This study examined the validity of various measures of speed and accuracy for assessing proficiency in speech recognition. The study specifically compared two different word-count indices for speed and accuracy (the 5-stroke word and the 1.4-syllable standard word) on a timing administered to 114 speech recognition students measured at 1-, 2-,…

Eight experienced keyboard operators typed digraphs at high speed on both standard and Dvorak keyboards in 10-second timings. The Dvorak was found to be 4% faster, a margin too small to justify a nationwide switch to this keyboard. (SK)

This review of 47 publications describes the development of standard and Dvorak keyboards, finding that, although most studies found Dvorak more efficient, many methodological weaknesses appear. Considers that current interest in Dvorak stems from concerns about productivity, workplace safety, and the need for keyboarding speed. (SK)

Finger-movement distances for alphabetic keys of standard and Dvorak keyboards were calculated for every digraph in the business vocabulary. Dvorak required 37% less distance and had more right-hand, home-row, same-row, and alternate hand reaches. (SK)

One group of secondary keyboarding students was taught on typewriters and switched to microcomputers after six weeks, the other used microcomputers first, then typewriters. Using computers, students showed faster completion times and fewer typographical errors. Transfer from computers to typewriters slowed times and increased errors. Overall,…

According to a survey of 160 of 265 business professionals, most create memos more frequently than other documents; use word processing on micro, mini, or mainframe computers; learned word processing on their own; and believe that electronic mail and voice input will increase and secretarial support will decrease. (SK)

Seven 5-minute, straight-copy timed writings administered to 87 college students revealed that (1) use of the print and return features of electronic typewriters does not automatically heighten speed or accuracy; and (2) students do not necessarily choose the best combination of features for enhancing performance. (SK)

Analysis of over 750 timed writings of postsecondary keyboarding students found speeds ranging from 39-49 gross words per minute. They left uncorrected one-half to three-quarters of an error per minute. Accuracy and speed standards representing realistic conditions using electronic equipment should now be developed. (SK)

Responses from 157 of 193 business teachers who teach keyboarding indicated that 78.7% were aware of cumulative trauma disorder and 22% had experienced it. Only 13% of classrooms were equipped with wrist rests. About 53% teach techniques to reduce incidence, but 20% did not know whether they taught preventive measures. (SK)

Of 1,243 secondary students randomly assigned to treatments, the experimental group received keyboarding instruction plus basic English instruction 3 times per week for 8 weeks. They showed statistically significant achievement in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization when theory and practice were integrated. Keyboarding speed and…

A national survey of 753 elementary teachers found that only 13 percent (95) teach keyboarding, there is insufficient time for mastery of touch typing, access to equipment is limited, teachers do not have thorough knowledge of theory related to psychomotor skill development, and no formal evaluation is used. (SK)

The purpose of this study was to determine the value of business education at the secondary school level as perceived by three groups of people who have great impact on course offerings, student advisement, and teacher hiring decisions. Specifically, high school counselors, high school principals, and local board of education presidents in a…

A group of 431 business communication students included 199 nontraditional students and 362 who had prior keyboarding instruction. Keyboarding skill and computer anxiety were correlated. There were no differences in keyboarding skills of traditional and nontraditional students. Those with no previous instruction had less computer anxiety. (SK)

A learning style inventory and keyboarding pre/posttest administered to 48 fourth graders showed persistence to be the only learning style factor related to achievement. Pretest score was related to final achievement, indicating that natural kinesthetic ability may affect keyboarding speed. (SK)

A study to determine whether the ability to detect errors in keyboarded text is related to the medium used to detect errors found that, although the 72 participants had difficulty detecting errors in both paper copy and on-screen documents, their ability to detect errors was not related to the monitor configuration. (Author/JOW)