Is there any efficient reading strategy when using text signals for navigation in a long document?

Abstract

Purpose Since researchers have utilized text signals to develop a mass of within-document visualization analysis tools for reading aid in a long document, there is an increasing need to study the relationship between readers’ behavior of using text signals for navigation and their reading performance in the tools. The purpose of this paper is to combine the text signals using behavior and reading performance in two kinds of analysis tools to verify their relationship and discover whether there is any efficient reading strategy when using text signals to navigate a long document. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is a case study. The authors reviewed related literature first. After explaining the design ideas, interface and functions of THC-DAT and BOOKMARK, which are two reading tools utilizing two main kinds of text signals, one utilizing topics and the other utilizing headings for reading aid, a case study was presented to collect click data on the text signals of participants and their reading effectiveness (score) and efficiency (time). Findings The results confirm that the text signals using behavior for navigation has a significant impact on reading efficiency and no impact on reading effectiveness in both BOOKMARK and THC-DAT. The discrete degree of clicks behavior on text signals has an impact on reading efficiency. The using behavior of different types of text signals has different impacts on reading efficiency. Research limitations/implications Using text signals for navigation time evenly can help improve reading efficiency. And a basic strategy suggested to readers is focusing on reducing their time to find answers when using text signals for navigation in a long document. As to utilizing the two different kinds of text signals, readers can have different strategies. Accordingly, personalized recommendation based on interval of adjacent clicks will help to improve computer-aided reading tools. Originality/value This paper combines the text signals using behavior for navigation and reading performance in two kinds of visual analysis tools, studied the relationship between them and discovers some efficient reading strategies when using text signals for navigation to read a long document.