Prediction of Success at Typing

Abstract

This report details an experimental study of the prediction of gross typing speed. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, beginning typing students wre given a battery of tests to measure digital dexterity, particularly of the index finger of the dominant hand. The test results wre correlated with gross typing speed attained after a one-semester course. It was found that there was very little correlation between gross typing speed and digital dexterity. In the second phase of the study, beginning typing students were given a battery of computer-administered tests to measure reaction time, the ability to use fingers independently, and the speed with which three random characters could be typed on a keyboard. The test results were correlated with gross typing speed after the completion of a one-semester course. It was found that reaction time and the ability to use the fingers independently had moderate correlation coefficients, but that the ability to type three random characters was well correlated with typing speed (R = .75). It was concluded that this last type of test, or some modification thereof, may be useful in screening typist trainees.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA139439

Entities

People

  • C. A. O'connor
  • T. G. Cleaver

Organizations

  • University of Louisville

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computers
  • Data Analysis
  • Experimental Design
  • Information Processing
  • Instructors
  • Language
  • Machine Languages
  • Military Research
  • Psychological Tests
  • Reaction Time
  • Regression Analysis
  • Social Sciences
  • Statistics
  • Students
  • Trainees
  • Training
  • Typewriters

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