Methodology and data
This page explains how Tapotons measures typing performance and governs the use of aggregated data. Its purpose is to make the indicators understandable without exposing individual data.
How performance is calculated
Typing speed
Typing speed is calculated from the number of correctly typed characters. Five characters conventionally count as one word. The result is divided by elapsed time in minutes and rounded to the nearest whole number.
WPM = (correct characters ÷ 5) ÷ elapsed minutes
Accuracy
Accuracy is the proportion of correctly typed positions among all positions reached. A position where a mistake was recorded counts as incorrect. The resulting percentage is rounded to the nearest whole number.
Accuracy = (typed positions − incorrect positions) ÷ typed positions × 100
Progress data concerned
Depending on the features used, the indicators required for progress tracking may include:
- typing speed and accuracy;
- the number and nature of mistakes;
- completed courses and exercises;
- activity days and progress averages.
This information is primarily used to show progress in the account and tailor practice. Any statistical use is subject to the safeguards described below.
How statistics are prepared
When a study is produced, calculations take place in a protected environment before anything is published.
- only groups containing a sufficiently large number of people may be published;
- published results are aggregated and contain no identifier, username, email address, or individual result;
- no personal text entered by a user is published;
- intermediate extracts are deleted after results have been calculated and checked.
Interpretation limits
Statistics derived from Tapotons must be interpreted in context:
- Tapotons users are not a representative sample of the entire population;
- performance retained for each text consists of records rather than every attempt;
- the best speed, best accuracy, and lowest mistake count may come from different attempts;
- a result observed in one language or keyboard layout should not automatically be generalized to another configuration.
Open data
Public studies are presented only in the language and for the keyboard layout to which their observations apply. A dedicated publication will be linked here when matching English-language data is available.
Learn more
The privacy policy explains the applicable purposes, retention periods, and rights. You can contact Tapotons with any question about the methodology or data.