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Re: Links in context - or not?

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From: emma.dukewilliams@gmail.com
Date: Oct 31, 2008 3:50AM

On Oct 31, 2008 9:14am, Jens Meiert < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> > * Minimising the number of links in the middle of sentences - as it
>
> > interrupts the screen reading process
>
> > * Preferably having links at the end of sentences
>
> > * Or better still having links under a Relevant links heading

The Usability Lab at Wichita did some research into this - it's a while ago
& they were looking at academic type information - the sort you'd expect a
user to read much on screen as they would on paper (ie skim first, then in
detail, in the "right" order)
In terms of how well users understood the material (ie their ability to
answer comprehension questions based on it) there wasn't any difference. In
terms of what they preferred, it was embedded. (I assume none were screen
reader users, though there may well have been users with dyslexia and/ or
some visual difficulties - just not those great enough to require screen
reading technology)
http://www.surl.org/usabilitynews/32/links.asp

Emma