
Split Keyboards and Typing Speed
Medium
Can a split keyboard help you type faster than a normal one? You test 20 regular typists on day one using a normal keyboard. Then you divide them into two groups with equal average speed.
One group practices on a normal keyboard for 30 days. The other practices on a split keyboard. After 30 days, you test both groups again. Both groups improve, but their average speeds end up nearly the same.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that there will be a significant difference in the speed of typing using a split keyboard and a normal keyboard, with typists using the split keyboard being slower than those using normal keyboards.
Method & Materials
You will select 20 students who type regularly and assess their typing speed on the first day. Then, the students will be divided into two groups. The first group will continue to use the standard keyboard to practice typing assignments for an hour, for the next 30 days. The second group will practice typing assignments using the split keyboard for 1 hour for the next 30 days. At the end of the 30 days, the 20 students will be tested again for their typing speed.
You will need 20 students who type regularly, 30 typing assignments, 5 computers with normal keyboards, 5 computers with split keyboards, and 1 stopwatch.
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See what’s includedResults
After 30 days of practice, the results showed that all of the students had improved their typing speed. However, when comparing the average speed of students using the normal keyboard and the split keyboard, it was found that the average typing speed was the same for both keyboards.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it tests the effectiveness of the split keyboard in improving typing speed.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include testing how long a person can continue to type on the normal keyboard compared to the split keyboard before becoming tired, and comparing the number of words typed in a day using the normal keyboard and the split keyboard.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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