Elisabeth S. Nelson

Dr. Nelson's field of specialization is cartography with related research expertise in thematic map design and cartographic perception and cognition. She has conducted research on visual search processes in map reading, the design of multivariate map symbolization, and the mental representations of maps. Dr. Nelson has been published in Cartographica, Cartographic Perspectives and Cartography and Geographic Information Systems. She has also co-authored a book chapter on multivariate symbolization in Cartographic Design: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Sigma Xi, University of South Carolina, and San Diego State University

There are 14 included publications by Elisabeth S. Nelson :

TitleDateViewsBrief Description
Amending the North Carolina Constitution: Spatial and Political Enfranchisement as Portrayed By Delegate Votes and Voter Representation in 1835 2008 2887 The most significant event in the political history of antebellum North Carolina was the convention that assembled at Raleigh on 4 June 1835 to amend the North Carolina Constitution. At that time, it had become apparent that the North Carolina Consti...
Choropleth Maps on High Resolution CRTs: The Effects of Number of Classes and Hue on Communication. 1990 3157 The research reported here was designed to determine how quickly and accurately map readers viewing choropleth maps on a high-resolution computer monitor are able to identify to which class an areal unit on the map belongs, when the map has between f...
A Cognitive Map Experiment: Mental Representations and the Encoding Process. 1996 10280 Researchers have long debated the mental representation of knowledge. The theories initially spawned by this debate were propositional theory, imagery theory, and dual-coding theory. Related research further suggests that knowledge encoding processes...
Colour Detection on Bivariate Choropleth Maps: The Visual Search Process 1994 2985 Searching is a fundamental but complex task in the map-reading process. Several psychologists have explored the role of visual search in cognition, and have proposed a number of models that may offer cartographers a basis for understanding how people...
Designing Effective Bivariate Symbols: The Influence of Perceptual Grouping Processes 2000 3404 The purpose of this research was to empirically assess perceptual groupings of various combinations of symbol dimensions (e.g., graphic variables) used in designing bivariate map symbols. Perceptual grouping ability was assessed using the theory of s...
The Face Symbol: Research Issues and Cartographic Potential 2007 4353 The face symbol, developed by Herman Chernoff (1973), is possibly the seminal multivariate point symbol. Cartographically, the symbol has made an appearance several times, but it has often been criticized because designers tend to ignore two key symb...
Geographic Information Science in Health: Priming the Pump 2006 1113 Today, public health professionals, researchers, policy makers and many others are increasingly using GIS to understand the spatial and environmental factors that affect health outcomes, disease transmission, disaster response, access to health care ...
The Impact of Bivariate Symbol Design on Task Performance in a Map Setting 2002 5169 Research conducted on the theory of selective attention suggests that varying the graphic combinations used when designing bivariate symbols affects the functionality of the symbol. Some graphic combinations appear to facilitate the ability to visual...
Males, Females, and Maps: Evaluating Spatial Encoding Strategies 1996 2855 Cognitive research suggests that there is a difference in the spatial abilities of males and females. Results of studies that examine way-finding skills indicate that the differences found may be linked to a variation in the types of strategies used ...
A review of How Maps Work: Representation, Visualization, and Design by Alan M. MacEachren. 1996 4976 If you are searching for a detailed guide to contemporary cartographic research issues, How Maps Work is the book you need. This encyclopedia volume covers many of the major ideas currently being examined by academic cartographers. The goal of the bo...
Using Flow Maps to Visualize Time-Series Data: Comparing the Effectiveness of a Paper Map Series, a Computer Map Series, and Animation 1998 3791 Motion and change through time are important aspects of thematic maps. Traditionally, such data have been visualized using a series of paper maps that represent multiple snapshots of a location over time. These maps are visually compared by the map r...
Using Selective Attention Theory to Design Bivariate Point Symbols 1999 3054 The research discussed in this paper applies the theory of selective attention to graphic variables used in designing map symbols. Selective attention contends that our ability to analyze a symbols graphic variables (i.e., color, size) is affected by...
Visual Search Processes and the Multivariate Point Symbol 1997 2545 This study reviews the major theories of visual search processes and applies some of their concepts to searching for multivariate point symbols in a map environment. The act of searching a map for information is a primary activity undertaken during m...
Visualizing Data Certainty: A Case Study Using Graduated Circle Maps 2001 3986 Several techniques have been proposed for displaying data certainty on maps, but few have been empirically tested for effectiveness. While it is important to make data certainty information easily accessible, the addition of such data should not undu...