Differences of Reading Processes between And Gate and Or Gate: Evidences from Eye Movement

This study aims to understand the differences of the reading processes between AND gate and OR gate among experienced learners. Thirty-one male computer science students participated in the study with an average age of 18±0.84 years old from a vocational high school. Each participant answered two inference questions on 2-input AND gate and 2-input OR gate while an eye tracker recorded the participants´ cognitive reading process. A SPSS software tool for Windows 18.0 was used for descriptive statistics and t-test analysis. The findings of the reading processes between AND gate and OR gate among experienced learners included (1) the reading sequences were the same, (2) there were differences of time spent in matching and recoding, (3) there were differences of time spent in literal comprehension and inferential comprehension (4) the time spent in decoding was longer for AND gate than OR gate. In conclusion, differences of the reading processes between AND gate and OR gate appeared in decoding, literal comprehension, and inferential comprehension. Nevertheless, the reading sequences appeared to be the same between AND gate and OR gate. The study provides concrete evidence, a sound theoretical basis, and a practical reference for cognitive reading processes on digital logic gates.