Other
Words per minute
Wikipedia, n.d.
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- Wikipedia's article on words per minute, which reports copying speeds for adults by hand, the range of handwriting speeds, and speeds reached in shorthand competitions. It is a secondary summary and cites its own underlying studies.
- How much weight it carries
- An encyclopedia summary, not a primary study. The adult copying figure is cited to a reference that we could not open, so treat it as a rough benchmark for copying, not a measured adult norm.
Facts taken from this source
- Wikipedia reports that handwriting speeds up to 350 words per minute have been reached in shorthand competitions.
“Handwriting speeds up to 350 words per minute have been achieved in shorthand competitions.” (Handwriting section)
- Wikipedia's words-per-minute article gives the average copying speed for adults aged 18 to 64 as 68 letters per minute, about 13 words per minute.
“For an adult population (age range 18–64) the average speed of copying is 68 letters per minute” (Handwriting section)
- Numeric entry speed on the keypad is measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH), and many data entry jobs require a certain KPH, often 8,000 or 10,000.
“It is measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH). Many jobs require a certain KPH, often 8,000 or 10,000.” (Numeric entry)