Fact · Typing and writing speed
170words per minute
The Guinness Book of World Records listed Barbara Blackburn as able to attain 170 words per minute in its 1976 to 1986 editions.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“attain a speed of 170 wpm”
Barbara Blackburn (typist), Wikipedia, n.d., Lead and Guinness history section.
Open the original- What it measures
- Blackburn typed on the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard. Guinness listed her in its typing category from the 1976 edition to the 1986 edition, and the article describes that listing as her record.
- What it does not show
- A Guinness listing based on her own demonstrations, on a Dvorak keyboard. The article does not describe an independent timing of the 170 figure.