An experimental study of the efficacy of tables versus bar graphs with respect to type of task

Abstract A two factor experiment was performed with two levels of Display Presentation Type (table versus bar graph) and two levels of Task Type (retrieve relative information versus retrieve specific values). In the table condition specific value retrieval scored higher than relational information retrieval, while in the graph condition, the reverse was true. Despite this symmetry, the Table Group was significantly more satisfied with table use than the Graph Group was with graph use.

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