ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8210-939X

Keywords

Readability, ESL, Variable Font, Font Width, Letter Spacing, Line Spacing

Abstract

The mixed-method experimental study explores whether basic alterations in digital text formatting can enhance reading performance and experience of reading for the adult English as a Second Language (ESL) populations. Native English speakers are included as a comparison group. The study specifically examines the effects of varying font width, letter spacing, and line spacing on reading speed, comprehension, and self-reported levels of enjoyment and perceived difficulty.

The participants comprise 459 proficient adult readers, split between native English, native Spanish, and native Mandarin speakers. Each participant silently reads a series of 150-word English passages at an 8th-grade difficulty level, with manipulations in font width (ultra condensed, normal, extra-expanded), letter spacing (tight, regular, open), and line spacing (1.0, 1.4, 1.8). Reading speed and comprehension scores are recorded after each trial, and participants rate their perceived difficulty and enjoyment of the text.

The study results show that typographic adjustments, such as varying font width, letter spacing, and line spacing, had minimal impact on reading performance and experience for both native English speakers and ESL groups. Instead, passage content emerged as the primary factor for all metrics; familiarity with the passage content affects reading enjoyment, and as the experiment progressed, reading speed increased across all participants of the experiments. The findings do not indicate specific advantages of one text manipulation over another for Spanish or Mandarin-speaking adults. Therefore, while text formatting is limited in enhancing reading performance and experience, providing contents in the area that are mostly familiar to them may offer greater benefits for ESL readers. These results suggest that content-focused interventions may be more effective than typographic changes in addressing the language challenges faced by adult ESL readers, highlighting the need for approaches that prioritize content readability over text format readability.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Sawyer, Ben D.

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Industrial Engineering and Management Systems

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029028

Language

English

Release Date

12-15-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

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