The Empirical Derivation of Equations for Predicting Subjective Textual Information.
Abstract
Parameters pertaining to information processing by human beings have, in the past, been determined by learning and memory experiments with nonsense syllables, number sequences, etc. However, the real world is concerned with the processing of meaningful information not senseless texts. Therefore, the determination of subjective information directly from meaningful material becomes extremely important in the instruction-learning process. This study derives an equation for predicting the subjective textual information contained in a text of material written in the English language. Specifically, the investigation describes, by a mathematical equation, the relationship between the subjective information content of written textual material and the relative number of errors committed by a learner when asked to predict, letter by letter, the content of given textual material. The relationship shows how the subjective information of a given text for a specific learner is directly proportional to the number of wrongly-guessed signs made by that learner. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0786427
Entities
People
- Dan Kauffman
- Gene Knight
- Mike Johnson
Organizations
- University of Arizona