An occupational therapist investigated the typing speed (words per minute) of a self-selecting sample of 8 professional typists using a repeated measures design.
Condition A was to type a standard 500-word passage using a traditional flat keyboard.
Condition B was to type a different 500-word passage of equal technical difficulty using an ergonomic split-key layout.
The order of conditions was counterbalanced, and the typing speed (words per minute) was recorded for each typist.
Table 1: Typing speed (words per minute) in Condition A (traditional keyboard) and Condition B (ergonomic layout)
| Typist | Condition A (Traditional) | Condition B (Ergonomic) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72 | 78 |
| 2 | 65 | 64 |
| 3 | 80 | 85 |
| 4 | 55 | 62 |
| 5 | 90 | 93 |
| 6 | 74 | 72 |
| 7 | 83 | 89 |
| 8 | 68 | 75 |
The researcher used counterbalancing in this study.
Discuss the purpose of counterbalancing in this study.
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