Chapter One 1.1 Background Information

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Information.

In learning, memorising process is playing a significant role to catch all the


information while it presented and able to recall even after the information is no longer
present. Memorising is the process of capturing and requiring something into the
memory. Human memory is a system for storing and retrieving information,
information that is, of course, acquired through our senses (Baddeley, 1997).

The human memory has three different types of memory which have their own
specific mode of operation. They are known as long-term memory, short-term memory
and sensory memory. All of them are working together in the process called as
“memorization”. According to (Wang, 2009), “Memorization is a key cognitive
process of the brain because almost all human intelligence is functioning based on it”.
There are three basic steps of memory which are encoding, storing and recalling or
retrieving. “Memory is our ability to encode, store, retail and recall information and
past experiences in the human brain” which has been described by Luke Mastin. As a
human being, memory is created from the day we are born. Our behaviours, standards,
habits, skills and expectations are formed by the memory itself. It acts like our own
diary book that captures and remembers all the past experiences while gave us a
capability to learn and adapt as well as gaining our knowledge. Researchers are often
captivated to study the model that best describing on relationship between memory and
human brain.

Human brain is widely interconnected and works as a major role in human body
system. There are three basic components in human brain, cerebrum, cerebellum and
the brain stem. In medical field, the cerebrum is the huge part of the brain and serves
as medium platform in relaying information from brain stem and spinal cord to the
cerebral cortex. The key role in memory is played by cerebral cortex which contains
90% of all the brain’s neuron. In general sense, you can think of the neuron as a
miniature self-contained information processor (Hall, 1998). Thus, we can say that
memorising process take place in association among memory process and human brain.
Learning or education practice is ultimately linked together with memory which
means memory is essential to all learning. For example, we take a note taking as a
learning practice that serves one simple purpose, which is to remember the information.
In education practice, teachers and students interact between each other with
blackboards or whiteboards, textbooks, and sometimes projectors and transparencies.
Besides, the students facing a great challenged when reading, memorising and
perceiving the information from the learning interactive as per mentioned above.
Therefore, Mirzabeiki and Nurliyana (2004) stated that text visualization can be used as
a recognized approach to accelerate and optimize learning practice.

It is now evident that colours and font size of the words have the strong effect
on the memorising skills. However, each individual has their own preferences in term
of the font colour and size. For instance, Abu Bakar and Long (2013) have conclude
that students were more likely to prefer simple and clean interfaces in their Web-based
application which mean a simple colour combinations and follow by default values of
font size , not too small and not too large, can attract more students’ attention to use the
application. While, some study proved that students are performing better in
memorising process when using attractive colour or congruent colour (Smilek et.al,
2001).

Colours and font sizes definitely can draw individuals’ attention and increase
the chance of the information to be stored longer in the memory system. Attention is a
significant process in memory which means that when people pay attention to certain
information, that information is actually being selected and only certain amount of the
information is processed in the memory system. Naturally, instructors or teachers have
been using colours and font sizes ability in their print or slides to attract student’s
attention in their class. The students tend to be more active and focus in class if their
level of attention is increase. Hence, it helps them to remember the information better.
In relation to this, our study will focus on the relationship between colour and font sizes
towards memory performance or memorising skills.
1.2 Statement of Problems.

In Malaysia, most educators used prints and slides as a tool to deliver lectures or
teachings in daily class. Today, almost all of the educational institutions have moved
from an old-style talk and chalk technique to slides or power point presentations which
are more eye-catching, colourful and conspicuous to the students. This is also applying
to the students that they used several colourful pens and highlighters while taking their
notes in class. Did you ever think why they chose to use a lot of colours and different
of font sizes in their notes or slides? Does colourful and different font size can really
act as attractive tool to enhance on the memory performance or build a teaching and
learning process to be more effective? Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand
the relationship between colour and font sizes towards memory performance or
memorising skills.

According to Din and Barnes (2001), the use of blue ink other than basic
black ink doesn’t made an improvement in student’s memory retention rate on the math
terms and definition. So, it is proven that a colour does give an effect on the memory
performance. Furthermore, Ramadan (2010) mentioned that some factors such as font
size are essential for making text feasible and Mueller et.al (2013) also concluded that
font size definitely influence words presented learning in which larger font is
performing better than smaller font.

Based on the assessment media study conducted by Ollerenshaw et.al (2014),


students performed significantly better in identifications task using printed images
compared with black and white or projected imaged. This shows that colour and font
size play and important role in influencing student’s performance and behaviour.

Many studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of colour and
memory performance. Most of them focusing only on figure, colour or background
colour such as Hunchendorf (2007), Andersen et.al (2009), Martinez et.al (2010) and
Mustafar and Dzulkifli (2013). Hence, it is interesting to see whether the combination
of colour and font size could have same effect as the colour itself.
1.3 Research Questions.
1.3.1 Is there any significant impact of the colors and size of font in memorizing
skill?
1.3.2 Is there any different on number of color used on student’s memorizing skills?
1.3.3 Is there any different size of font used on student’s memorizing performance?

1.4 Objectives of Study.


This research intends to meet the following objectives;
1.4.1 General Objective:
The main objective of this study is to establish the effect of color and size
of font used gives an impact on memory performances.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives:

1.4.2.1 To study the significant effect of different level of colors combination


and different level of font size in memorizing skill and performance.
1.4.2.2 To investigate the effect of numbers of color used in student’s
memorizing skills.
1.4.2.3 To investigate the effect of different size of font used in memory
performances.

1.5 Research Hypothesis.

In this study, three hypothesis were constructed which is;

1.5.1 Student’s memorizing skill and performance is improves with the use of
variety of colors and size of font in their reading materials.
1.5.2 Students are more likely to memorize their reading materials with the use
of different level of color.
1.5.3 The bigger the size of font use, the higher chances students to memorize
their reading materials.
1.6 Significant of Study.

Based on the past study, the researchers only have been focusing on the effect of colour
towards memory performance. Indeed it was reported that colour does gave an effect to
the memory performance and certain colour can increase the level of attention as
subsequently help in restoring the information better in our memory (Wichmann et.al
2002, Cary, 2007, and Tarczali, 2007). Nowadays, not only colour usage is being used
in the prints or slides of the most educators and students but they also used a different
kind of font sizes to pinpoint some important words or facts. Thus, it is important to
see how both colour and font sizes can influence on our memorizing skills. By this
study it might wider our understanding regards not only to the effect of colour but also
font sizes to the human memory system. The participants used in this study are from
Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia with the same education background and aged
group. This research can give students and teachers in Malaysia a clear view on which
colour combination and which standard font sizes should be used in their slides and
notes.

From the aspect of application, if certain colour combination and font sizes can
give better result in memorising skills, it can be used to increase the effectiveness in
delivering lectures, communication and study or work performance. For example, the
notes or slides are always have been prepared in black and white colour combination
with the standard 12 font size, and people don’t even know whether it’s truly can helps
in remembering the notes better or not. On top of that, almost all of them have
spending a lot of money to print it out or wasting their time to prepare the slides while
hoping that can help them remembers it better. If a certain good colour combination
and font size can improve in focusing and memorising certain important points, it will
helps students and teachers in Malaysia in choosing colour and font size in their notes
and slides.

Perhaps, this also can give an advantage to the printing sector in Malaysia in
choosing the best colour combination and colour in their books. Therefore this could
have a greater effect on Malaysian’s education sector along with both private and
government working sector in terms of their references and presentations. So, in
general it will pave the way to the development of human memorising abilities to its
maximum.
1.7 Research Procedure.

This study used an experimental design approach which the data were collected by
using a printed graphical flash card that was conducted to 128 students faculty of
Science and Technology, University Teknology Mara, UiTM Shah Alam. There were
four sets of flash card used for each student which each set of cards printed with a
different level of colour and font size respectively. Then, the number of words that
student can memorize in one minute and thirty seconds for each set (set 1 to set 4) were
recorded.

Then, the collected data was analysed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA)
testing in order to determine the level of colour and the size of font affect memorizing
skill. If we conclude that the factor under study does have an impact on the memorizing
skill, then we will apply multiple-comparison test which is Newman-Keuls Test, in
order to find the differences between each pair of mean for each factor.
CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Background Information.

A number of studies have been conducted in order to find the correlation between colour

and memory. Most of the research study found out that colour can increase arousal which

has enough impact to increase memory retention. Farley & Grant (1976), Greene (1983),

Kaya & Epps (2004) and Pan (2009,2010) have a similar research on colour and proved

that colour has an influential to the level of attention. This will lead to the rise of

emotional arousal which is helpful in control processes that will eventually enhance in the

memory performance. Eventhough they are discussing on the same subject matter i.e.

colour and memory, but the methodology and research conduct are different between one

another but it will all leading to the same end result. Further discussion on their specific

research will be explained in the subtopic below.

2.2 Colour

We are living in the world full of colours. Take a minute and observe your surroundings,

there must be at least two or more different colours combination that exist be it in the

nature or the things surrounds you itself. Do you ever wonder how does those beautiful

colours been created? Is there any specific reason of choosing colour for certain type of

products? Colour can be group into different categories such as primary, secondary or

tertiary colour. Primary colour is a basic colour which consists of red, yellow and blue.

They are called primary colours because they could be mixed in order to form another

colour, but they are not a mixture of any other colour. Orange, green and violet are the

example of secondary colour which is a mixture of any two primary colours. It is often
that people will recognised only these two groups as other colours which does not falls in

between these groups will be categorised as a tertiary colour.

Faber Birren (1950) conducted his research on colour and categories the

colours into warm and cool colours. He stated that if a person prefers warmer colours

such as red and oranges, they are likely to be more aware of their social environment in

which he labels these as “warm colour dominant subjects”. On the other hand, those

preferring cooler colours such as blues and greens, are categorized generally as “cold

colour dominant subjects” in which he found to be challenging to adapt themselves to

new environments and situations. In this experiment, subject is standing before a black

wall with his arms outstretched touches the front wall with folded eyes. Subject is then

being influenced with red, green and blue colour and the arms reaction was observed.

When the subject was influenced by a warm colour such as red, his arms deviate away

from each other, whereas when under the influence of a cooler colour such as green or

blue, even though the reaction was a subtle one, the subject will move his arms closer

together (Suzi Plunkett, 2013). Therefore, he proposed that warm colours can increase

more arousal as compared to cool colours.

To support Faber’s statement further, Greene, Bell and Boyer had conducted

an experiment to determine the effectiveness of colour in resisting boredom. Subject is

being assigned to complete emotional, personal feelings and quality of place scale before

and after the boredom induction was held in a laboratory room painted with one of ten

colours. They found that yellow and orange which is part of warm colours elicited more

arousal than other colours like brown and gray. Another similar finding was conducted by

Wilson, 1966. In the study, Wilson exposed the subject with a slideshow; an alternate

colour of red and green ‘cross’ located in the center of each slide. The measurement of

arousal was determine based from the conductance level and galvanic skin response
(GSR) for each participants. The results shown that viewing the red colour has higher

level of arousal as compared to the green colour.

Based on colour arts basic, warm colours consist of red, yellow and orange

due to the fact that they are normally found in things such as fire and sun which gives off

heat and make people feel warm. As for cool colour consist of blue, green and violet

which are more soothing that representing the nature colour of the sky, sea and the ground

grass. If you noticed that these warm and cool colours are actually a combination of the

primary and secondary colour itself. Hence, we can conclude colour do increase the level

of attention and consequently helping in restoring the information better in our memory

(Farley & Grant,1976, Greene, Bell & Boyer, 1983, Pan, 2010, Kaya & Epps, 2004)

2.3 Colour and Shape

Pan (2009) has proven in his study on working memory and visual attention that colour

has greater ability to capture attention than the shape. His experiment was divided into

two section. In the first section, he fixed the colour and manipulates the shape of the two

objects while the condition was reversed in the second section of the experiment. He was

then presented the two objects to the participants and they were asked to identify whether

colour or shape that were presented were the same. The result showed that the

participant’s response times were faster in identifying the colour differences than the

shape in both experimental conditions (Pan, 2009).

Pan (2010) extended his previous study on attention and working memory to

visual geometrical shapes with various colours. The experiment was conducted to 22

participants which were asked to memorize both colour and shape of the items. Before the

participants undergoing their memory test; whereby the participants were asked to

recognised the colour and the shape of the items that was presented before, there was a
series of cognitive tasks conducted in between. The gap was purposely created in order to

verily verify on the performance of the participants memory.

It was indeed in his finding that participants performed better in recognizing

the colour of the memory items than the shapes. The result of this extension experiment

revealed support to his previous studies where colour had a stronger attention effect than

shape. This suggests that, colour display could produce higher level of attention and work

more effective in working memory (Faiz and Mariam, 2013). From the studies

mentioned, colour have the tendency to capture better attention level especially warm

type of colour.

2.4 Colour and Background

There is no doubt that colour have the ability to attract attention (Pan, 2009, 2010).

Previously we have a strong evidence to support that colour is much more attentive than

shape. In this subtopic, we will analyse on researches done towards colour and

background. Lynnay Huchendorf in her undergraduate research, year 2007 study the

relationship between colour and memory by using background to support her argument.

In her experiment, 115 college undergraduates from psychology course was chosen. Each

participant were given a different coloured packet consisting of a list of 20 words, a

methematical task, a blank recall sheet, and a demographic questionnaire. All packets

consist of the same coloured sheets for example, warm colour, cool colour or white colour

background.

One minute were given to participants to memorised as much as they can from

the words listing. Before each participant recalled the words on the blank recall sheet,

they need to complete the mathematical task first. The result shown a contradiction from

her earlier hypothesis which stated participants who received warm-coloured packets
would recall more words than those who received either cool-coloured or white packets.

From her one way ANOVA analysis, there is no significant difference for percent recall

among colour categories. The results finding were inconsistent with previous research

conducted by Spence et al. 2006 and McConnohie, 1999. Therefore, Lynnay come out

with a limitation and suggest improvement in her experiment to mentioned the time

exposure to the colour to be expanded a little longer and the document colour provided

from the services does not representing the true colours of the hue.

Another background study by McConnohie, 1999 were using alpha numeric

characters in the slideshow presentation. The characters figure were all in black and three

different background conditions of slideshow were used such as white, blue and green.

The result shown that there is exists of difference between white and blue coloured

background and also white and green coloured background. Finding on white background

resulted in higher retention rates both in immediate and after an hour viewing the slides as

compared to green and blue background colours, really a contradiction with previous

study. This was explained by McConnohie, 1999 due to the cool colour selection which

does not trigger the participants level of arousal. Hence, it does impact on the result of the

memory performance.

To top on the colour and background study, Farley & Grant 1976 results

support the prediction of a statistically greater incidence of reminiscence obtained on

colour slideshow presentation as compared to black and white background. Hence, colour

has a significant impact on attention, arousal and directly or indirectly towards each

person memory.
2.5 Colour and Font Sizes

David B., Daniel R. and Peter O. (2008) studied on how font size and type influence

online reading. Their finding on font size will be beneficial in our experiment. The data

was collected from 82 subjects who were assigned to a one-page story with a small (10

pt), medium (12 pt) and large font’s size (14 pt). The text colour is black against a white

background. In his finding, there is a trend for reading the larger font faster, for example

14 pt font is read 12.6% faster than 10 pt font, but the result is not significant. The result

surprises them as they were expecting the larger font to be easier and faster to read.

On another finding conducted by Darroch (2005), he split the font sizes into 8

levels which started from font 2 until 16 point. The result shown that the preference font

size for younger and older people are in between the range of 10 to 11 point which is

preferred for reading. The argument was rejected by Elahe T. and Shiela K. (2011) in

which their study on font sizes has no effect on comprehension skills. Subject who scores

high on reading test with font size 16 will eventually scores high too with the reading font

size of 10.

Therefore, font sizes will be an interesting topic to be explored further and we

will take into account the importance of colour into our experiment as well. The

significance of the studies above has brought us to a research question “Does colour and

font sizes have a significant impact in memorizing skill”.


CHAPTER THREE

METHODLOGY

3.1 Plan of Experiment.

There was an argument in a use of color and size of font in previous studies. This is the
reason why this study was conducted so that the aim of this study is to check whether is
there any effect of color and size of font used on memory performances.

3.1.1 Identification of Variables.


This study involved 128 students with same background of study, faculty of Science
and Technology of Universiti Teknologi Mara, UiTM Shah Alam. The age of
participants was selected to be as 20 year old at time of being tested. All the subjects
reported normal color vision and normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity. Any
potential participants with color blindness were excluded from the experimental
procedure.

3.1.2 Measures and Materials.

This experiment used a flash card as a based interviews method where the target
students were approached and interviewed to be fit as a subject prior to test. For
suitable subjects, we tested them once accordingly based on four sets of flash card
given consist of fixed 40 English simple words that was picked randomly.

In one minute and thirty seconds, each student were required to memorize as
maximum as possible words that appeared on one sets of flash card given to them
randomly which each set of cards might be printed with a different level of color and
font size respectively as; Set 1: Font Black size 8; Set 2: Font Red, Blue sized 12; Set
3: Font Red, Blue, Green sized 16; Set 4: Font Red, Blue, Green, Orange sized 20.
Then, the students were required to write back all the words that their remembered on
a piece of paper that given. That given paper was collected and the number of words
wrote by students were recorded and analyzed.
3.1.3 Conceptual Framework.

Stage 1 Stage 2

Identification of subjects: Conduct the experiment:

128 Students, same


Flash card test was carried
background study and age
out.

Stage 4 Stage 3

Data analysis: Collecting the data:

The data was analysed by Number of words


using analysis of variance, memorized by students
ANOVA with multiple- was checked and
comparison test. recorded.

Stage 5

Results:

The result of the tests


were interpreted and
documented.
3.2 Study Design

This study design based on two factors cross-classification design where the dependent
variable (Y); number of words memorized by student in a given time period and the
independent variable (X) are color and size of font divided by four level respectively. In
order to provide the accuracy of the estimate each treatment combination has eight
replicates.

Dependent Variable = Number of words memorized by student

Independent Variable = Colour.

*Level = One, Two, Three, and Four colour combination


respectively.

Independent Variable = Size.

*Level = (Small. Medium, Large, Extra-Large)

Replication = Eight replications for each treatment combination.


4.0 DATA ANALYSING

4.1 Scatter Plot

Graph 1 : Scatter Plot of Font Size

Graph 2 : Scatter Plot of Colors Combination

Based on above, both scatter plot shows no pattern. This indicates that no correlation
found in data. No correlation also mark that the data has no outlier.
4.2 Normality test

Tests of Normality

Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk

Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig.

Words .126 64 .013 .980 64 .388

a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

Table 1 : Normality test

Graph 3 : Q-Q plot

Based on the Tests of Normality in Table 1, ρ-value is 0.388. Since ρ-value > 0.05, we
conclude that the data is normally distributed.

From the Q-Q plot shown above, most of the data points are on the line.
Therefore, this also shows that data is normally distributed. Hence, we continue our
study using parametric test.
4.2 Regression Analysis (ANOVA)

Coefficientsa

Unstandardized Standardized
Coefficients Coefficients

Std.
Model B Error Beta t Sig.

1 (Constant) 1.672 .863 1.937 .057

Color .719 .233 .216 3.087 .003

Size 2.694 .233 .809 11.570 .000

a. Dependent Variable: Words

Table 2 : ANOVA

From table above, ρ-value of color is 0.03 while ρ-value of size is 0.000. Both ρ-
values are less than 0.05. Hence, we conclude that both factors are significant to
explain the number of words memorised.
4.3 Difference of Mean among Level of Color and Size

Tests of Between-Subjects Effects

Dependent Variable:Words

Type III
Sum of Mean
Source Squares df Square F Sig.

Corrected
651.109a 15 43.407 8.857 .000
Model

Intercept 6662.641 1 6662.641 1.359E3 .000

Size 594.547 3 198.182 40.437 .000

Color 43.922 3 14.641 2.987 .040

Size * Color 12.641 9 1.405 .287 .975

Error 235.250 48 4.901

Total 7549.000 64

Corrected
886.359 63
Total

a. R Squared = .735 (Adjusted R Squared = .652)


Table 3 : Compare Mean among Level of Size and Color

As shown in table 3, ρ-value of size and color are 0.000 and 0.040 respectively. Both ρ-
values are less than 0.05. Therefore, we can conclude that all column means are not
equal.

The interaction between size and color has ρ-value of 0.975. Since the ρ-value is
higher than 0.05, we can say that there is no interaction between size and color.

Since the column means are not equal, we proceed to Post-Hoc test (Newman-
Keuls test) for multiple comparisons to identify the group for each level of both size
and color factor.

4.3.1 Multiple Comparisons (Size)

Word

Subset

Size N 1 2 3 4

Student-Newman-Keulsa 1 16 6.5625

2 16 8.5625

3 16 10.9375

4 16 14.7500

Sig. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000

Duncana 1 16 6.5625

2 16 8.5625

3 16 10.9375

4 16 14.7500

Sig. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000

Scheffea 1 16 6.5625

2 16 8.5625

3 16 10.9375

4 16 14.7500
Sig. .103 1.000 1.000

Means for groups in homogeneous subsets are displayed.


Based on observed means.
The error term is Mean Square(Error) = 4.901.

a. Uses Harmonic Mean Sample Size = 16.000.

Table 4 : Homogenous set for size

Based on homogenous set above, both Newman-Keuls and Duncan test records that all
size of font are significantly different from each other since all size of font are listed in
different column list and both tests have exactly the same result. For size 8 font has the
least number of words that student can remember in given time with average of 7
words. On average, size 10 font has 9 words memorise by student while size 16 font
has average of 11 words. Size 20 font records the most words that can be memorise in
given time with 15 words averagely.

However, Scheffe test gained a slightly different result from the other test.
Instead of having 4 different groups, it consist only 3 groups. Using size 8 and 10 font
is not significantly different from one another as they are listed in column 1 with 7 to 9
words memorised on average. However, using size 16 font is significantly different
from the other with 11 words memorised averagely. The highest words memorised is
by using size 20 font with average of 15 words and it shows that size 20 font is
significantly different from the other group of font size.

4.3.2 Multiple Comparisons (Color)


Word

Subset

Color N 1 2

Student-Newman-Keulsa 1 16 9.2500

2 16 9.8125 9.8125

3 16 10.2500 10.2500

4 16 11.5000

Sig. .415 .089

Duncana 1 16 9.2500

2 16 9.8125

3 16 10.2500 10.2500

4 16 11.5000

Sig. .235 .117

Scheffea 1 16 9.2500

2 16 9.8125

3 16 10.2500

4 16 11.5000

Sig. .053

Means for groups in homogeneous subsets are displayed.


Based on observed means.
The error term is Mean Square(Error) = 4.901.

a. Uses Harmonic Mean Sample Size = 16.000.

Table 5 : Homogenous set for color

Based on homogenous set shown above, all tests shows different result. With Newman-
Keuls test, using 1,2 and 3 colors combination to memorise words are not significantly
different from each other since they are listed in column 1. However, using 2 and 3
colors combination are not significantly different from using 4 colors combinations as
they are also listed in column 2 too. Lastly, using 1 color and 4 colors combination to
memorise are significantly different from each other as both are listed in different
column 1 and 2. On average, using 1 color combination has the least words that can be
memorise by student in given time with only 9 words. However, it has not much
difference with using 2 and 3 color combinations where the average of words
memorised are 9 to 10 words. Using 4 color combinations has the most words
memorised by student with average of 12 words. Though it has the highest words
memorised, using 4 color combinations also has not much difference with using 2 and 3
color combinations.

Next, Duncan test result shows that using 1,2 and 3 color to memorise words
are not significantly different from each other since they are listed in column 1.
However, using 3 colors combination is not significantly different from using 4 colors
combinations as it is listed in column 2 as well. Lastly, using 1 and 2 colors
combination is significantly different from using 4 colors combination as they are listed
in different column 1 and 2. On average, the first group of Duncan test (1,2 and 3 colors
combination) indicates that 9 to 10 words can be memorised by student in given time.
As for the second group, it shows that by using lots of colors combination which is 3 to
4 colors, memorising performance of student increase up to 10 to 12 words averagely.

Lastly, Scheffe test result shows that there is no difference using any number
of colors combination where number of words that can be memorised by student are 9
to 10 words averagely.

5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion

In conclusion, by using regression analysis, the goal to achieve our main objective
which is to identify whether colour and font size affect the number of words can be
memorised by student in a given time can be identified. However certain criteria have
to be met before proceeding with regression analysis which are data should have no
correlation, no outlier and it should be normally distributed. Scatter plot, Shapiro-Wilk
test and Q-Q plot of data has been done. The scatter plots of both factors shows no
pattern which indicates that both factors have no correlation. With no correlation in
data, no outlier is found. Then, we proceed with normality assumption. From Shapiro-
Wilk test and Q-Q plot of data, it is found that the data is normally distributed. Since
the criteria have been met, regression analysis is conducted.

Based on the result of analysis, both colour and size are found to be significant
factors to explain words memorised by student in a given time model. This indicates
that human brain can be trigger by colour and sizes where both factors affected memory
skills and performance.

For our second objective, we wish to establish the difference among level of
colours combination and size of font affecting memorising performance respectively.
Compare mean analysis has been run and the result of our finding shows that different
level of colour and font size are significant in affecting the memorising skills
performance. For colour factor, it has been found that the result obtained is same as
previous researches whereby Farley & Grant (1976), Greene (1983), Kaya & Epps
(2004) and Pan (2009,2010) proved that colour has an influential to the level of
attention. Next for font size factor, the result of our finding has been found to be same
as Darroch (2005) where he found that the size of font has difference in capturing
human attention which both young and old people prefer to have medium size of font
(10 and 11) for their reading. However, our result has been found to be contrast from
David B., Daniel R. and Peter O. (2008) which their study has found that font size is
not a significant factor. Elahe T. and Shiela K. (2011) also rejected the argument of font
size which they established that font size has no effect on comprehension skills.

Our third objective is to establish which level of colors combination is differ


from the other. This is done by conducting Post-Hoc test which we choose to use
Newman-Skeuls test for our study. Based on result obtained, font sizes are significantly
differ from one another.
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