Differences in comprehensibility between three-variable bar and line graphs

David Peebles; Nadia Ali

Differences in comprehensibility between three-variable bar and line graphs

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

We report an experiment investigating graph comprehension. Verbal protocol data were collected while participants attempted to understand six bar or line graphs representing relationships between three variables. Analysis of the verbal
protocols revealed significant differences in the level of comprehension between the two graph types. Specifically, a significant proportion of line graph users was either unable to interpret the graphs, or misinterpreted information presented in
them. These errors did not occur in the bar graph condition. The difference is explained in terms of the high salience of the lines in line graphs which hinders the correct or full interpretation of the relationships depicted. The results of the experiment provide a strong rationale for the use of bar graphs to display such three-variable data sets, particularly for a general audience.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of CogSci 2009
Subtitle of host publication	31st Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society
Editors	Niels Taatgen, Hedderik Van Rijn
Publication status	Published - 2009
Event	31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society - Amsterdam, Netherlands Duration: 29 Jul 2009 → 1 Aug 2009 Conference number: 31 https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/past-conferences/ https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CogSci2009.pdf

Conference

Conference	31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Abbreviated title	COGSCI2009
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Amsterdam
Period	29/07/09 → 1/08/09
Internet address	https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/past-conferences/ https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CogSci2009.pdf

Cite this

@inproceedings{02085ca474c24c99aa9260d87c602634,

title = "Differences in comprehensibility between three-variable bar and line graphs",

abstract = "We report an experiment investigating graph comprehension. Verbal protocol data were collected while participants attempted to understand six bar or line graphs representing relationships between three variables. Analysis of the verbalprotocols revealed significant differences in the level of comprehension between the two graph types. Specifically, a significant proportion of line graph users was either unable to interpret the graphs, or misinterpreted information presented inthem. These errors did not occur in the bar graph condition. The difference is explained in terms of the high salience of the lines in line graphs which hinders the correct or full interpretation of the relationships depicted. The results of the experiment provide a strong rationale for the use of bar graphs to display such three-variable data sets, particularly for a general audience.",

keywords = "graph comprehension, diagrammatic reasoning, information graphics",

author = "David Peebles and Nadia Ali",

year = "2009",

language = "English",

isbn = "9780976831853",

editor = "Niels Taatgen and {Van Rijn}, Hedderik",

booktitle = "Proceedings of CogSci 2009",

note = "31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, COGSCI2009 ; Conference date: 29-07-2009 Through 01-08-2009",

url = "https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/past-conferences/, https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CogSci2009.pdf",

}

TY - GEN

T1 - Differences in comprehensibility between three-variable bar and line graphs

AU - Peebles, David

AU - Ali, Nadia

N1 - Conference code: 31

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - We report an experiment investigating graph comprehension. Verbal protocol data were collected while participants attempted to understand six bar or line graphs representing relationships between three variables. Analysis of the verbalprotocols revealed significant differences in the level of comprehension between the two graph types. Specifically, a significant proportion of line graph users was either unable to interpret the graphs, or misinterpreted information presented inthem. These errors did not occur in the bar graph condition. The difference is explained in terms of the high salience of the lines in line graphs which hinders the correct or full interpretation of the relationships depicted. The results of the experiment provide a strong rationale for the use of bar graphs to display such three-variable data sets, particularly for a general audience.

AB - We report an experiment investigating graph comprehension. Verbal protocol data were collected while participants attempted to understand six bar or line graphs representing relationships between three variables. Analysis of the verbalprotocols revealed significant differences in the level of comprehension between the two graph types. Specifically, a significant proportion of line graph users was either unable to interpret the graphs, or misinterpreted information presented inthem. These errors did not occur in the bar graph condition. The difference is explained in terms of the high salience of the lines in line graphs which hinders the correct or full interpretation of the relationships depicted. The results of the experiment provide a strong rationale for the use of bar graphs to display such three-variable data sets, particularly for a general audience.

KW - graph comprehension

KW - diagrammatic reasoning

KW - information graphics

UR - http://www.proceedings.com/06199.html

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9780976831853

SN - 9781615674077

BT - Proceedings of CogSci 2009

A2 - Taatgen, Niels

A2 - Van Rijn, Hedderik

T2 - 31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

Y2 - 29 July 2009 through 1 August 2009

ER -

Differences in comprehensibility between three-variable bar and line graphs

Abstract

Conference

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