When (professional) authors work on their texts, they frequently 'jump' around their document to make textual changes and create new content at a wide range of locations. Currently, a range of linearity measures are available to capture this, some of which requiring time-intensive manual coding. Linearity metrics are commonly calculated based on…

We present a concrete situation where there is a difference between the theoretical security of a cipher and its limitations when implemented in practice. Specifically, when entering a PIN, smudges on the keypad substantially reduce its security. We show how the number of possible keys in the presence of the "smudge attack" can be…

This paper argues that traditional threshold-based approaches to the analysis of pauses in writing fail to capture the complexity of the cognitive processes involved in text production. It proposes that, to capture these processes, pause analysis should focus on the transition times between linearly produced units of text. Following a review of…

To writing anything on a keyboard at all requires us to know first what to type, then to activate motor programmes for finger movements, and execute these. An interruption in the information flow at any of these stages leads to disfluencies. To capture this combination of fluent typing and typing hesitations, researchers calculate different…

Several factors can impede the writing process of students with dyslexia. One recommended adjustment to help them overcome these writing challenges is the use of personal computers for writing. The research underscores the significance of effective keyboarding skills in optimizing the benefits of computer-based writing for these students, with…

Digital tools are an integral part of most writing communities across the globe, enhancing the criticality of gaining a comprehensive understanding of both paper and computer-based writing acquisition and development. The relationships between transcription skills and children's paper-based writing performance are well documented. Less is known…

In the era of technology and digital standardized testing, one might question the practicality of teaching cursive handwriting to early learners. The problem addressed in this study is that due to the increased use of technology in the Montessori classroom, teachers may not value cursive handwriting instruction as an important skill for early…

Despite the increasing ubiquity of computer-based tests, many general qualifications examinations remain in a paper-based mode. Insufficient and unequal digital provision across schools is often identified as a major barrier to a full adoption of computer-based exams for general qualifications. One way to overcome this barrier is a gradual…

Multiple factors simultaneously interact during the writing process. The effect of these interacting factors must be considered if writing is studied as a dynamic and complex process that constantly changes. Based on that premise, the study aims to determine how the interaction between the reading medium and the communicative purpose of a writing…

Copying words by writing and typing are two effective methods in traditional learning, but their merits for learning L2 words have seldom been compared. Because of technological advances and the growing popularity of utilising smart mobile products to acquire L2 vocabulary, this study investigated the effectiveness of writing and typing techniques…

Recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) is a time-series analysis method that uses autocorrelation properties of typing data to detect regularities within the writing process. The following paper first gives a detailed introduction to RQA and its application to time series data. We then apply RQA to keystroke logging data of first and foreign…

To date, there is no clear evidence to support choosing handwriting over keyboarding or vice versa as the modality children should use when they first learn to write. 102 Norwegian first-grade children from classrooms that used both electronic touchscreen keyboard on a digital tablet and pencil-and-paper for writing instruction wrote narratives in…

Higher education students with specific learning disorders (SLD) often experience difficulties in basic learning skills, including typing on computers, which has become the most common writing mode for academic purposes. This may affect their academic performance. We compared the typing performance, product, and technique (screen gaze, finger use)…

The emergence of sophisticated AI tools such as ChatGPT, coupled with the transition to remote delivery of educational assessments in the COVID-19 era, has led to increasing concerns about academic integrity and test security. Using AI tools, test takers can produce high-quality texts effortlessly and use them to game assessments. It is thus…

This study investigates typing skill acquisition in Japanese children with developmental dyslexia (DD) and other developmental disorders (ADHD, ASD). Given that phonological processing difficulties impair reading and writing, typing may serve as an alternative skill for written expression. Sixty-one students (ages 7-18) participated in five typing…