Reading Chinese text on a small screen with RSVP

This study examines the effects of Chinese typography (true type and standard Kai type), speed (171, 260, and 350 wpm), font size (12- and 28-point), and presentation method (serial one word, phrase-oriented, and sentence-by-sentence method) on users' reading comprehension for reading Chinese text on a small screen using rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). Scores for reading comprehension indicated that typography style and font size did not significantly affect reading comprehension. Speed and presentation method, however, were significant factors in terms of the reading comprehension. In addition, the interaction between the speed and the presentation method also significantly affected the reading comprehension. When the presentation methods were serial one word and sentence-by-sentence formats, reading comprehension revealed no significant difference under different speed levels. Nonetheless, when the presentation method was in the phrase-oriented format, reading comprehension with a lower speed of 171 wpm was significantly higher than that with the speeds of 350 and 260 wpm.