that, the more uncomfortable a person is with technology and expertise in the requested task (in this case, reading), the more they cling to the belief that they will do better on traditional (paper) media - regardless of how well they actually do.