{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34630"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34630","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A Study of Reading with A Handheld Computer","abstract":"As handheld computers are becoming powerful, portable and wireless, they have recently received considerable attention in education because their multi-functionality and mobility can be used for supporting learning activities in various manner. In spite of the potential in education, handheld computers have several limitations. One of the critical limitations is the small screen size. In an attempt to find factors affecting text readability on the small screen of handheld computers, this study, first, reviewed basic reading process and reading model, previous studies examining potential factors affecting text readability on a small handheld screen. This study investigated the effect of screen orientation and margin on reading performance (reading speed and comprehension) and subjective impressions (ease of reading, mental workload and satisfaction) with a handheld computer. A 2x2 within-subject factorial design was conducted with 16 participants reading texts from a PDA (Compaq iPAQ 3850). The results of this study indicated that neither screen orientation nor margin had a significant influence on objective reading performance and subjective impression. It was found that there were no prevailing preference of screen orientation and margin in reading texts from a handheld computer screen. It was also found that participants had a favorable reading experience with the handheld computers. Based on results of experiments and post-experiment questionnaire, a set of recommendations was developed to improve reading from small screens of handheld computers.","abstract_html":"As handheld computers are becoming powerful, portable and wireless, they have recently received considerable attention in education because their multi-functionality and mobility can be used for supporting learning activities in various manner. In spite of the potential in education, handheld computers have several limitations. One of the critical limitations is the small screen size. In an attempt to find factors affecting text readability on the small screen of handheld computers, this study, first, reviewed basic reading process and reading model, previous studies examining potential factors affecting text readability on a small handheld screen. This study investigated the effect of screen orientation and margin on reading performance (reading speed and comprehension) and subjective impressions (ease of reading, mental workload and satisfaction) with a handheld computer. A 2x2 within-subject factorial design was conducted with 16 participants reading texts from a PDA (Compaq iPAQ 3850). The results of this study indicated that neither screen orientation nor margin had a significant influence on objective reading performance and subjective impression. It was found that there were no prevailing preference of screen orientation and margin in reading texts from a handheld computer screen. It was also found that participants had a favorable reading experience with the handheld computers. Based on results of experiments and post-experiment questionnaire, a set of recommendations was developed to improve reading from small screens of handheld computers.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lee, Young Seok"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Industrial and Systems Engineering","degree_department":"Industrial and Systems Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Smith-Jackson, Tonya L."],"committee_members":["Beaton, Robert J.","Vaccare, Carmel"],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-08-05","date_published":"2003-08-05","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:39Z","subjects":["Mental Workload","Readability","Handheld computers","Personal Digital Assistant"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08192003-112623"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-08192003-112623","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34630","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Smith-Jackson, Tonya L."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Beaton, Robert J.","Vaccare, Carmel"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Industrial and Systems Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lee, Young Seok"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:43:45Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:43:45Z","2003-08-25"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003-08-05"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Industrial and Systems Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mental Workload","Readability","Handheld computers","Personal Digital Assistant"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08192003-112623"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34630"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["As handheld computers are becoming powerful, portable and wireless, they have recently received considerable attention in education because their multi-functionality and mobility can be used for supporting learning activities in various manner. In spite of the potential in education, handheld computers have several limitations. One of the critical limitations is the small screen size. In an attempt to find factors affecting text readability on the small screen of handheld computers, this study, first, reviewed basic reading process and reading model, previous studies examining potential factors affecting text readability on a small handheld screen. This study investigated the effect of screen orientation and margin on reading performance (reading speed and comprehension) and subjective impressions (ease of reading, mental workload and satisfaction) with a handheld computer. A 2x2 within-subject factorial design was conducted with 16 participants reading texts from a PDA (Compaq iPAQ 3850). The results of this study indicated that neither screen orientation nor margin had a significant influence on objective reading performance and subjective impression. It was found that there were no prevailing preference of screen orientation and margin in reading texts from a handheld computer screen. It was also found that participants had a favorable reading experience with the handheld computers. Based on results of experiments and post-experiment questionnaire, a set of recommendations was developed to improve reading from small screens of handheld computers."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Study of Reading with A Handheld Computer"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Smith-Jackson, Tonya L."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Beaton, Robert J.","Vaccare, Carmel"],"dc:contributor.department":["Industrial and Systems Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Lee, Young Seok"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:43:45Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:43:45Z","2003-08-25"],"dc:date.issued":["2003-08-05"],"dc:description.abstract":["As handheld computers are becoming powerful, portable and wireless, they have recently received considerable attention in education because their multi-functionality and mobility can be used for supporting learning activities in various manner. 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It was found that there were no prevailing preference of screen orientation and margin in reading texts from a handheld computer screen. It was also found that participants had a favorable reading experience with the handheld computers. Based on results of experiments and post-experiment questionnaire, a set of recommendations was developed to improve reading from small screens of handheld computers."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-08192003-112623"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34630"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Mental Workload","Readability","Handheld computers","Personal Digital Assistant"],"dc:title":["A Study of Reading with A Handheld Computer"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Industrial and Systems Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:39Z"}