Main evidence and numbers
| Example of accuracy for final text | Wrong characters per 1,000 | Wetin e mean |
|---|---|---|
| 99% | 10 | Na arithmetic example, e no be target wey we recommend |
| 98% | 20 | Na two times the errors wey remain for 99% |
| 95% | 50 | Na five times the errors wey remain for 99% |
These examples use simple way to define accuracy for the final characters. Real studies fit use minimum string distance to count characters wey person add, comot, or replace, so no suppose mistake these examples as exact copy of the way every site dey calculate accuracy. Research about measurement explain why scoring suppose state the text wey person suppose type and the text wey dem type. Soukoreff et al., 2003 Soukoreff et al., 2001
Errors wey remain and errors wey person correct no be the same
Person fit make plenty mistakes and correct all of dem, finish with correct text but spend plenty time correcting am. Person wey leave mistakes fit look faster, but the result no go useful reach. So final error rate, effort to correct, and typing rate dey answer different questions. Soukoreff et al., 2003
The desktop data show errors wey person no correct and measures wey relate to correction. Generally, people wey type faster make fewer errors, but na study wey just observe wetin happen. E no show say if dem force everybody to type faster, dem go more accurate, or say slowing down by one fixed amount go cause one particular improvement. Dhakal et al., 2018
Why one ideal percentage no fit everybody
How much one error cost depend on the work and wetin happen after. Transcription test dey measure text wey person provide; when person dey write or edit, e need make extra decisions. Important reviews about typing and text entry separate these parts of the work and explain why rates for one setting no fit apply directly to every kind of work. Salthouse, 1986 MacKenzie and Soukoreff, 2002
One lab study still find big difference between typing normal text and random letters, even for people wey don get plenty experience. How familiar the passage be na part of wetin the score dey measure. Personal best for simple word list no necessarily mean say person go perform the same way for writing wey get plenty punctuation. Feit et al., 2016
Wetin dey affect am?
Help from device dey change how to understand the result
Autocorrect fit change text without matching each typed character one-to-one; prediction fit put one whole word. The mobile study talk clearly about the limits wey this one bring for error measures wey count each keystroke. If you compare phone typing with assistance to desktop typing without assistance as if their accuracy percentages mean exactly the same thing, you fit miss important differences. Palin et al., 2019
Wetin be reasonable way to practise?
Use the same kind of work and record typing rate together with the error measure wey matter. Compare groups of similar passages wey you never know well instead of choosing only one attempt. Na advice about measurement; e no claim say na the best amount of training. Evidence about everyday typists and their practice history support skill for the particular task, but e no establish one speed-versus-accuracy training ratio wey fit everybody. Keith et al., 2007 MacKenzie and Soukoreff, 2002
If one faster attempt leave more errors, describe am as trade-off instead of saying say e improve everything. If final accuracy stay the same while the effort to correct reduce, that one too na useful information. The reason to use more than one measure na to show the change clearly, instead of squeezing every result into one number wey make am look good. Soukoreff et al., 2003 Soukoreff et al., 2001
Describe improvement for the same level wey dem test. Better typing na useful skill; the keyboard studies wey dem cite no turn WPM or accuracy into measure of intelligence, attention disorder, or general improvement for thinking. Their conclusions concern text entry under conditions wey dem define. Dhakal et al., 2018 Feit et al., 2016
Try the free test wey connect to this one
Test for typing speed
Try the test for typing speed and read the rate, accuracy, and input mode together. If you dey track your own result, keep the assistance settings and passage type the same. Result wey you fit understand, including the errors, dey more useful.
Common questions
Na 100% accuracy always be the best?
E good make the final text correct, but these studies no establish one best training target wey ignore speed, effort to correct, and the demands of the task. Soukoreff et al., 2003
If I correct typing mistake, e cancel the cost?
E fit remove the final error but still cost extra keystrokes and time. Na why effort to correct na separate measure. Soukoreff et al., 2001
I fit compare accuracy between websites?
Only after you check how each one define errors, count text, and handle corrections. Same percentage fit come from different scoring methods. Soukoreff et al., 2003
Sources
- Dhakal et al. (2018). Observations on Typing from 136 Million Keystrokes.
- Palin et al. (2019). How do People Type on Mobile Devices?.
- Feit et al. (2016). How We Type.
- Soukoreff et al. (2003). Metrics for text entry research.
- Soukoreff et al. (2001). Measuring errors in text entry tasks.
- MacKenzie and Soukoreff (2002). Text Entry for Mobile Computing: Models and Methods, Theory and Practice.
- Salthouse (1986). Perceptual, cognitive, and motoric aspects of transcription typing..
- Keith et al. (2007). A deliberate practice account of typing proficiency in everyday typists..
Cite dis page: Make I focus on typing speed or accuracy?. Helibrain. 2026. https://helibrain.com/pcm/answers/typing-speed-vs-accuracy. CC BY 4.0.
← Check more ansa dem