Typographic features of text and their contribution to the legibility of academic reading materials: an empirical study

An experimental study provided evidence that text layout affects performance when reading text to search for specific information under time pressure in an examination-type situation. The present paper reports a second experimental study conducted to ascertain whether this effect extends to similar academic reading materials and situations that, contrary to examinations, are performed under no time pressure. Three layouts were used for comparison, which replicated real-life examination materials and represented three distinct levels of legibility. The results revealed that text layout affects performance under conditions of search reading even when time pressure is absent. Moreover, participants performed better with the layout conforming to legibility guidelines and considered this layout to be the easiest to use and the most attractive. In order to understand these findings, an attempt is made to specify a theoretical model of reading in academic-type situations. The model identifies and analyses the stages of the reading process that might be affected by typographic layout and adopts the hypothesis that such effect takes place at the perceptual level of reading. The outcomes from this study will prove useful to those involved in the development of written materials used in academia such as textbooks, journal articles, magazines, and tests.