The other numbered lines on the first page also have references to sections on later pages. These instructions to locate specific sections on other pages are also Level 1 tasks. Flipping back and forth to other pages of the form may cause some people to lose their way, and may lead to entries being made in the wrong place or on the wrong line. Even people with really good skills make mistakes entering responses. In the case of this form, the references from a line on the first page to a section on the following pages could be made easier if the reference numbers were presented in a graphically similar manner, repeating the boxed numbers on the first page to make the match clearer.

Some government departments are experimenting with including more information beside the entry line, or putting additional instructions on foldout ‘wings.’ Electronic or on-line forms such as ‘fillable’ Acrobat forms allow instructions to be placed in ‘pop-up’ boxes, available to the form-filler at the click of a mouse. Usability testing will determine which method results in the best returns, but logic says that reducing the number of relatively simple tasks, such as referring to items on other pages, will also reduce entry errors.