Do you currently hunt and peck when using a computer keyboard? If you were to take the time to look into the benefits of learning to touch-type, I’m sure that you would be thoroughly amazed with the increase in speed and efficiency. This article explores many of the benefits of learning to touch type.
What is touch-typing you ask? Touch-typing is a popular method for using a keyboard to type words with greater accuracy and proficiency. After learning to touch type, you will be able to use the keyboard without looking at your fingers, allowing you to increase your overall speed as well as cutting down on your mistakes.
The main idea behind touch-typing is placing your fingers on a set group of keys called, the home keys. In this basic position, your thumbs rest on the space bar while your other fingers are positioned on the middle row of the keyboard.
As you type, the finger that is closest to the key, which you are attempting to strike is used to press each key. After the desired key has been pressed, the finger returns to its home key. Using this method, the movement of your finger is always as short and quick as possible.
After you have used the same finger to strike each key numerous times, you will find that you no longer need to look at your finger when attempting to strike that particular key. That is the beauty behind touch-typing. Instead of looking at each key as you type, you can concentrate on the text being typed.
After much use, you will get to the point that you will not even need to think about moving your fingers to the desired word for which you are attempting to type, all you will have to do is think about the word and your fingers will do the rest.
What are some of the main benefits of Touch Typing? There are many benefits to be realized through touch-typing. The main benefit that most people are after is simply increasing their typing speed. Most people are actually able to double their typing speed by learning to touch type instead of the traditional hunt and peck. The next benefit to be realized is an increased accuracy over your current typing method.
Many extensive research studies have shown that using the touch typing technique is a far superior means of using data-entry devices, because touch typing allows you to use the appropriate keying fingers, while using minimal visual consultation of the keyboard.
On the other hand the “hunt and peck” method of typing, has been known to produce hard to change keying habits, which limit speed and proficiency. Studies have also shown that two-finger typists, also known as “Hunt-and-Peck” typists can reach speeds of about 37 wpm when typing memorized text, and 27wpm when copying text.
On the other hand, the average person using the touch type method can reach an average speed of 50 to 70 wpm with some reaching speeds in excess of 80 to 95 wpm. Some touch-typing experts can even reach speeds pf over 120 wpm.
Touch-typing has been proven time and time again to be the superior method of typing, for speed, as well as proficiency, and is far superior to any other method in use today.
