Fifty older and 50 younger adults with varying familiarity with standard keyboards performed 3 trials with the Dvorak keyboard. Older participants performed worse, but there was no relationship between age and familiarity. The amount of new information and not preexperimental interference from prior knowledge may account for age differences. (SK)

Discusses taking notes for research projects and organizing them into card files; reviews the literature on personal filing systems; introduces the basic process of database management; and offers a plan for managing research notes. Describes field groups and field definitions, data entry, and creating reports. (LRW)

In this study the authors tested and rejected a recent proposal that response precuing effects depend on the spatial extent of the precues rather than on the number of response choices. Moreover, the authors tested and supported the hypothesis that the number of effectors in the response set is an important determinant of spatial precuing effects.…

In 2 experiments, the efficacy of motor imagery for learning to type number sequences was examined. Adults practiced typing 4-digit numbers. Then, during subsequent training, they either typed in the same or a different location, imagined typing, merely looked at each number, or performed an irrelevant task. Repetition priming (faster responses…

The study attempted to (1) identify word sequences that occur frequently among 10 linguistically intact augmented communicators, (2) determine the communality with which the various augmented communicators use specific word sequences, and (3) evaluate the usefulness of word sequences in providing keystroke savings for uses of augmentative and…

Describes an analysis of duplicate records in OCLC's Online Union Catalog. General and bibliographic characteristics of duplicate records are described; and reasons for duplicate records are discussed, including input errors, omission of relevant information, and differences in the interpretation of existing information. (five references) (LRW)

Presents a series of exercises to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful hand disorder caused by stressful and repetitive motions. (SM)

Discussion of computerism (i.e., blind faith in the inherent good of computers) focuses on seven myths about computer anxiety, including the relationship between computer use and math skills; fear of breaking computers; the need for keyboarding skills; and gender differences. An annotated bibliography of 21 sources of further information is…

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)

Students, parents, administrators, and teachers must become convinced that keyboarding is an important skill and should remain a major component in the business education curriculum. (Author)

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)

This study used verbal protocol analysis to examine the behavior of an individual with visual impairment using a self-voicing application to find information on the World Wide Web. The results indicated that executing actions (such as typing or pressing keys) and interpreting the computer system's state (data gathering) were the most frequent and…

Children with spelling difficulties are limited in their participation in all written school activities. We aimed to investigate the influence of word-prediction as a tool on spelling accuracy and typing speed. To this end, we selected 80 Grade 4-6 children with spelling difficulties in a school for special needs to participate in a research…

A discussion of phonetic transcription looks at the weaknesses of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a cumbersome system to use with typewriter and computer keyboards, and offers an alternative. It is noted that the IPA, a system of symbols devised for handwritten transcription, is rarely used by second language teachers or instructional…

This study compared the typing efficiency of four young children (5 to 6 years of age) who were novice typists on the Dvork and QWERTY keyboards. A copying program on an Apple IIc microcomputer functioned as the training instrument. Although the children did not acquire proficient touch typing skills, they did type accurate responses faster, keep…