Report on the influence of school-books upon eyesight / British Association for the Advancement of Science.

  • British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report on the influence of school-books upon eyesight / British Association for the Advancement of Science. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    The factors which have been taken into con- sideration are : (i) I he nature of the psychological process involved in reading; (2) the quality of the workmanship employed in book-production ; (3) the quality of the paper on which text and illustrations are printed; (3a) the mode of binding books; (4) the character of the illustrations and the pro- cess employed for their reproduction ; (5) the colour and quality of the ink used in printing the text ; (6) the mode of printing ; (7) the character of the type ; (8) the size of the type faces and their vertical and horizontal separation ; (9) the length of the lines; (10 to 18) particular requirements of special subjects. 1. The psychology of the reading process.—The special consideration to be here noted is that the printing should be such as will facilitate the main aim of reading—viz. the getting of the meaning of what is read. The trained reader generally recog- nises whole words and phrases at a glance. It is therefore important that the process of beginners should be made as easy as possible towards the re- cognition of word-wholes and phrase-wholes by the use of type suitable in character and judiciously spaced. The best type for isolated letters is not necessarily the best for word-wholes, and attention must be given to the comparative legibility of letters as seen in context. 2. Workmanship.—It frequently happens that much of the good effect of well-selected type, paper, &c., is neutralised by inefficient workmanship. In all the recommendations which follow, good work- manship will be assumed. 3. Paper.—The paper should be without gloss. Glazed paper is trying to the eyes by reason of reflections which are apt to interfere with binocular