By Bobby Foster

Which paper color with black text is easiest to read?

Background information

• High contrast makes it easier to read.

• Most things you read is black text and white background.

Hypothesis

• I think everyone will choose the white background as the easiest because of the contrast, and that blue will be the hardest.

Materials

• Same message in black ink in dark blue, red, yellow, green, and white paper.

• 1 Response sheet per person.

• Pencil

Procedure

• Gather materials

• Get people to test

• Have them fill it out

• Collect them

• Figure out the average

Major observations

• If the page is lighter in color it is easier for people to see if you have black text.

• Sometimes a more vibrant color, like yellow, were easier for people to read

Results

• The lower the number, the easier it was for people to read.

• White:1.48

• Yellow:2.2

• Green:2.84

• Red:3.64

• Blue:4.84

Conclusion

• For the most part I was right, white was the easiest for people to read, but some people said yellow was easiest, so there was variety. But I was also right in that a light background is best if you have black text, and that background color does affect readability.

Possible Applications

• For something that must be carefully read white background on black text is best

Further research

• I could have done a lot of combos with color of text, paper, etc.

Time spent

• Testing took a hour total

• Research and preparation took 10 hours

• Making my display took around 2 hours

• Total it took around 13 hours

Works cited• http://www.usd376.com/jh/staff/riffelc/riffelc.htm • http://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/basics/readability.php• http://library.albany.edu/imc/webdesign/page4.html• http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/web-

page-readability.shtml• http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/30-ways-to-improve-readability/• http://medialoot.com/blog/5-tips-for-improving-readability-on-your-website/• http://www.wdvl.com/Graphics/Color/color2.html• http://www.gomediazine.com/design-articles/technique-theory/rule-three-

contrast-contrast-contrast/• http://www.colormatters.com/optics.html• http://www.springerlink.com/content/e7w372883xv67863/• http://health.yahoo.com/vision-living/macular-degeneration-coping-with-

reduced-vision/healthwise--rt1271.html• http://www.causeof.org/sensitivity.htm#Contrast 

Acknowledgments

• Test Participants

• Mrs. Riffle

• Mrs. Ball

• My parents