Fact · Typing and writing speed
In the ETS study, drafting an essay was characterized by relatively fluent typing and significant backspacing.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Drafting was characterized by relatively fluent typing, significant amounts of backspacing (reflecting false starts and sentence-level revision and editing)”
Behavioral Differences Between Retyping, Drafting, and Editing: A Writing Process Analysis, Fred Steck et al., ETS Research Memorandum RM-18-06, Educational Testing Service, 2018, Abstract.
Open the original- What it measures
- Backspacing while drafting reflects false starts and revision, which copy typing does not involve.
- What it does not show
- The study measures keystroke patterns, not the speed in words per minute of each task.