Typing Speed and Accuracy Flashcards

Which metric measures how many characters a typist enters per minute, including spaces and punctuation?

Answer: CPM

CPM (Characters Per Minute) counts every character typed, including spaces and punctuation, unlike WPM which uses a standard 5-character word.

A typist completes 400 characters in 2 minutes with 4 errors. What is their net CPM?

Answer: 192

Net CPM = (400 ÷ 2) − (4 × 5) = 200 − 8 = 192, since each error typically subtracts 5 characters.

On the VEPT typing section, which factor does NOT directly affect your typing score?

Answer: Font size of the passage

Font size is a display setting and has no impact on the typed output or scoring algorithm.

What is the primary purpose of a 'burst speed' measurement in typing tests?

Answer: To capture the typist's peak speed in a short interval

Burst speed records the highest WPM achieved in a brief window, reflecting a typist's maximum potential rather than sustained performance.

A typist has a raw WPM of 65 and an error rate of 5%. Approximately what is their adjusted WPM?

Answer: 61.75

Adjusted WPM = 65 × (1 − 0.05) = 65 × 0.95 = 61.75.

Which typing technique is most strongly associated with higher sustained accuracy over long sessions?

Answer: Touch typing with home-row anchoring

Touch typing with home-row anchoring builds muscle memory that reduces errors and maintains accuracy during extended typing tasks.

In the context of VEPT typing tasks, what does 'keystroke accuracy' specifically measure?

Answer: The percentage of correct keystrokes out of total keystrokes

Keystroke accuracy is the ratio of correct keystrokes to total keystrokes, expressed as a percentage.

Which of the following ergonomic adjustments is most likely to improve long-term typing accuracy?

Answer: Keeping wrists flat or slightly elevated above the keyboard

Keeping wrists flat or slightly elevated reduces strain and promotes natural finger movement, improving long-term accuracy.

If a VEPT candidate types 350 words in 5 minutes with 7 errors, what is their net WPM (subtracting 1 WPM per error)?

Answer: 63

Gross WPM = 350 ÷ 5 = 70; net WPM = 70 − 7 = 63.

What is 'rollover' in the context of keyboard typing?

Answer: The ability of a keyboard to register multiple simultaneous key presses

Rollover refers to how many keys a keyboard can detect simultaneously; N-key rollover means every key is always registered.

A typist's accuracy drops from 98% to 94% when speed increases from 50 to 70 WPM. What does this illustrate?

Answer: There is often a speed-accuracy trade-off in typing

The speed-accuracy trade-off shows that pushing for higher speed can increase errors, a common challenge in typing assessments.

Which keyboard layout is designed to reduce finger travel distance and is sometimes used to improve typing efficiency?

Answer: Dvorak

The Dvorak layout places the most common English letters on the home row, theoretically reducing finger travel and increasing efficiency.

In a timed typing test, what is the standard definition of one 'word' for WPM calculation?

Answer: Exactly 5 characters including spaces

The standard WPM formula defines one word as exactly 5 characters (including spaces) to normalize scores across typists.

What typing habit most commonly causes repetitive strain injury (RSI) in frequent typists?

Answer: Resting wrists on the desk while actively typing

Resting wrists on the desk while typing causes awkward wrist angles that compress tendons and nerves, leading to RSI.

Which scenario would most likely cause a 'false high' WPM score that doesn't reflect true typing skill?

Answer: Memorizing and reproducing a passage from memory

Memorizing a passage lets a typist reproduce it faster than reading and typing simultaneously, inflating the WPM score artificially.

What does a consistency score in typing tests measure?

Answer: The variation in typing speed throughout the test

Consistency score reflects how stable the typist's speed is throughout the test; high consistency means little speed fluctuation.

If a test penalizes uncorrected errors more heavily than corrected ones, what strategy should a typist use?

Answer: Correct errors immediately before moving on

Correcting errors immediately reduces the heavier penalty for uncorrected mistakes while keeping the score competitive.

What is 'transcription typing' as tested on professional assessments like the VEPT?

Answer: Copying visible text accurately and quickly

Transcription typing involves accurately reproducing on-screen text, measuring both reading comprehension speed and motor typing skill.

A candidate's typing log shows 720 keystrokes in 3 minutes with 18 errors. What is their keystroke accuracy?

Answer: 97.5%

Accuracy = (720 − 18) ÷ 720 × 100 = 702 ÷ 720 × 100 = 97.5%.

Which of the following best describes 'passive accuracy' in typing?

Answer: Accuracy achieved without using the backspace key at all

Passive accuracy (also called raw accuracy) is your error rate before any corrections, reflecting your first-strike precision.