Words per minute, commonly abbreviated WPM, is a measure of words processed in a minute,
often used as a measurement of typing speed or reading speed.
For the purpose of typing measurement, each word is standardized to be five characters
or keystrokes long, including spaces and punctuation.
For example, the phrase "I run" counts as one word, but "rhinoceros" and "let's talk"
both count as two.
Conversely, Characters per minute, or CPM, is equal to the WPM measurement times five.
Alphanumeric entry In one study of average computer users in
1998, the average rate for transcription was 33 words per minute, and 19 words per minute
for composition.
In the same study, when the group was divided into "fast," "moderate," and "slow" groups,
the average speeds were 40 wpm, 35 wpm, and 23 wpm, respectively.
An average professional typist types usually in speeds of 50 to 80 wpm, while some positions
can require 80 to 95, and some advanced typists work at speeds above 120 wpm.
Two-finger typists, sometimes also referred to as "hunt and peck" typists, commonly reach
sustained speeds of about 37 wpm for memorized text and 27 wpm when copying text, but in
bursts may be able to reach speeds of 60 to 70 wpm.
From the 1920s through the 1970s, typing speed was an important secretarial qualification
and typing contests were popular and often publicized by typewriter companies as promotional
tools.
The fastest typing speed on an alphanumeric keyboard, 216 words in one minute, was achieved
by Stella Pajunas in 1946 on an IBM electric.
As of 2005, writer Barbara Blackburn was the fastest alphanumerical English language typist
in the world, according to The Guinness Book of World Records.
Using the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, she maintained 150 wpm for 50 minutes, and 170
wpm for shorter periods.
Her top speed was 212 wpm.
Using a personalized interface, physicist Stephen Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, managed to type 15 wpm with a switch and adapted software created
by Walt Woltosz.
Due to a slowdown of his motor skills, his interface was upgraded with an infrared camera
that detects eye blinks.
Stenotype
Stenotype keyboards enable the trained user to input text as fast as 225 wpm or faster
at very high accuracy for an extended period of time, which is sufficient for real-time
activities such as court reporting or closed captioning.
While dropout rates are very high—in some cases, only 10% or even less graduate—stenotype
students are usually able to reach speeds of 100–120 wpm within six months, which
is faster than most alphanumeric typists.
Guinness World Records gives 360 wpm with 97.23% accuracy as the highest achieved speed
using a stenotype.
Numeric entry The numeric entry or 10 key speed is a measure
of one's ability to manipulate the numeric keypad found on most modern separate computer
keyboards.
It is used to measure speed for jobs such as data entry of number information on items
such as remittance advice, bills, or checks.
It is measured in "Keystrokes per hour," or KPH.
Many jobs will require a certain KPH, often 8,000 or 10,000.
Handwriting The average human being hand-writes at 31
words per minute for memorized text and 22 words per minute while copying.
Using stenography methods, this rate increases greatly.
Handwriting speeds of up to 350 wpm have been achieved in shorthand competitions.
Reading and comprehension Words per minute is a common metric for assessing
reading speed and is often used in the context of remedial skills evaluation, as well as
in the context of speed reading, where it is a controversial measure of reading performance.
A word in this context is the same as in the context of speech.
The average adult reads prose text at 250 to 300 words per minute.
While proofreading materials, people are able to read at 200 wpm on paper, and 180 wpm on
a monitor.
Speech and listening Audiobooks are recommended to be 150–160
words per minute, which is the range that people comfortably hear and vocalize words.
Slide presentations tend to be closer to 100-125 wpm for a comfortable pace, auctioneers can
speak at about 250 wpm, and the fastest speaking policy debaters speak from 350 to over 500
words per minute.
Internet speech calculators show that various things influence words per minute including
nervousness.
John Moschitta, Jr., was listed in Guinness World Records, for a time, as the world's
fastest speaker, being able to talk at 586 wpm.
He has since been surpassed by Steve Woodmore, who achieved a rate of 637 wpm.
Morse Code It is common to hear 20 wpm among experienced
ham radio operators sending Morse Code using a one-hand "key".
There are several CW organizations that routinely send at 60 wpm.
The fastest CW operator was Ted McElroy copying at 75.6 wpm at the 1939 world championship.
See also Colemak
Keystroke dynamics Touch typing
References