<p><a href="http://www.psych.umn.edu/people/facultyprofile.php?UID=fletc002" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Charles Fletcher</a>, one of my professors as an undergraduate, studies reading comprehension. He once mentioned a program <strong>called</strong> <a href="http://www.liveink.com/index.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LiveInk</a>, which he <strong>researches</strong>. This program <strong>is intended</strong> to improve comprehension for ordinary English, not programming language, but I <strong>don't see</strong> why it <strong>wouldn't work</strong> for programming language as well, to some extent at least. It sometimes <strong>introduces</strong> color (especially with verbs, apparently), but mostly breaks sentences into separate lines with varying indentation, which <strong>could be</strong> a problem for programming I <strong>suppose</strong>, but if not, indentation <strong>could</strong> also <strong>be</strong> another useful trick. I <strong>tried</strong> using LiveInk to format my answer and give you a sense of how it works on a decent-sized batch of text. It used one color (maroon) on the words I <strong>have</strong> bolded here, but I <strong>couldn't preserve</strong> the indentation (at least, I'm not that good with HTML).</p>

<p>Check it out! <a href="http://www.liveink.com/research.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">LiveInk's research page</a> might <strong>give</strong> you some better things to read than Google, depending on what search terms you <strong>choose</strong> with Google, of course.</p>

<p><strong>Edit:</strong> This question may also be relevant: <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/688/4086">Effect of words highlighting on reading comprehension</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-16T01:11:18.763Z
Thanks for your answer. You may also *bee* (pun intended) interested in http://www.beelinereader.com
jub0bs
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-16T01:14:37.353Z
Definitely! You might be interested in [research on BeeLine Reader](http://nycdyslexiaresearch.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/is-beeline-reader-helpful-for-dyslexia/)! (Not that this link is particularly useful "research.")
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-16T00:07:57.873Z
2014-01-27T12:08:21.803Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.167Z
Nick Stauner
<p>What impact does syntax highlighting have on students' progress in learning a new programming language?</p>

<p>I'm looking for studies along the lines of the following hypothetical experiment, which involves two groups of students: one group would code in an editor performing poor to no syntax highlighting of the language in question...</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/qsQvw.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>...while the other group would code in an editor performing comparatively richer syntax highlighting.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/nNgWG.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Do you know of any such studies? Do you have otherwise relevant references? A quick Google search hasn't returned much... </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-16T17:29:40.110Z
Although it is not a direct answer, you may want to look at [Using Eye-Tracking to Understand Program Comprehension](http://www.ptidej.net/organisation/icpc09ws/).
Piotr Migdal
<learning><language><reading><hci><color>
How does syntax highlighting affect the learning of a new programming language?
jub0bs
# How does syntax highlighting affect the learning of a new programming language?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-15)

What impact does syntax highlighting have on students' progress in learning a new programming language?

I'm looking for studies along the lines of the following hypothetical experiment, which involves two groups of students: one group would code in an editor performing poor to no syntax highlighting of the language in question...

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/qsQvw.png)

...while the other group would code in an editor performing comparatively richer syntax highlighting.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/nNgWG.png)

Do you know of any such studies? Do you have otherwise relevant references? A quick Google search hasn't returned much...

**Tags:** learning, language, reading, hci, color

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Although it is not a direct answer, you may want to look at [Using Eye-Tracking to Understand Program Comprehension](http://www.ptidej.net/organisation/icpc09ws/).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-01-16. Score: 3

[Charles Fletcher](http://www.psych.umn.edu/people/facultyprofile.php?UID=fletc002), one of my professors as an undergraduate, studies reading comprehension. He once mentioned a program **called** [LiveInk](http://www.liveink.com/index.php), which he **researches**. This program **is intended** to improve comprehension for ordinary English, not programming language, but I **don't see** why it **wouldn't work** for programming language as well, to some extent at least. It sometimes **introduces** color (especially with verbs, apparently), but mostly breaks sentences into separate lines with varying indentation, which **could be** a problem for programming I **suppose**, but if not, indentation **could** also **be** another useful trick. I **tried** using LiveInk to format my answer and give you a sense of how it works on a decent-sized batch of text. It used one color (maroon) on the words I **have** bolded here, but I **couldn't preserve** the indentation (at least, I'm not that good with HTML).

Check it out! [LiveInk's research page](http://www.liveink.com/research.php) might **give** you some better things to read than Google, depending on what search terms you **choose** with Google, of course.

**Edit:** This question may also be relevant: [Effect of words highlighting on reading comprehension](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/688/4086)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for your answer. You may also *bee* (pun intended) interested in http://www.beelinereader.com  
> **username_2**: Definitely! You might be interested in [research on BeeLine Reader](http://nycdyslexiaresearch.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/is-beeline-reader-helpful-for-dyslexia/)! (Not that this link is particularly useful "research.")  

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