Designing idea processors for document composition

TRAKTEXT: Investigating writing processes using eye-tracking technology

The purpose of this research was to provide a brief review of existing writing research methodologies, describe a new methodology in the investigation of writing, and demonstrate how this new methodology can be used in a pilot study to investigate the use of writing during problem solving. Our new methodology, TRAKTEXT, makes use of eye-tracking technology, which provides continuous measures of processing time, attention, and effort; does not disrupt the writer from the main task; produces data reflecting attentional shifts in periods of time as short as 100 milliseconds; can pinpoint text production or revision at the word level; and provides a more natural way of examining writing behaviors. In our exploratory study, we identified six unique writing behaviors. Results from the pilot study showed that writers who experienced a change in knowledge during problem solving demonstrated different writing behaviors from writers who did not experience a change in knowledge. Although TRAKTEXT provides several advantages over existing writing research methodologies, there are some components of writing (e.g. planning) that must be inferred from processing time and cognitive effort measures. Future iterations of TRAKTEXT may resolve these issues.

SCRIPTKELL: a tool for measuring cognitive effort and time processing in writing and other complex cognitive activities

We present SCRIPTKELL, a computer-assisted experimental tool that makes it possible to measure the time and cognitive effort allocated to the subprocesses of writing and other cognitive activities. SCRIPTKELL was designed to easily use and modulate Kellogg's (1986) triple-task procedure, which consists of a combination of three tasks: a writing task (or another task), a reaction time task (auditory signal detection), and a directed retrospection task (after each signal detection during writing). We demonstrate how this tool can be used to address several novel empirical and theoretical issues. In sum, SCRIPTKELL should facilitate the flexible realization of experimental designs and the investigation of critical issues concerning the functional characteristics of complex cognitive activities.