Link Traversal Research Articles

A systematic approach to outline manipulation

The outline (table of contents) of a document provides users with a hierarchical view of the document's logical structure. Outlines reflect a conceptual model and can serve as a cognitive aid in reading and writing hypertext. Outlines may have balance along three dimensions: skeletal, lexical, and semantic. When outlines contain balance, alternative views of the outline are readily imagined. Furthermore, hypertext systems can automatically generate alternative outlines with a modified, depth-first traversal of the hypertext links and nodes. Methods for building and maintaining balanced outlines have been successfully used by writers. Readers are aware of the potential of balance and alternative outlines but lack strategies for utilizing them.

A Dynamic User Adaptable Menu System: Linking it all Together

Creation and traversal of links in a user adaptable menu was examined for syntagmatically and paradigmatically related targets. One group searched for paradigmatic related targets within the same intermediate category under different superordinate categories, while another searched for syntagmatic related targets belonging to different intermediate categories under the same superordinate. Users with syntagmatic targets created and traversed more superordinate category links, while users with paradigmatic targets traversed more intermediate category links. As predicted, more horizontal links at the same hierarchical level were created and traversed than diagonal links joining different levels. Overall, users tended to create links forming hierarchical networks.