An Account of How Readers Search for Information in Diagrams

Winn, William

doi:10.1006/ceps.1993.1016

Cited by 99 publications

(78 citation statements)

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“…Roth (2003) argued that familiarity with the content of the graph and with conventions in particular domains was important for graphical competencies and ''such competencies do not easily transfer'' (p. 104). In addition, Winn (1993) argued that previous knowledge of the content of a diagram and knowledge of the symbol system used in the display were the most influential factors when searching for information in diagrammatic representations. The consistent occurrence of page-specific factors does not seem to be an artifact of the test construction as we initially feared, but rather a result in accordance with the suggestions made by Roth (2003) and Winn (1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, Winn (1993) argued that previous knowledge of the content of a diagram and knowledge of the symbol system used in the display were the most influential factors when searching for information in diagrammatic representations. The consistent occurrence of page-specific factors does not seem to be an artifact of the test construction as we initially feared, but rather a result in accordance with the suggestions made by Roth (2003) and Winn (1993). In fact, such an explanation seems most plausible considering the fact that each page of the graphicacy test had its own theme and its own graphic display.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They suggested that benefiting from diagrams and charts goes beyond the use of visual (or spatial) and verbal abilities and relies on more general and abstract powers of reasoning. In a later study, Winn (1993) maintained that there seem to be differences in strategies when searching for information in diagrammatic displays, compared with searching for information in texts that do not involve visual relationships. He indicated that, in diagrams, the initial stages are guided perceptually, because symbol systems and conventions are primarily spatial.…”

Section: Some Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 96%

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What lies behind graphicacy? Relating students' results on a test of graphically represented quantitative information to formal academic achievement

Åberg‐Bengtsson

Ottosson

2005

J Res Sci Teach

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Based on studies carried out on qualitative data an instrument was constructed for investigating how larger numbers of students handle graphics. This test, consisting of 18 pages, each with its own graphic display(s) and a set of tasks, was distributed to 363 students, 15-16 years of age, from five different schools. The format of the questions varied, as did the format of the graphics. As students' performance was expected to be multidimensional, confirmatory factor analysis was carried out with a structural equation modeling technique. In addition to the identification of a general graphicacy-test factor (Gen) and an end-of-test effect (End 0 ), a narrative dimension (Narr 0 ) was vaguely indicated. This model was then related to a six-factor model of students' formal academic achievement measured by their leaving certificates from compulsory education. The strongest correlation obtained was between the general graphicacy-test dimension (Gen) and a mathematic/science factor (MathSc 0 ) in the grades model. In addition, substantial relationships were detected between the Gen factor and both an overall school achievement factor (SchAch) and a language factor (Lang 0 ) in the grades model. ß 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] 2006 Graphs, charts, cartograms, thematic maps, etc., are common tools for handling and communicating quantitative information in contemporary society. Successively, through their years of schooling, students encounter increasingly more advanced forms of graphic displays, both in direct educational situations and as illustrations and/or complementary facts on other subject matters. Students' access to modern computers equipped with graphic application software makes possible not only an abundance of graphics (sometimes unnecessarily elaborate) in magazines, newspapers, television, and electronic media-encountered in their everyday life both in and out of school-but also allows them to create these images. Thus, being ''graphicate''

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Some Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 96%

See 1 more Smart Citation

What lies behind graphicacy? Relating students' results on a test of graphically represented quantitative information to formal academic achievement

Åberg‐Bengtsson

Ottosson

2005

J Res Sci Teach

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“…Tools such as ultrasound technology are often based on a referential framework to display spatial information. Winn (1993) argues that such graphical information consists of symbols, which have 'emergent properties' such as basic form/shape, texture and colour, a concept which is similar to Treisman's (1988) feature identification. This use of emergent properties can be both beneficial and also a hindrance to accessing information by influencing the ability to discriminate.…”

Section: Artefacts To Support Professional Competencementioning

confidence: 99%

Distributed and relative nature of professional expertise

Pillay¹,

McCrindle²

2005

Studies in Continuing Education

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This exploratory study investigates the distributed nature and complexity of professional expertise by examining the patterns of cognitive processes in novices and experts who are using ultrasound technology to make diagnoses. The study aims to identify and provide an explanation for such patterns in light of the recent debate on the locus of control underpinning human cognition. A distributed model of professional expertise based on the relationships between the four elements of socio-cultural disposition, tools and artefacts, strategies, and domain knowledge, is used to discuss the results. The findings illustrate the complexity of professional expertise, particularly when individuals depend on sophisticated tools to assist their thinking and reasoning. IntroductionThis is a study of the cognitive processes used by novice and expert professionals in carrying out a workplace activity, namely how professional experts (veterinarians) draw upon their professional knowledge and skills when making diagnoses using ultrasound images. Such an investigation initially requires a definition of professional expertise and a consideration of the appropriate explanation of how learning occurs in such a context.First, a definition of professional expertise: professional expertise develops within a given domain of knowledge only as a result of contextualized training and practice (Ericsson & Smith, 1991). It can be defined as the ability to combine domain knowledge with appropriate professional tools and strategies to solve problems within the socio-cultural context of the profession. With increasing expertise, the individual is able to bring sufficient knowledge and experience to deal with more complex and novel situations. Thus, when presented with an uncommon set of symptoms, an expert is more effective in drawing upon the complex set of factors noted above and diagnoses successfully, while a novice would struggle.However, it should be noted that the notion of expertise is very domain specific and this is readily demonstrated once an expert is taken out of their specific domain, even within the broader field of their profession. It is also relative, in the sense that a novice may be a recently graduated university student with expertise in domain knowledge. Such a student is different from those who do not have any knowledge of the domain area but also may be classified as novices. Thus, it is important to recognize the progressive developmental aspect in what constitutes expertise; at any one point in time an individual can be at a different level on the expertise continuum.Second, a consideration of context-based learning: most contemporary learning theories have been strongly influenced by models derived from the individually focused discipline of psychology. However, as we learn more about human learning and the competencies required for a contingent and dynamic workplace, alternative models of human learning are emerging. Ve´rillon and Rabardel (1995) argue that whilst psychology has furthered our general understanding ...

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“…Molitor et al [36] points out that a large number of studies have been concerned with the manipulation of the graphical representation for highly specific situation, and success or failure of the graphical representation is reported on how performance was affected. Winn [37] notes that it is difficult to generalize this precisely because of the idiosyncrasies involved with each graphical representation.…”

Section: Cognitive Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bubble World--A Novel Visual Information Retrieval Technique

Berendonck¹

2002

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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With the tremendous growth of published electronic information sources in the last decade and the unprecedented reliance on this information to succeed in day-to-day operations, comes the expectation of finding the right information at the right time. Sentential interfaces are currently the only viable solution for searching through large infospheres of unstructured information, however, the simplistic nature of their interaction model and lack of cognitive amplification they can provide severely limit the performance of the interface. Visual information retrieval systems are emerging as possible candidate replacements for the more traditional interfaces, but many lack the cognitive framework to support the knowledge crystallization process found to be essential in information retrieval. This work introduces a novel visual information retrieval technique crafted from two distinct design genres: (1) the cognitive strategies of the human mind to solve problems and (2) observed interaction patterns with existing information retrieval systems. Based on the cognitive and interaction framework developed in this research, a functional prototype information retrieval system, called Bubble World, has been created to demonstrate that significant performance gains can be achieved using this technique when compared to more traditional text-based interfaces. Bubble World does this by successfully transforming the internal mental representation of the information retrieval problem to an efficient external view, and then through visual cues, provides cognitive amplification at key stages of the information retrieval process. Additionally, Bubble World provides the interaction model and the mechanisms to incorporate complex search schemas into the retrieval process either manually or automatically through the use of predefined ontological models. Subject Terms Visual Information Retrieval, Cognitive Propositions, Design Corollaries, Ontology Models Report Classification unclassified Classification of this page unclassified Classification of Abstract unclassified Limitation of Abstract UU Number of Pages 174AFIT/GCS/ENG/02M-09

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An Account of How Readers Search for Information in Diagrams

Cited by 99 publications

References 0 publications

What lies behind graphicacy? Relating students' results on a test of graphically represented quantitative information to formal academic achievement

What lies behind graphicacy? Relating students' results on a test of graphically represented quantitative information to formal academic achievement

Distributed and relative nature of professional expertise

Bubble World--A Novel Visual Information Retrieval Technique

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