Peer-reviewed research
The Typability Index: A tool for measuring and controlling for typing difficulty in text stimuli
Emily A. Williams et al., Behavior Research Methods, 2026 · DOI 10.3758/s13428-025-02877-y
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A 2026 methods paper that argues the difficulty of the text being typed changes typing scores for reasons unrelated to skill. It proposes a Typability Index to measure and control that difficulty before a test or study is run.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed, open access and published by an established journal. It is a methods paper that proposes an index, so its claims about test fairness are arguments backed by its own analysis, not independent measurements of commercial typing tests.
Facts taken from this source
- A 2026 methods paper warns that extremely easy or hard text may compress typing speed scores, which makes it harder to tell typists apart.
“Extremely easy or hard text may compress typing speed scores, making it difficult to accurately capture and compare typing abilities.” (Introduction)
- A 2026 methods paper says the difficulty of the typed text can affect typing performance, adding variability that is unrelated to skill, so typing comparisons need to control for it.
“can impact typing performance, introducing variability that is unrelated to skill” (Abstract)