| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 應用藝術所 === 88 === The reading process, at any level, is a complicated mental activity. Visual detection, eye movement, and the attention are all keys in gaining the most rapid comprehension while requiring the least amount of effort from the reader.
The rapid growth in popularity of the World Wide Web has led some to predict the web-page format will become the standard for printed matter in the next century. As new media is developed and merged with existing technology, information conveyance is not only by word, but also through the technique of combining light and animation effects. Though sensual stimulation is satisfied through these measures, the question as to whether the message is conveyed more clearly and effectively, received more comfortably, and not lost in the technical effect must be addressed.
Reading effectiveness includes the reading rate, correct identifying of the character, and the comfortability level of the presentation of the material. Therefore, by examining previous physical and psychological studies, this paper will first attempt to pinpoint control variables. Then it will attempt to define the relationship between the locations of animations on a web page and reading effectiveness. By experiment, attempts will be made to quantify the results, allowing for convenient reference in the process of designing electronic printed material.
THE QUESTION:
On a web page, how is the message or information conveyed by word influenced by the locations of surrounding animations? In terms of reading effectiveness, what should be the best arrangement for the locations of animations?
INTRODUCTION TO THE EXPERIMENT:
The test subjects are 765 junior high school students who score normally on a vision acuity test and demonstrate both English-alphabet-recognition ability and moderate experience with reading web pages.
In design of the animation material, the content, color, direction, size, flash speed, and smoothness of rhythm remain constant. The location of the animation is varied randomly among eight different possibilities. In addition, a ninth random possibility is the total absence of an animation.
A program is designed that will record in the computer the amount of time required by each subject to read the test material; the test responses of the subjects; and the discomfort level, rated by the subjects on a graded scale.
THE RESULTS：
Animations present result in longer periods of time in reading of test material. This period varies dependent upon location of animation. Generally, animations at one of the four corners of the test block result in shorter periods of time spent on the reading material than when the animations are at one of the four sides.
The discomfort level reported by the subjects parallels the “reading time”: the higher the reported feeling of discomfort, the longer the time spent on the material.
Various locations of the animation result in different capacities by the subjects in reading or recalling characters. However, those locations do not show significant influence in determining which of the nine text boxes are recalled. Rather, regardless of animation location, correct recall of alphabet character ranges in a general, though not necessarily exact, pattern from the upper left of the text block to the lower right.
“Illusory conjunction” is found in the results of the research, and, though influenced by the location of the text, is not influenced by the location of the animation.
|
|---|
