Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 2 Example of used visualizations: ring map ( left ) and small multiples ( right )
Structure
The testing battery was designed for the research of two parallel groups. There were
two independent tests: Test A using ring map visualization and Test B using small
multiples visualization of equivalent characteristics. Each test contains four main
sections. Correctness of answers and the time consumed by particular tasks were
recorded.
• At the beginning of the test there was a personal questionnaire which focused on
the personal characteristics (e.g. age, map use experience, gender, computer use
experience etc.) of the particular participant followed by an example of the
cartographic visualization method used in the relevant test. The following
sections contained tasks on relevant visualization methods.
• The second section of the test contained ten tasks focused on basic identification
of one particular value from the map or from the map legend (map reading). The
first five tasks involved using six different characteristics, followed by five tasks
visualizing two characteristics which one was temporal. All the tasks offered a
choice of four possible answers.
• The third section of the test entailed visualizing six characteristics and increased
in terms of the complexity of the tasks. It began with the requirement of
comparing one particular characteristic in the map legend to the map and
proceeded up to the comparison of three different characteristics.
• The fourth section was similar to the third section using two characteristics
where one represented temporal development.
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