character density

Noun

character density (uncountable)

1. A measure of the number of characters that are represented in a specified unit of text stream.
   • The mean character density for the survey was 4060 characters per page. No recommendations on character density were found in the literature.1982, R. A. Mccullough, A review and evaluation of the Langley Research Center's Scientific and Technical Information Program, page 81
   • Assuming an inch as the given unit length of space and a character density of 5 cpi; a numeric coding structure of 10 characters has an information density of 10 to the 5th power, i.e., 100,000 units and an alphanumeric coding structure of 36 characters has an information density of 36 to the 5th...1989, Craig K. Harmon, Russ Adams, Reading between the lines: an introduction to bar code technology, page 229
2. The number of strokes required to form a Chinese character.
   • Based on the findings and research designs of relevant studies done in the past (cf. Jin, 2006; Ke, 1996; Ping, 2006; Xiao, 2002), the threshold of the character density in this study was set at 11 strokes.2014, ZhaoHong Han, Studies in Second Language Acquisition of Chinese, page 131
   • With regards to this strand of research, Hayes (1987) finds that character recognition is independent of character density, whereas Chin (1973), whose data were collected from a different level of learning Chinese, reports the opposite.2017, Istvan Kecskes, Chaofen Sun, Key Issues in Chinese as a Second Language Research