Abstract
The study aimed to reveal the effects of color-coded keywords in reading background unfamiliar Chinese texts that induce less experience related interaction, and background familiar Chinese texts that induce more experience related interaction. Twenty short articles in statistics and psychology were read by 48 participants; in the meantime their eye movements were recorded by Eyelink 2000 for further analysis on the total fixation time, total fixation counts, interest area fixation counts, and regression counts. Independent variables including two genres (statistics represented background unfamiliar texts and psychology represented background familiar texts) and two versions of texts (keyword-marked and no keyword-marked) were examined by the above eye movement indicators and the participants’ reading comprehension scores. Results showed that total fixation time on background unfamiliar texts was significantly longer than that of background familiar texts; representing more time consuming on background unfamiliar text reading and concept integrating. Keyword-marked version attracted more fixation counts and led to longer total fixation duration; represented that color-coded keywords actually attracted readers’ attention and lengthened the duration on interested areas. Less regression-in counts on keyword-marked version explained the effectiveness of marked keywords on integrating concepts. Besides, more regression-out counts produced from keyword marked version, suggesting that readers preferred to review the marked keywords. Though the comprehension test score did not show significant difference, the positive effect of color-coded keywords still stands out for its attention fostering and serves as good reading aids.