http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21428676.600-touchscreens-learn-your-habits-to-help-you-type-faster.

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Name: Ethan Teo
Date: 6 June 2012
Article Explorer
Article collection and Report
From now till the end of this year, you are required to select, read and report on articles from the newspapers as well
as magazines that you subscribe to under the schools Reading Programme.

You may choose the article according to your taste and interests.
Please attach a copy/ printout of the article to each report.
Please answer the following questions for each article your report on.
All reports should be filed and kept as a Reading Log.
The Reading Log should be brought to class every Friday.

Please answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1.

What is the title of the article and who wrote it? (Sometimes, the authors name is not given)
The title of the article is Touchscreens learn your habits to help you type faster. The author of this article is
Jim Giles.

2.

Where did you find the article and when was it published?
I found this article on the internet at the newscientist website. It was published on the 5th of June 2012.

3.

In 2-4 sentences, sum up what the article is about.

In summary, the article is revolving around the theme of science and technology and talks about how typing on
a touchscreen is very troublesome and full of errors. It then goes on to discuss about the benefits of a
touchscreen keyboard as compared to a physical keyboard. Now, touchscreen keyboards can be customized to
your personal needs such that one will make less mistakes in typing.

4.

What did you find most interesting about the article? Why?
The thing that I found most interesting about the article is the different effects of our typing stye while we are
doing things (eg. Walking). The article tells of how a persons tap tends to shift towards the centre of the
keyboard when his foot strikes the ground. This is very fascinating to me and makes me realize that even small
little actions like walking can have such an effect on our fingers. This also shows that our body is linked
together.

5.

What is one thing in the article that you agree/ disagree with? Why?
The one thing in the article that I agree with is how things should be customized to adapt ourselves. In the world
of science and technology, I feel that its main aim is to serve us and help us do things better. Hence, if science
and technology is slowing us down or making us make many mistakes, then there is no point in this. Therefore,

I agree that science and technology should be customized to personal needs so that it can serve as many people
as possible efficiently.

6.

If you could respond to the author about the contents of the article, what would you say or ask?
It is wonderful to know that these proffessors are working on such things. Thank you for the information and
hopefully more of such customizations would be carried out in the future.

7.

What are three new words that you learned from the article? Define them here. Also, please copy the
sentences and then write your own sentence using the word the same way.

Word or
Phrase

Part of
Speech

The original sentence in which you found this

word.

The definition as used in the

sentence
Many errors everywhere

Typing on a touchscreen is a slow and errorError-strewn

strewn business.
Your own sentence using the word the same way:
The lecture video is a slow and error-strewn business.
Word or
Phrase
quirks

Part of
Speech

The original sentence in which you found this

word.
This data highlighted quirks in style that can
lead to errors.

The definition as used in the

sentence
A peculiarity of action,
behaviour or personality

Your own sentence using the word the same way:

He is full of strange quirks.
Word or
Phrase
conjunction

Part of
Speech

The original sentence in which you found this

word.
In a second experiment, in conjunction
with Wobbrocks collegue Mayank Goel,
the team asked 16 people to type on an
iPhone whilst walking. Readings from
the phone's accelerometer were logged
and compared to typing errors, which
uncovered the source of some mistakes.
When a person's foot strikes the ground,
for example, their taps tend to shift
towards the centre of the keyboard.

The definition as used in the

sentence
combination

Your own sentence using the word the same way:

In conjunction with RI, HCI launched the annual cross country event once again.

Please keep returned article reports in your Reading Folder

Teachers Remarks
Can be improved
Questions 1 & 2
Question 3
Questions 4, 5 & 6
Question 7

The article and its source are clearly

identified,
The article is accurately and
completely summarised
The responses to the article show
careful thought
The vocabulary exercise is accurately
and thoughtfully completed

Good

Very Good