Findings from an A|B comparison showing that users reading text formatted with ReadSmart remember more and are more likely to forward what they read. 380 Participants read either a RS formatted or default formatted of the (same) newsletter. Those who read the formatted copy did better on comprehension questions (better on 7 out of 7 questions). In addition, they were 10% more likely to say that they would forward the newsletter onto a friend. (29% unformatted vs 34% formatted).

1.
(Space) Size matters…
Varying space sizes increases memorability and likelihood to take action for newsletter copy
Kath Straub, PhD, Chief Scientist
Last month, HFI’s User Interface Update newsletter was an experiment. Did you figure that out? At the
end of the newsletter there was an invitation to participate in a survey. The survey had a mix of questions.
We asked how you felt about the PDF format. You suggested topics you would like to read about. And
then we asked about the content of the newsletter—to see how much you remembered from what you
read.
If you think back, the article was broadly about the usability of Kindle2. But the research review focused
on how Kindle would be even better if it automatically improved readability by applying a text formatting
algorithm, like ReadSmart. And we reviewed the evidence that the ReadSmart algorithm enhances
readability, retention and reader satisfaction. But old habits die hard. And, like any good skeptic, I also
wanted to test Bever’s claims.
So, last month’s newsletter was actually an A|B test: Half of you received a “regular” copy of the
newsletter. The other half received a ReadSmart copy. The survey explored 2 primary questions:
1. Do readers who were exposed to the ReadSmart copy remember more and remember more
accurately than those who received the “regular,” unformatted text?
2. Are individuals who read the ReadSmarted copy be more likely to take action than those who
read the “regular” version?
The answers are yes and yes.
The details
Two versions of the newsletter were distributed through the normal email, twitter and download
channels.
1. Regular/Control: The visually treated newsletter was printed directly to a PDF format from Quark with
standard spacing between words and letters.
2. ReadSmart: The visually treated Quark document was submitted to ReadSmart to apply the text
formatting algorithm. The algorithm applied psychologically tested, linguistic rules to
• vary the size of spaces between letters and between words
• determine optimal line endings.
ReadSmart returned the PDF document that was distributed. Unless you know what to look for, its
difficult to tell which document is which:

2.
Download and compare the complete documents: Standard Format versus Formatted with Readsmart
The two formats were distributed randomly. Half of subscribers received ReadSmarted formatting. The
second half received the regular formatting. To ensure that the text formatting rendered as intended, the
document was sent as a PDF file. Each newsletter included a link inviting readers to participate in a brief
survey in exchange for the chance to win an iPOD shuffle. Although it was not obvious, the links were
coded so that participants’ survey responses could be indexed to the format they received(Readsmart vs.
Standard).
Analysis was completed for the 380 individuals who responded to all the questions on the survey.
(Individuals who submitted partial responses were also entered in the ipod drawing).
Overall the analysis demonstrated that individuals who read the ReadSmart version and completed the
survey understood the content better, and were more likely to take action with it.
Specifically, individuals who read a ReadSmarted newsletter remember the details of the article more
accurately than those who read the “regular,” unformatted text.
ReadSmart readers chose correct answers, or failed to choose incorrect choices more often in 100% of the
questions. P<.0005 (sign test, two tailed). The improved comprehension of ReadSmart readers reflected
a combination of more correct choices of correct answers (p<.03) and fewer incorrect choices of incorrect
answers (p<.02).
Perhaps more importantly, individuals who read the ReadSmarted text reported that they were more
likely to take action on it. 33% of readers of the ReadSmart version said they would definitely or
probably forward the story to someone else; 29% of readers of the normal format said this. In terms of
click‐throughs, difference reflects a +10% likelihood to forward the piece on to a friend or colleague.
Couple this with the PET understanding that information that originates from trusted sources has greater
credibility and influence. I think we have something to write home about. Text formatting with ReadSmart
improves readability and actionability. You demonstrated it.
Author contact points
email: kath.straub@gmail.com
twitter: kas
linkedIN: Kath Straub
For more information on what ReadSmart does or how it works, contact:
Tom Bever tgb@readsmart.com
www.readsmart.com

3. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
How text formatting can ruin (or enhance)
the readability and persuasiveness of text
Kath Straub, PhD, CUA / Chief Scientist
Human Factors International, Inc.
February / March, 2009
Newsletter
Human Factors
International

4. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
May you live Maybe it was the early adopter thing. Curiosity about new gadgets. Wanting
to touch. To play. To decide if that new little thing will be the next big thing.
in interesting times
Maybe it was the road-warrior reader thing:
I travel a lot. And I read a lot. Which book
should I take?
Maybe it was the attention deficit thing.
Reading one book at a time gets... boring.
And all those books get heavy.
However you explain it, I own a Kindle2.
It’s been an interesting ride. I’m ready
to get off the bike.
You say red herring, To be sure, part of the fun of Kindle is that Amazon had to balance a lot
of design options. For instance, they tried to create an unpacking-the-product-
I say red herrings should-be-emotional experience. For an Apple native, that was a bit weird.
Somehow, the pull-off paper zipper (think FedEX envelopes) sets the wrong
tone. But, they tried.
Out of the box, my first impression was positive. It’s smaller than I thought.
The text resolution is better than I had hoped.
But then, there is no backlight. That means the battery lasts a really long time.
But it also means that the screen is surprisingly grey and the text contrast
is low. And you still need a night light to read.
The keyboard lets you annotate while you read. But it’s awkward. Big. That
choice seemed odd since the bigger keyboard meant a smaller reading screen.
We are all trained to type on phone-sized keyboards by now, aren’t we?
Navigating isn’t bad. The fact that the Menu button takes you to Shop At
the Kindle Store is irritating. Even if I understand why it’s so. The joystick offers
a few surprises, like you can’t turn pages with it.
Newsletter February / March 2009 2

5. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
But these problems are red herring(s). Kindle isn’t really about unpacking and
navigating. It’s about reading. Unfortunately, the reading part is where Amazon
goes wrong.
Step away It was a small detail in the Kindle ad that tipped my decision to try it.
Unless you’ve spent years thinking about the psychology of reading, you
from the edge probably won’t notice it.
The text on the right side of the “page” is not right-justified. It has a ragged-
right edge. And that, for me, was tantalizing.
In justified text, the size of spaces between words is varied to make the lines
come out even (like in this paragraph). The size of the spaces is irregular but not
meaningful. The goal is just to make the lines come out even. But your brain
registers that the spaces are different sizes. And it tries to sort out what
that information conveys. Trying to interpret signals that are just noise slows
you down and makes reading feel more effortful.
Just because you can, It may seem counter-intuitive that a small detail like where lines end would
make text easier to read. If it’s true, why do publishers of books, journals,
doesn’t mean magazines and newspapers right-justify everything? It’s a question that
you should a lot of us who think about reading think about, a lot.
Newsletter February / March 2009 3

6. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
Our most charitable guess is that publishers think that justified
text looks better. It does. If you like rectangles. But the research
shows that people read ragged-right copy faster than right-
justified copy (Hartley & Burnhill, 1971; Jandreau & Bever, 1992).
So, to justify or not to justify depends on whether the goal is
a prettier page or an easier read.
I vote for easier to read. And that is why I was enticed by
the raggedy edged Kindle ad.
And the first publication I opened (the New Yorker) lived up to the promise:
Hertzberg, in ragged right. With the cartoons thoughtfully aggregated into one
section. Joy.
But the second one I opened (Nudge; Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth
and Happiness), and the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth (White Tiger, a novel; I was
told there’d be cake, essays; Technology Review; and the Wall Street Journal,
respectively) all have right-justified text. Gain the buyer’s trust. Violate the buy-
er’s trust.
To be fair, it may not be Amazon that is making the choice. But they could. And
if any single group can make reading better, it is Amazon. Well, maybe Amazon
and ReadSmart.
One stop Actually, there’s more to enhancing readability than where lines end.
Remember how the random size of spaces between words in right-justified text
past the end undermines reading? The reverse is also true. Bever and colleagues, linguists
of the line... and psychologists at the University of Arizona, have shown that when line
endings and space sizes offer clues to how words should be grouped, reading
is faster and feels easier (Bever, Jandreau, Burwell, Kaplan & Zaenan, 1990;
Jandreau & Bever, 1992; among many others.)
To show this, Bever and team engineered (and patented) a text processing /
formatting algorithm (which they call ReadSmart) that “reads” text input and
adjusts inter- and intra-word spacing based on psychologically tested, linguistic
rules. The new, meaningful spaces guide readers’ eyes and help them to group
the words correctly even as they read. “ReadSmarted” text is easier to read
Newsletter February / March 2009 4

7. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
because part of work of reading is already done for you. But unlike other text
formatting algorithms, ReadSmart improves readability without changing the
length of the text or the way that it looks on the surface.
Bever’s early studies of linguistic formatting (including more than 500 students
in the U.S. and abroad) showed that when the spaces between / within words
predict the structure, comprehension and reading speed increase up to 20%.
Similar comprehension improvements have been documented for readers
under duress and second- language readers.
It’s much more More recent industry studies suggest that improving readability and comprehen-
sion may also increase persuasiveness. The scenario supposedly goes something
persuasive if I read it like this:
1. A potential donor receives solicitation letters. If they like the cause,
they may open the letter.
2. If they open them, they tend to skim, for about as long as it takes
to get from the front door / mail box to the kitchen / trash can.
3. Since Readsmarted text reads faster and more easily, potential donors
get further into the message to the emotional hook that removes
the block or amplifies their drive toward commitment.
4. Along the way, since the cognitive burden of “reading” is reduced
by ReadSmarting text, readers can commit more mental energy
to processing and remembering the message. Remembered messages
are more persuasive.
Even if the scenario is not exactly right, the effect of formatting text to improve
readability is profound. Direct mail donor acquisition letters that are formatted
by ReadSmart work better. In a meta-analysis of 5 direct marketing campaigns
reaching 393,000 households (over multiple charities), the formatted letters
triggered 22% more responses than donor letters with standard text. And,
people who responded to a formatted solicitation ultimately donated more
(48% more on average)1.
1 To be sure, the scale of the behavior change resulting from ReadSmarting text makes
it feel a bit like a but-wait!-there’s more! paid-for-TV commercial. I’d be far more skep-
tical, if I didn’t have direct knowledge of the psycholinguistic research behind text-format-
ting generally and ReadSmart specifically. (Fair balance: Bever was my thesis advisor.)
Newsletter February / March 2009 5

8. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
More than Ultimately, linguistically-informed text formatting algorithms like ReadSmart
make text more persuasive by reducing the mental burden of reading. Readers
meets the eye understand better with less effort. By extension, organizations and agencies
that apply these algorithms can benefit as well. And that promise makes
ReadSmart tantalizing.
Sort of like the Kindle2 was. And could be again. If Amazon made “ReadSmart
my book” the default menu item. Until then, I’m going back to paperbacks.
[The ReadSmart text formatting algorithm improves readability on paper,
in fixed-width websites, and on mobile phones. To learn more go to
www.readsmart.com.]
It’s not just small talk! Help us make the newsletter more relevant to you... and win an iPod shuffle...
that talks to you!
Please take 4 quick minutes to answer our 10 question survey about the news-
letter. Tell us what you like/don’t like about the newsletter. Which topics would
you like to read about?
And, if you give us contact information, you will automatically be entered into
our shuffle drawing. www.surveygizmo.com/s/114074/newsletter-march09
The iPod shuffle drawing will be held on Friday, April 3, 2009.
The Pragmatic We know that if users can’t find it, they can’t be persuaded by it. But this goes
a bit beyond. It shows that if the user must work hard to get to content (even
Ergonomist, in a small detail like text quality) it can make a material impact on persuasion.
Dr. Eric Schaffer Usability is no longer enough, but it is absolutely needed.
Newsletter February / March 2009 6

9. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
References Anglin, J. M., & Miller, G. A. (1968). The role of phrase structure in the recall
of meaningful verbal material. Psychonomic Science, 10, 343–344.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2008). System and method of determining phrasing
in text. U.S. Patent No. 7,346,489. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark
Office.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2008). System and method for formatting text
according to phrasing. Patent pending. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2006). System and method for formatting text
according to linguistic, visual and psychological variables. U.S. Patent No.
7,069,508. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., Nicholas, C. D., Hancock, R., Alcock, K. W., & Jandreau, S. M.
(2007). System, plug-in and method for improving text composition by modify-
ing character prominence according to assigned character information mea-
sures. Patent pending. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., Jandreau, S., Burwell, R. , Kaplan, R., & Zaenan, A. (1990). Spacing
printed text to isolate major phrases improves readability. Visible Language, 25,
74–87.
Coleman, E. B., & Kim, I. (1961). Comparison of several styles of typography in
English. Journal of Applied Psychology, 45, 262–267.
Hartley, J. (1980). Spatial cues in text. Visible Language, 14, 67–79.
Hartley, J., & Burnhill, P. (1971). Experiments with unjustified text. Visible
Language, 5, 265–278.
Jandreau, S., & Bever, T. G. (1992). Phrase-spaced formats improve comprehen-
sion in average readers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 143–146.
Nicholas, C. D., Maher, J. Ashley, K. L., Berendt, L. H. (2009). System and meth-
od for converting the digital typesetting documents used in publishing to a
device-specific format for electronic publishing. Patent pending. Washington,
DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Newsletter February / March 2009 7

10. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
Klare, G. R., Nichols, W. H., & Shufford, E. H. (1957). The relationship of typo-
graphic arrangement to the learning of technical material. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 41, 41–45.
Mason, J. M., & Kendall, J. R. (1979). Facilitating reading comprehension
through text structure manipulation. The Alberta Journal of Educational
Research, 25, 68–76.
North, A. J., & Jenkins, L. B. (1951). Reading speed and comprehension
as a function of typography. Journal of Applied Psychology, 35, 225–228.
Newsletter February / March 2009 8

11. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
About the author Kath Straub, PhD, CUA
Chief Scientist
Human Factors International
Kath Straub guides organizations and agencies to design communication
and interactions systems that inform, educate, and shape key behaviors. To that
end, she integrates multi-disciplinary research methods to uncover the
psychological and emotional drives and barriers that inform human attitudes,
decisions, and behaviors. Most recently, Kath’s interests have shifted to under-
standing how emerging communication methods (e.g., microblogging) and tech-
nologies (e.g., mobile) augment the existing information ecosystem and evolve
consumer/citizen expectations and behavior. She applies this knowledge to help
organizations develop outreach strategies, and to proactively assimilate and
draw upon the new channels and changing behaviors. Electronic channels are
replacing the “picket fences” we used to gossip over. Is your organization
ready?
Kath Straub is the Chief Scientist and Executive Director of Human Factors
International. She holds a Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Science from the
University of Rochester (NY). She has been recognized by Federal Computer
Week Magazine as a Rising Star in Government.
Newsletter February / March 2009 9

12. Human Factors
International
410 West Lowe, P.O. Box 2020
Fairfield, IA 52556
Phone: 800.242.4480
Fax: 641.472.5412
hfi@humanfactors.com
www.humanfactors.com
© 2009 Human Factors International, Inc.

13. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
How text formatting can ruin (or enhance)
the readability and persuasiveness of text
Kath Straub, PhD, CUA / Chief Scientist
Human Factors International, Inc.
February / March, 2009
Newsletter
Human Factors
International

14. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
Interesting. Maybe it was the early adopter thing. Curiosity about new gadgets. Wanting to
touch. To play. To decide if that new little thing will be the next big thing.
In the Chinese sense.
Maybe it was the road-warrior reader thing:
I travel a lot. And I read a lot. Which book
should I take?
Maybe it was the attention deficit thing.
Reading one book at a time gets... boring.
And all those books get heavy.
However you explain it, I own a Kindle2.
It’s been an interesting ride. I’m ready to get
off the bike.
You say red herring. To be sure, part of the fun of Kindle is that Amazon had to balance a lot of
design options. For instance, they decided to tried to create an unpacking-the-
I say red herrings. product-should-be-emotional experience. For an Apple native, that was a bit
weird. Somehow, the pull-off paper zipper (think FedEX envelopes) sets the
wrong tone. But, they tried.
Out of the box, my first impression was positive. It’s smaller than I thought. The
text resolution is better than I had hoped.
But then, there is no backlight. That means the battery lasts a really long time.
But it also means that the screen is surprisingly grey and the text contrast is
low. And you still need a night light to read.
The keyboard lets you annotate while you read. But it’s awkward. Big. That
choice seemed odd since the bigger keyboard meant a smaller reading screen.
We are all trained to type on phone-sized keyboards by now, aren’t we?
Navigating isn’t bad. The fact that the Menu button takes you to Shop At the
Kindle Store is irritating. Even if I understand why it’s so. The joystick offers a
few surprises, like you can’t turn pages with it.
Newsletter February / March 2009 2

15. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
But these problems are red herring(s). Kindle isn’t really about unpacking and
navigating. It’s about reading. Unfortunately, the reading part is where Amazon
goes wrong.
Step away It was a small detail in the Kindle ad that tipped my decision to try it. Unless
you’ve spent years thinking about the psychology of reading, you probably
from the edge. won’t notice it.
The text on the right side of the "page" is not right-justified. It has a ragged-
right edge. And that, for me, was tantalizing.
In justified text, the size of spaces between words is varied to make the lines
come out even (like in this paragraph). The size of the spaces is irregular but not
meaningful. The goal is just to make the lines come out even. But your brain reg-
isters that the spaces are different sizes. And it tries to sort out what that infor-
mation conveys. Trying to interpret signals that are just noise slows you down
and makes reading feel more effortful.
Just because you can, It may seem counter-intuitive that a small detail like where lines end would
make text easier to read. If it’s true, why do publishers of books, journals,
doesn’t mean magazines and newspapers right-justify everything? It’s a question that a lot of
you should. us who think about reading think about, a lot.
Newsletter February / March 2009 3

16. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
Our most charitable guess is that publishers think that justified
text looks better. It does. If you like rectangles. But the research
shows that people read ragged-right copy faster than right-justi-
fied copy (Hartley & Burnhill, 1971; Jandreau & Bever, 1992). So,
to justify or not to justify depends on whether the goal is a pret-
tier page or an easier read.
I vote for easier to read. And that is why I was enticed by the
raggedy edged Kindle ad.
And the first publication I opened (the New Yorker) lived up to the promise:
Hertzberg, in ragged right. With the cartoons thoughtfully aggregated into one
section. Joy.
But the second one I opened (Nudge; Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth
and Happiness), and the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth (White Tiger, a novel; I
was told there’d be cake, essays; Technology Review; and the Wall Street
Journal, respectively) all have right-justified text. Gain the buyer’s trust. Violate
the buyer’s trust.
To be fair, it may not be Amazon that is making the choice. But they could. And
if any single group can make reading better, it is Amazon. Well, maybe Amazon
and ReadSmart.
One stop Actually, there’s more to enhancing readability than where lines end.
Remember how the random size of spaces between words in right-justified text
past the end undermines reading? The reverse is also true. Bever and colleagues, linguists
of the line... and psychologists at the University of Arizona, have shown that when line end-
ings and space sizes offer clues to how words should be grouped, reading is
faster and feels easier (Bever, Jandreau, Burwell, Kaplan & Zaenan, 1990;
Jandreau & Bever, 1992; among many others.)
To show this, Bever and team engineered (and patented) a text processing /
formatting algorithm (which they call ReadSmart) that "reads" text input and
adjusts inter- and intra-word spacing based on psychologically tested, linguistic
rules. The new, meaningful spaces guide readers’ eyes and help them to group
the words correctly even as they read. "ReadSmarted" text is easier to read
Newsletter February / March 2009 4

17. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
because part of work of reading is already done for you. But unlike other text
formatting algorithms, ReadSmart improves readability without changing the
length of the text or the way that it looks on the surface.
Bever’s early studies of linguistic formatting (including more than 500 students
in the U.S. and abroad) showed that when the spaces between / within words
predict the structure, comprehension and reading speed increase up to 20%.
Similar comprehension improvements have been documented for readers
under duress and second- language readers.
It’s much more More recent industry studies suggest that improving readability and compre-
hension may also increase persuasiveness. The scenario supposedly goes
persuasive if I read it. something like this:
1. A potential donor receives solicitation letters. If they like the cause, they
may open the letter.
2. If they open them, they tend to skim, for about as long as it takes to get
from the front door / mail box to the kitchen / trash can.
3. Since Readsmarted text reads faster and more easily, potential donors
get further into the message to the emotional hook that removes the
block or amplifies their drive toward commitment.
4. Along the way, since the cognitive burden of "reading" is reduced by
ReadSmarting text, readers can commit more mental energy to
processing and remembering the message. Remembered messages
are more persuasive.
Even if the scenario is not exactly right, the effect of formatting text to improve
readability is profound. Direct mail donor acquisition letters that are formatted
by ReadSmart work better. In a meta-analysis of 5 direct marketing campaigns
reaching 393,000 households (over multiple charities), the formatted letters
triggered 22% more responses than donor letters with standard text. And, peo-
ple who responded to a formatted solicitation ultimately donated more (48%
more on average)1.
1 To be sure, the scale of the behavior change resulting from ReadSmarting text makes
it feel a bit like a but-wait!-there’s more! paid-for-TV commercial. I’d be far more skepti-
cal, if I didn’t have direct knowledge of the psycholinguistic research behind text-format-
ting generally and ReadSmart specifically. (Fair balance: Bever was my thesis advisor.)
Newsletter February / March 2009 5

18. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
More than Ultimately, linguistically-informed text formatting algorithms like ReadSmart
make text more persuasive by reducing the mental burden of reading. Readers
meets the eye. understand better with less effort. By extension, organizations and agencies
that apply these algorithms can benefit as well. And that promise makes
ReadSmart tantalizing.
Sort of like the Kindle2 was. And could be again. If Amazon made "ReadSmart
my book" the default menu item. Until then, I’m going back to paperbacks.
[The ReadSmart text formatting algorithm improves readability on paper,
in fixed-width websites, and on mobile phones. To learn more go to
www.readsmart.com.]
References Anglin, J. M., & Miller, G. A. (1968). The role of phrase structure in the recall of
meaningful verbal material. Psychonomic Science, 10, 343–344.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2008). System and method of determining phrasing
in text. U.S. Patent No. 7,346,489. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark
Office.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2008). System and method for formatting text
according to phrasing. Patent pending. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., & Robbart, J. (2006). System and method for formatting text
according to linguistic, visual and psychological variables. U.S. Patent No.
7,069,508. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., Nicholas, C. D., Hancock, R., Alcock, K. W., & Jandreau, S. M. (2007).
System, plug-in and method for improving text composition by modifying char-
acter prominence according to assigned character information measures.
Patent pending. Washington, DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bever, T. G., Jandreau, S., Burwell, R. , Kaplan, R., & Zaenan, A. (1990). Spacing
printed text to isolate major phrases improves readability. Visible Language, 25,
74–87.
Newsletter February / March 2009 6

19. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
Coleman, E. B., & Kim, I. (1961). Comparison of several styles of typography in
English. Journal of Applied Psychology, 45, 262–267.
Hartley, J. (1980). Spatial cues in text. Visible Language, 14, 67–79.
Hartley, J., & Burnhill, P. (1971). Experiments with unjustified text. Visible
Language, 5, 265–278.
Jandreau, S., & Bever, T. G. (1992). Phrase-spaced formats improve comprehen-
sion in average readers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 143–146.
Nicholas, C. D., Maher, J. Ashley, K. L., Berendt, L. H. (2009). System and
method for converting the digital typesetting documents used in publishing to a
device-specific format for electronic publishing. Patent pending. Washington,
DC: U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Klare, G. R., Nichols, W. H., & Shufford, E. H. (1957). The relationship of typo-
graphic arrangement to the learning of technical material. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 41, 41–45.
Mason, J. M., & Kendall, J. R. (1979). Facilitating reading comprehension through
text structure manipulation. The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 25,
68–76.
North, A. J., & Jenkins, L. B. (1951). Reading speed and comprehension as a
function of typography. Journal of Applied Psychology, 35, 225–228.
Newsletter February / March 2009 7

20. Kindle2: Crack for readers... until you start reading
About the author Kath Straub, PhD, CUA
Chief Scientist
Human Factors International
Kath Straub guides organizations and agencies to design communication and
interactions systems that inform, educate, and shape key behaviors. To that
end, she integrates multi-disciplinary research methods to uncover the psycho-
logical and emotional drives and barriers that inform human attitudes, deci-
sions, and behaviors. Most recently, Kath’s interests have shifted to understand-
ing how emerging communication methods (e.g., microblogging) and technolo-
gies (e.g., mobile) augment the existing information ecosystem and evolve con-
sumer/ citizen expectations and behavior. She applies this knowledge to help
organizations develop outreach strategies, and to proactively assimilate and
draw upon the new channels and changing behaviors. Electronic channels are
replacing the “picket fences” we used to gossip over. Is your organization
ready?
Kath Straub is the Chief Scientist and Executive Director of Human Factors
International. She holds a Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Science from the
University of Rochester (NY). She has been recognized by Federal Computer
Week Magazine as a Rising Star in Government.
Newsletter February / March 2009 8

21. Human Factors
International
410 West Lowe, P.O. Box 2020
Fairfield, IA 52556
Phone: 800.242.4480
Fax: 641.472.5412
hfi@humanfactors.com
www.humanfactors.com
© 2008 Human Factors International, Inc.