Frequently Asked Questions
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Who can participate?
Everyone who is interested in helping with this research is welcome to participate!
How does participation work?
Participants contribute by taking photos of text they encounter in everyday environments and submitting them through a short online survey.
When submitting a photo, participants also answer a few brief questions about their reading experience. These responses help researchers understand how different conditions influence readability in real-world situations.
Each submission typically takes only a few minutes to complete.
What kinds of text should I photograph?
You may photograph many types of text that you encounter in your daily life, including:
- Text on mobile devices
- Public signs or notices
- Product packaging or labels
- Printed materials such as posters or menus
- Digital displays
We are interested in both situations where text is easy to read and situations where text is difficult to read.
How should I take the photo?
When taking a photo for the study:
- Hold the reference card at arm’s length.
- Take the photo from your natural, first-person viewing perspective.
- Ensure that both the text and the reference card are clearly visible in the image.
The reference card does not need to be placed directly next to the text, but it must be visible and clear in the photo.
Note: If you want to take a photo on your phone, you might want to use a second device or ask a friend to take the photo so that both your phone and the reference card can be in the photo.
Why am I being required to use the reference card?
The reference card helps researchers understand the text attributes and viewing conditions in each photo. It allows the research team to calibrate the image and better interpret the visual characteristics of the text being photographed.
How long does participation take?
Each photo submission typically takes about 2–3 minutes.
Participants can submit one example or multiple examples over time.
Can I submit more than once?
Yes. Participants are welcome to submit multiple examples as they encounter different reading experiences in their daily environments.
Are there any privacy considerations?
Participants should avoid photographing sensitive or personal information, such as private messages, financial information, or identifiable personal data.
All submitted photos will be reviewed by the research team. If a submission contains sensitive or identifying information, it will be removed from the dataset.
Who is conducting this study?
This research is conducted by researchers from the Translational Vision Research Lab at North Carolina State University.
Why are you conducting this study?
Understanding how people read text in real-world environments can help researchers and designers identify factors that make text easier or harder to read. Insights from this study may help inform design guidelines for text used in everyday settings, such as digital interfaces, public signage, product packaging, and printed materials. Improving readability in these contexts can support accessibility for a wide range of users, including people with different visual abilities, reading habits, and environmental conditions.
How will the results of this research be shared?
Updates about the study will be shared on the project website. We maintain a dedicated “Updates” page where we will post information about the project’s progress, research findings, and other important announcements. Participants and visitors are encouraged to check that page regularly to stay informed about the latest developments in the study!
Who can I contact if I have questions?
If you have questions about the study, please contact the research team at:
- Dr. Yingchen He (yingchen_he@ncsu.edu)
- Yiting Liu (yliu244@ncsu.edu)
For questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the NC State IRB Director at IRB-Director@ncsu.edu, 919-515-8754, or fill out a confidential form online at https://research.ncsu.edu/administration/participant-concern-and-complaint-form/.
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