At a time when readers are assumed to have short attention spans, especially those who read online, this qualifies as news. The study, which was planned more than a year ago, tested readers in Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and St. Petersburg, Fla., last summer and fall. But analysis of the readers' eye movements was just completed recently. The project is still a work in progress. Deeper analysis is ongoing, and more findings are slated to be released later this year. The application of these initial findings to print and online design is just beginning. A book with complete results, pictures of the materials test subjects viewed and a full account of how the research was done will be available in June.

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=120458; April 25, 2007