Handheld Learning Forum

          Overall, the results of this experiment are in agreement with previous studies, showing a 10-30% slower
reading speeds when reading online. The significant difference between paper and online reading for one and two
column formats may be associated with users' decline of sense of orientation when reading long lines of text (single
wide columns) online, most probably resulting in losing track and having to re-read the same words.
          On the other hand, the paper reading group were observed to use different methods to keep track of where
they are in the passage. Some used their finger to point to the words they were reading, others tended to use a pencil
or a pen to guide them through their reading path. These methods were observed to be used less often when reading online (although some users did use their mouse pointer to guide them in keeping track with their reading location)

Although previous research showed that participants would prefer text presented in three columns than on a single column, there no significant difference was. This might be due to the familiarity of users with single column compared to the two or three column format.
The results of this study suggest that designers of online information should consider that reading online is slower than on paper, and they should take steps (using bigger font sizes, high contrast between text and background) to enhance online reading speed. Further research on this topic is necessary in order to identify and quantify the different parameters that Muter and Maurutto (1991) pointed out as possible reasons for differences in
online and paper reading speed.