1. Running Head: Comics as an Instructional Device 1
Comics as an Instructional Device
Brian K. Ramsay
Missouri Western State University

2. Comics as an Instructional Device 2
Introduction
People seem to have very limited time and shorter attention spans as compared to the past.
People are now looking for ways to do things faster. People want to read, learn, remember, and
convey ideas in easier, quicker, and more efficient ways.
I believe there is a hidden untapped potential for the use of comics. Comics can help early
learners adapt to subjects such as math, history, science, and spelling in a quicker and more
enjoyable way than the traditional schoolbook presented way. Comics can have a use with not
only young readers or new learners, but comics also have the potential to help adults understand
instructions in how-to guides or user manuals. Comics may even have a use in the office space.
Comics have been going through a similar rite of passage as photography, music, television, and
film. Each ran into problems with acceptance within the mainstream. Photography was believed
to steal the soul from its subjects, jazz music was considered to be the devil’s music, and film
went through numerous stages of belittlement and ridicule before being taken seriously (Cheng,
2012). Comics are viewed by many in the same way as music, television, and film was in the
past. Understanding that comics have the potential to help people learn is one of the first steps in
accepting comics into the mainstream as being useful.
For a person trying to understand exactly what comics are David Kunzle gives a definition to
comics by saying they are “a sequence of separate images” with “a preponderance of image over
text” that appears (and was originally intended to appear) in “a mass medium” and tells “a story
which is both moral and topical.” (Meskin, 2007). Comics have a way of connecting with readers
by telling stories with meaning, whether that is with the moral stories attached to zombie comics
or the true to life every day events of office comics.
Aaron Meskin finds flaws in not only the definition Kunzle provides, but also finds flaws in
definitions that are provided by others. Meskin states that:
Extant definitions of comics are unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. Their biggest
flaw is their failure to attend to the historical specificity of the medium of comics.
Although historical or procedural approaches might fix this problem, there is a very real
possibility that the definitional project is misguided. Moreover, there is no pressing need
to come up with a definition… Anachronistic rhetoric is unnecessary. We should get on
with the business of thinking seriously about comics as art (Meskin, 2007).
Beyond just trying to come up with a definition for comics, people should be more focused on
what comics can do for society. In doing this, we can get past trying to decide what comics are or
are not and actually start helping people read, learn, and remember.

3. Comics as an Instructional Device 3
The format of comics presents a montage of both word and image, and the reader is thus
required to exercise both visual and verbal interpretive skills. The regiments of art (e.g.
perspective, symmetry, line) and the regimens of literature (e.g. grammar, plot, syntax)
become superimposed on each other. The reading of a graphic novel is an act of both
aesthetic perception and intellectual pursuit (Eisner, 1985).
The vivid artwork and the use of words within each frame provide a way that eases a readers’
critical thinking. If one person were to look at a picture and a second person were to look at text
describing a picture, it is generally agreed by many that the picture itself would be easier to recall
and explain.
In a 1996 study, Stephen D. Krashen, a professor emeritus of education at the University
of Southern California, in Los Angeles, and a colleague found that 7th
grade boys who
were avid comics readers also tended to read more books, regardless of whether they
were middle-class, suburban students or low-income students from an inner-city school
(Viadero, 2009).
The experiment conducted cooperatively by the Curriculum Laboratory of the university of
Pittsburgh and the Comics Workshop of New York University presented a teacher with a unique
challenge. The teacher was to educate participants on a section of the story of “Prince Valiant.”
According to this study, the large pictures and limited text gave participants clues to understand
exactly where the story took place. Participants were given a map of North America and asked to
figure out where the Vikings in the story were and where they were headed. By using the
pictures in the comic and using key words such as, “thousand islands,” and “great lakes,”
participants had figured out that the Vikings were heading toward the Atlantic with a final
destination of Greenland in plan. The results reported that participants generally agreed that
based on the comics in which the children already had interest, reading and language activities
had greater zest and were entered on with increased interest. It was also reported that the
physical form of the comic strip which gives clues in the pictures to the meaning of the printed
text, was an aid in assisting poor readers (Hutchinson, 1949). If a word is not understood in
comics, the picture associated in that frame will usually aid in figuring out what that word is. If
someone does not read or is not able to read, comics are a great way to start. All a person has to
do is find a comic of interest and the pictures can guide the way to new reading.

4. Comics as an Instructional Device 4
Comics and Usability
The literature presented so far indicates a common theme. Comics not only teach individuals
more effectively, but comics also aid in memorability and information retention. Memorability
and information retention is a major part of usability. Jakob Nielson has this to say about
usability:
To some extent, usability is a narrow concern compared to the larger issue of system
acceptability, which basically is the question of whether the system is good enough to
satisfy all the needs and requirements of the users and other potential stakeholder, such as
the users’ clients and managers (Nielson, 1993).
Nielson later goes on to say that if a system is found to be generally acceptable:
Further analyze its practical acceptability within various categories, including traditional
catagories such as cost, support, reliability with existing systems, etc., as well as the
category of usefulness. Usefulness is the issue of whether the system can be used to
achieve some desired goal (Nielson, 1993).
As you can see Nielson does not believe that usability is comprised of a single component but of
many (Neilson, 1993):
Learnability: The system should be easy to learn so that the user can rapidly start getting some
work done with the system.
Efficiency: The system should be efficient to use, so that once the user has learned the system, a
high level of productivity is possible.
Memorability: The system should be easy to remember, so that the casual user is able to return to
the system after some period of not having used it, without having to learn everything all over
again.
Errors: The system should have a low error rate, so that users make few errors during the use of
the system, and so that if they do make errors they can easily recover from them. Further,
catastrophic errors must not occur.
Satisfaction: The system should be pleasant to use, so that users are subjectively satisfied when
using it; they like it.
With the combination of the terms learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction
one can get a clear idea of what usability is.

5. Comics as an Instructional Device 5
No matter what your role is, you may find comics useful for you. If you’re a leader of
your team or company, comics can help you distill your vision. For marketing and sales,
comics help get the attention of customers and partners. Designers and engineers can use
comics to crystalize problems. User researchers can use the same story to answer
questions. Product managers can use comics to maintain focus during development
(Cheng, 2012).
A comic can easily convey new words to readers and help readers interpret the meanings of the
new words by way of imagery. With the effective use of colors in imagery, a subject has the
potential to become easier to remember. The color used may not be the only selling point to the
memorability of subjects conveyed in comics. Consider for a moment the plethora of characters
that could be used to convey subject matter. If a person has favorite character that is trying to
teach them something, it is more likely the person will remember the subject in long run and the
learning experience could be enjoyed as the person reads the comic instructions. Comics can
even be applied to the business setting. Comics are much more likely to elicit a sigh of relief (“at
least it’s not another requirements document”) than one of confusion. (Cheng 2012 pg 178) Who
wouldn’t appreciate something a little bit different and entertaining in the work environment?
Creating comics does not have to be an expensive endeavor by way of hiring an expert artist
either. Simple stick figures could work as well and just about anybody can draw a stick figure.
Comics aren’t just more likely to be read, but they’re more likely to be remembered, too.
In a research study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, researchers
presented some students with summaries of texts in comic form. What the researchers
found was the difference in medium improved recall and application (Cheng, 2012).
In this study, students received text showing the basic steps in the process of lighting. Some
students received plain written text, while other students received illustrations with short
captions- comics. The results found that the students who received the illustrations were able to
recall the steps of lighting just as well or better than the students who received the plain written
text.
Comics may not be for everybody. Comics are however, in general, easier to approach than most
readings. Just imagine for a second that you have a large document and a stack of comics sitting
side by side. Which would you rather read? It may be true that some organizations may be weary
of using comics because it may seem too risky or niche. It may alienate customers who aren’t
fans of comics. If that sounds like your organization, then you don’t work at IKEA, LEGO,
Google, Ford, or the U.S Navy (Cheng, 2012). It is a shame that more companies have not
adopted this method of using comics to convey ideas. One only needs to consider the financial
side of these companies to see that they are doing something correctly.

6. Comics as an Instructional Device 6
We have all had that friend who has become frustrated because he or she could not complete the
tasks laid out in the numbered instructions found in baby cribs, or the friend who has had trouble
learning a new subject or a computer program. Who doesn’t understand the success of the
“dummies” books, which have rushed in to fill the gap left by unclear documentation that doesn’t
clarify, but only further confuses users (Barnum 2002)? There is a reason that is not hard to
recognize why the “dummies” books have published material on almost every subject imaginable.
Instructions are generally overcomplicated and text heavy which can possibly result in confusion
and frustration by readers.
Methodolgy
In this paper I will report on the results of a usability study I designed concerning the
construction of a simple kaleidoscope using both comic book form and plain text.
When configuring a usability study, factors must be formed in order to establish boundaries and
simulate actual user environments. In this test some points presented in Graylings “Fear and
Loathing of the Help Menu: A Usability Test of Online Help” will be used. However, some of
the points will be changed slightly to accommodate to the environmental situation. The subjects
here will:
• Work alone
• Create a kaleidoscope as instructed by document provided
• Be given no hints or assistance of any kind
• Receive an answer of “no comment” to any questions they ask
• Receive as much time as necessary in order to complete the task asked of the user
In this usability study, two features were tested. The first feature tested was usability. This was to
see how easy it was for someone to accomplish a set of instructions in comic book form as
compared to plain written text. In order to determine this, the time it took to complete the
construction of the kaleidoscope and the number of errors were recorded. The second feature
tested was memorability. To test memorability, a week (7 days) after each user completed the
kaleidoscope by looking at the instructions, the users once again tried to assemble the
kaleidoscope. The second time no instructions were provided in order to test memorability.
It was predicted that the user that used the comic book form of the instructions would remember
the instructions easier than the user who used the plain text instructions. It was also predicted
that the user that used the comic book form of the instructions would complete the task the first
and second time faster than the user that used the plain text instructions. If either of these
hypotheses proved to be true, it was assumed that the usability/memorability test was a success.

7. Comics as an Instructional Device 7
Once the test was complete and the results were in, the data was collected and analyzed for the
purpose of making generalizations beyond the immediate participants of the study (Hughes,
1999). Any results can likely be used as a generalization about how newcomers to instructions
will learn and respond. The reliability of this study should be consistent. Reliability describes the
likelihood that the results of a study would be replicated if the study were repeated.
Materials and Methods
For this usability test, there are only a few items needed to complete the kaleidoscope. The items
to complete the kaleidoscope include:
• Potato chip canister tube
• Foam core or cardboard
• Plastic wrap
• Mylar paper/mirror paper
• Wax paper
• Duct tape
• Beads
• Glue
User #1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and19 used a comic book form of instructions to complete the
task of building a kaleidoscope. User #2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 used plain text
instructions to complete the task of building a kaleidoscope. When conducting the test, I looked
at a clock in order to record time.
The purpose of this usability/memorability study was to see what types of instructions are more
easily usable/memorable for users. Users were in the comfort of their own home, or in a quiet
office. Users were presented with a set of instructions and asked to complete them. The test was
explained as, “Follow these instructions to complete the task that is required here. This test will
be timed. I can’t offer any help if you run into a problem or have a question.”
The documents giving instructions to the users are as follows on the next two pages:

8. Comics as an Instructional Device 8
For User #1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and19

9. Comics as an Instructional Device 9
For user #2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20
KALEIDOSCOPE
KAL= BEAUTY EIDOS= FORM SCOPE= TO LOOK
MATERIALS:
• PRINGLES CANISTER
• FOAM CORE OR CARDBOARD
• PLASTIC WRAP
• MYLAR PAPER (REFLECTIVE PAPER)
• WAX PAPER
• DUCT TAPE
• BEADS
• GLUE
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Carefully puncture bottom of pringles can with screwdriver
2. Cut foam core or cardboard to 9”x 6.75” and SCORE into thirds
3. Glue mylar sheet to the cut side of foam core or cardboard
4. Fold and tape into a triangle
5. Slide into canister
6. Drape transparent plastic wrap into the canister
7. Fill with large beads
8. Cover with translucent wax paper
9. Secure with cap and trim edges
10. Spin the canister to see the beautiful shapes and colors

10. Comics as an Instructional Device 10
Results and Findings
User #1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and19 used the comic book form (cbf) and User #2, 4, 6, 8, 10,
12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 used the plain text form (ptf).
FIRST TEST USER #1 (cbf) AND #2 (ptf)
On the first test, User #1 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope using the comic book
form in 31 minutes.
On the first test, User #2 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope using the plain text
form in 18 minutes. Neither user encountered any problems while using either form of directions.
SECOND TEST USER #1 (cbf) AND #2 (ptf)
A week later, while using no instructions, User #1 was able to complete the kaleidoscope in 11
minutes. User #1 was able to recall the exact measurements needed without much thought.
User #2, while using no instructions a week later, was able to complete the kaleidoscope in 15
minutes. User #2 was able to recall the exact measurements needed, but required time to think
about it.
FIRST TEST USER #3(cbf) AND #4 (ptf)
On the first test, User #3 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope using the comic book
form in 15 minutes. The rule of answering “No comment,” to questions asked was broken one
time during this study. User #3 was a foreign student and did not understand the word “drape.”
The illustration should have answered any question this student had.
On the first test, User #4 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope using the plain text
form in 14 minutes. This was the first time major problems were encountered. To start with,
User#4 poked five holes into the bottom of the potato chip canister instead of just a single hole.
The second problem encountered; User #4 folded the cardboard, that was to be placed into the
potato chip tube, the incorrect way. The triangle fold this user made had the mirrored paper
facing the outside instead of the inside. After making the triangle fold and inserting the cardboard
into the tube, it was discovered that the cardboard was too large to fit into the potato chip tube
and additional cuts had to be made. After this point, no additional problems occurred. It was
pointed out to me, by User#4, that the plain text instructions were not detailed enough and this is
what resulted in the errors while trying to build the kaleidoscope.

11. Comics as an Instructional Device 11
SECOND TEST USER #3 (cbf)AND #4 (ptf)
On the second test, while using no instructions a week later, User #3 completed the task of
building the kaleidoscope using no instruction in eight minutes. User #3 was not able to recall
the exact measurements needed, but was able to use an eye-ball guessing type of measurement
that seemed to work. What this user did was measure the width of the lid of the potato chip
canister and multiply it by three in order to figure out where exactly the folds in the cardboard
were to go. User #3, at first, inserted the folded triangle cardboard into the potato chip canister
without having glued the mirrored paper on. Very quickly, after only seconds, User #3 realized
and corrected the mistake.
User #4, while using no instructions a week later, was surprised and not happy about the fact that
instructions were not going to be provided. User #4 was able to complete the kaleidoscope in
seven minutes. User #4 was not able to recall the exact measurements needed. User #4 originally
had problems with the measurements the first time around. To ensure that the triangle folded
cardboard fit into the potato chip canister this time, User #4 did not measure at all and instead cut
where this user pleased. The finished folded triangle cardboard was much smaller than in any
previous test. The smaller triangle fold was still functional however. User #4, this time, placed
the wax paper down first instead of the plastic wrap that was supposed to be place down first. No
other errors occurred and placing the wax paper down first actually resulted in a more functional
kaleidoscope.
FIRST TEST USER #5 (cbf) AND #6 (ptf)
User #5 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 14 minutes and encountered no
problems.
User # 6 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 17 minutes. User #6 encountered a
problem while trying to fold the cardboard into a triangle. User #6 was trying to fold it into a
pyramid-type of structure. After several minutes, user #6 seemed to realize that the pyramid
structure was not going to be able to fit the into the Pringles canister and changed the pyramid
into the triangle form it was supposed to be. User #6 then glued the mylar paper on the outside of
the triangle. User #6 did not tape the triangle. User #6 finally pulled tight on the plastic wrap
instead of draping it into the canister and therefore, not many beads were able to fit into the area
they were supposed to go.

12. Comics as an Instructional Device 12
SECOND TEST USER #5 (cbf) AND #6 (ptf)
User #5, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 10 minutes and had problems trying to remember the measurements. User #5
used the Pringles canister to help with the measurements and this seemed to work at the end.
Other than that, no other problems were encountered.
User #6, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 9 minutes and also had problems trying to remember the measurements. User #6
also used the Pringles can to help with the measurements and this seemed to work. User #6, once
again, placed the mylar paper on the outside of the triangle, but remembered the previous
mistake and fixed this by placing the mylar paper on the inside of the triangle.
FIRST TEST USER #7 (cbf) AND #8 (ptf)
User #7 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 11 minutes. User #7 glued the mylar
paper on the outside of the triangle. No other problems were encountered.
User #8 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 11 minutes. User #8 scored the
cardboard the wrong direction and the triangle would not fit into the Pringles canister. User #8
went back to fix this mistake. User #8 then placed the plastic wrap into the bottom of the can
instead of placing it on top. With this mistake, user #8 had no choice but to put the beads inside
the can. This is the first occasion that the kaleidoscope was not put together successfully.
SECOND TEST USER #7 (cbf) AND #8 (ptf)
User #7, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 9 minutes. The measurements were remembered and no problems occurred.
User #8, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 8 minutes. No problems were encountered during this task and successfully built
the kaleidoscope this time.
FIRST TEST USER #9 (cbf) AND #10 (ptf)
User #9 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 9 minutes. User #9 did not place the
wax paper over the top of the beads at the end of the task. This actually made it easier to see the
beads and let in more light, but that is not how the task is supposed to be performed.
User #10 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 11 minutes. User #10 scored the
cardboard the wrong way and glued the mylar paper on the outside of the triangle. Once user #10
realized the triangle would not fit into the Pringles can, corrections were made and the cardboard
was folded the correct way with the mylar paper glued to the inside of the triangle. No other
problems occurred.

13. Comics as an Instructional Device 13
SECOND TEST USER #9 (cbf) AND #10 (ptf)
User #9, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 8 minutes. Once again, user #9 did not place the wax paper over the top of the
beads at the end of the task.
User #10, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 6 minutes. User #10 did not tape the cardboard triangle toward the end of the
task.
FIRST TEST USER #11 (cbf) AND #12 (ptf)
User #11 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 12 minutes and did not encounter
any problems.
User #12 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 12 minutes and did not encounter
any problems.
SECOND TEST USER #11 (cbf) AND #12 (ptf)
User #11, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 9 minutes and did not encounter any problems.
User #12, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 11 minutes and did not encounter any problems.
FIRST TEST USER #13 (cbf) AND #14 (ptf)
User #13 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 13 minutes. User #13 glued the
mylar to the outside of the cardboard triangle. User #13 pulled the plastic wrap tight on the top of
the Pringles can, therefore not many beads were able to fit in the top. No other problems
occurred.
User #14 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 11 minutes. User #14 placed beads
on both the inside and the outside of the plastic.
SECOND TEST USER #13 (cbf) AND #14 (ptf)
User #13, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 16 minutes. The measurements were not correct, but it still worked.
User #14, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 15 minutes. User #14 did not tape the cardboard triangle at the end of the task.

14. Comics as an Instructional Device 14
FIRST TEST USER #15 (cbf) AND #16 (ptf)
User #15 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 11 minutes. User #15 glued the
mylar paper onto the outside of the cardboard tube.
User #16 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 14 minutes. User #16 did not make
the correct measurements and the triangle was too large to fit into the tube. Several cuts were
made before the triangle would fit into the tube. User #16 did not tape the triangle toward the end
of the process.
SECOND TEST USER #15 (cbf) AND #16 (ptf)
User #15, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 15 minutes. User #15 could not remember the measurements and used the mylar
sheet as a reference. This made the cardboard triangle too large to fit into the Pringles canister.
Several cuts and scores were made to get the triangle to fit into the canister.
User #16, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 14 minutes. User #16 did not remember the measurements and the triangle ended
up being smaller than what it should have been.
FIRST TEST USER #17 (cbf) AND #18 (ptf)
User #17 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 13 minutes. User #17 glued the
mylar paper on the outside of the tube. User #17 later realized that this was a mistake and
corrected it by putting the mylar paper on the inside of the triangle. User #17 paced the wax
paper under the plastic wrap. This is the opposite of what it is supposed to be.
User #18 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 14 minutes. User #18 measured in
centimeters instead of inches so the triangle ended up being very tiny.
SECOND TEST USER #17(cbf) AND #18 (ptf)
User #17, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 10 minutes. No mistakes were made.
User #18, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 12 minutes. No mistakes were made.
FIRST TEST USER #19 (cbf) AND #20 (ptf)
User #19 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 10 minutes and no mistakes were
made.
User #20 completed the task of building the kaleidoscope in 12 minutes. User #20 did not glue
mylar paper to the cardboard. User #20 did not tape the cardboard triangle.

15. Comics as an Instructional Device 15
SECOND TEST USER #19 (cbf) AND #20 (ptf)
User # 19, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 9 minutes and no mistakes were made.
User # 20, while using no instructions a week later, completed the task of building the
kaleidoscope in 10. User #20, once again, did not glue the mylar to the cardboard and did not
tape the cardboard triangle.
Discussion
After finishing it is determined the results are a mixed bag of unpredicted findings. I decided to
use a point system in order to determine which way worked better. There is a quick reference
table below showing awarded points, directly under the table is a detailed explanation of why
points were allocated.
Test 2 Results
Comic Instructions
User #1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15,
17, and 19
Plain Text Instructions
User #2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14,
16, 18, 20
Quicker Completion Time I I
Less Errors I I
Recalled Exact
Measurements
I I
Point Total 5 4
User #1 and #2 were both faster in creating the kaleidoscope the second time, however User #1
was quicker than User #2.
#1 and #3- 1 point total #2 and #4- 0 point total

16. Comics as an Instructional Device 16
User #1 and User #2 both made no mistakes the second time.
#1 and #3 – 2 point total #2 and #4- 1 point total
User #1 and User #2 recalled exact measurements the second time around.
#1 and #3- 3 point total #2 and #4- 2 point total
User #1 recalled all materials while User #2 recalled all but one item.
#1 and #3- 4 point total #2 and #4- 2 point total
User #3 and User #4 both finished quicker the second time around, however User #4 finished
quicker.
#1 and #3- 4 point total #2 and #4- 3 point total
User #3 and User#4 both recalled all materials used the second time around, however user #3
recalled materials quicker. I still awarded a point to each because both users recalled all material.
Readers of this article may award an additional single point to user #1 if it is felt that it is needed.
#1 and #3- 5 point total #2 and #4- 4point total
Neither User #3 nor User #4 recalled the exact measurements, no additional points awarded.
Both User #3 and User #4 made a measurement mistake the second time around. No points
awarded.
User #3 made the mistake of not placing the glued mirror paper onto the cardboard, compared to
User #4 who made a mistake of placing the wax paper down first the second time around. No
points awarded.
During the first test, User #4 made many more mistakes with the plain text, however I did give a
clue to User #3, the foreign student, about what “drape” meant. Because of my own mistake by
not following the rules I previously established, I have decided to give neither side additional
points here.
Final total of points: #1 and #3 (comics)- 5 points #2 and #4 (plain text)- 4 points
Even though by my own created point system, the comic book form seems to win; The results
here are just too close for me to determine a significant advantage either way.

17. Comics as an Instructional Device 17
Conclusion
The results of this study did not turn out exactly how I envisioned it would as predicted by my
hypothesis. User #4, who had originally used the plain text, did finish faster the second time
using no instructions; however more mistakes were made. This goes against my idea that the
comic form would make completion times quicker the second time around, however with the
mistakes made, this makes it hard to determine if the plain text was more usable for User #4.
User #2, who used the plain text, did finish faster the first time. This also goes against my idea
that the comic book form would be completed quicker. There is a flip side to this. User #1, who
had originally used the comic book form, finished quicker the second time around. User #3, who
had originally used the comic book form, made less mistakes the second time around. I had
thought this was going to be an easy win for comic book instructions, but the results tell me
otherwise. While the comic book form did win overall with one additional point, the point results
were not far enough apart to sell everyone on the idea.
It is encouraged that this test should be continued for several reasons. One such reason is because
this was a very small study with only four users tested and myself being the sole person
conducting the tests. A bigger study with more testers would yield much more data that could
give more factual numbers. Comics could be used to help people in the future. Consider how a
child may struggle while learning math or spelling. If that child were to be instructed by Mickey
Mouse or Bugs Bunny, learning may become much easier for that child. The same principles
may even be applied to a “How-to” guide for adults. It is believed by me that the use of color and
artwork does help in the aid of memorability. If a word or step is not understood, the artwork will
also aid in interpretive skills. Comics may also have a place in the office. After sitting through
many power point presentations or text filled documents, it may come as a relief to sit through a
presentation in comic book form, thus adding satisfaction to a job environment. Comics have a
wide array of uses over plain written text. Instead of coming straight out and telling people
through plain text that completing a challenging task will take many hours, subtle images could
be shown to express time lapse; such as the sun setting and rising or showing the hour hands of a
clock moving forward in time. If a task will include frustrations, that is hard to express in text.
Instead show a comic book story between two characters where one is the teacher and the other
is a student. Through the use of art an individual can visually see the frustrations expressed on a
characters face until they have completed the task, at which point the artist can show the
individual satisfied. If there is a certain tool that is difficult to describe in words, an image or
drawing would seem the simple solution. All of these examples point to a more enjoyable and
memorable experience.

18. Comics as an Instructional Device 18
References
Cheng, K. (2012). See what I mean: How to use comics to communicate ideas. Brooklyn, NY:
Rosenfeld Media.
Dumas, J.S., & Redish J.C. (1993). A practical guide to usability testing. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Eisner, W. (1985). Comics and sequential art. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Graylin, T. (1998). Fear and loathing of the help menu: A usability test of online help. Technical
Communication, 45, 168-179.
Hutchinson, K. (1949). An experiment in the use of comics as instructional material. Journal of
Educational Sociology, 23, 236-245
Meskin, A. (2007). Defining comics?. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 65,369-379.
Nielsen, J. (1993). Usability Engineering. Boston: Academic Press.
Viadero, D. (2009). Scholars see comics as no laughing matter. Education Week, 28, 1-11.
Image source: www.wikipedia.org/comicbookconfidential
Image source: www.howtoons.com