Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/792945
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2017 5 News Majority of students want change of exam font JAMES DEBONO MATSEC has conducted a study to find out which typing font is preferred by students when sitting for exams. According to the report on the study, the choice of font and typeset in exam papers has the greatest impact on students with dyslexia, a condition char- acterised by trouble with reading despite normal intelligence. The results of the study show that Verdana is viewed as the most readable font while Times New Roman, which is the typeset cur- rently used in MATSEC examina- tions, is viewed as the least read- able one. At present, examination papers of the MATSEC Examinations Board are presented in Times New Roman with a font size of 12 pt. Verdana is preferred by all groups, including those suffering from dyslexia, irrespective of re- spondents' age and gender. Respondents were presented with nine questions each asking them to choose which of three texts, each written with a different font, was easiest to read. But since the font size for one typeset is not equivalent to the font size of another typeset, the research was repeated by adjust- ing the font sizes for each font. This adjustment was made to ensure that the study was not bi- ased in favour of Verdana, Centu- ry Gothic, Arial and Comic Sans, which occupy a larger space for the same font size. Verdana was still viewed as the most readable typeset. However after the font size was adjusted candidates with dyslexia showed a greater preference for Arial rather than Verdana, and so did male candidates. But according to the report, choosing Arial could be problematic as this font fails to distinguish between the letter 'l' and capital letter 'i'. So far research on the choice of fonts for exams has been rather in- conclusive. Moreover, the typeset used is expected to have a greater effect on candidates with dyslexia. The British Dyslexia Association suggests Comic Sans, Century Gothic, Trebuchet, and Calibri while other studies have divergent opinions. The online survey was sent to 3,000 candidates, 1,300 of whom were candidates who had qualified for access arrangements for dys- lexia in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. The other 1,700 candidates were randomly selected from 2016 candidates for MATSEC exami- nations. Of these, 458 respondents (15.3%) responded, of whom 101 were candidates with dyslexia. This means that the response rate was much lower among candi- dates with dyslexia (7.8% as com- pared to 21%). Lawyer Frank Testa to head inquiry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The news report that appeared on Sunday in MaltaToday led Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to an- nounce the setting up of an inquiry. Yesterday, government announced that law yer Frank Testa will head the inquiry. Testa is a partner at TCV Advocates and specialises in civil, commercial and ad- ministrative law. According to his online bio, Testa is regarded as one of the coun- try's main points of reference in hospital- ity law, "where he has advised the govern- ment on the drafting of various pieces of legislation in the field." After earlier calling on the Prime Minis- ter to appoint the inquiry without further delay, the PN reacted to Testa's appoint- ment by pointing out that the inquiry was not being led by a sitting member of the judiciary. It also called for the publication of the board 's terms of reference and the names of the individuals sitting on the same board, assisting Testa in the inquiry. On Sunday leader of he opposition Si- mon Busuttil said: "Is this right? People are arrested on drug charges, admit to doing so, and then after the interven- tion of two politicians nothing happens … We [the PN] are calling on the police commissioner [Lawrence Cutajar] to re- sign immediately. If you are not ready to investigate crimes, then you should leave today," Busuttil told party faithful in Birkirkara. During his speech, Busuttil launched a scathing attack on the police commis- sioner, describing him as a "puppet in the hands of the government", claiming that he was only there to cover up for the prime minister and the government, and pledging that if elected as prime minister, he would sack Cutajar "without notice". (Tomorrow in Xtra on TVM at 8.50pm Gozo Minister Anton Refalo faces Na- tionalist MP Chris Said)