IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2018 Feb;24(2):1077-1090. doi: 10.1109/TVCG.2016.2642109. Epub 2016 Dec 20.
Cartograms are maps in which areas of geographic regions, such as countries and states, appear in proportion to some variable of interest, such as population or income. Cartograms are popular visualizations for geo-referenced data that have been used for over a century to illustrate patterns and trends in the world around us. Despite the popularity of cartograms, and the large number of cartogram types, there are few studies evaluating the effectiveness of cartograms in conveying information. Based on a recent task taxonomy for cartograms, we evaluate four major types of cartograms: contiguous, non-contiguous, rectangular, and Dorling cartograms. We first evaluate the effectiveness of these cartogram types by quantitative performance analysis (time and error). Second, we collect qualitative data with an attitude study and by analyzing subjective preferences. Third, we compare the quantitative and qualitative results with the results of a metrics-based cartogram evaluation. Fourth, we analyze the results of our study in the context of cartography, geography, visual perception, and demography. Finally, we consider implications for design and possible improvements.
地图变形图是一种地图，其中地理区域（如国家和州）的面积按照某个感兴趣的变量（如人口或收入）的比例呈现。地图变形图是用于地理参考数据的流行可视化工具，已经使用了一个多世纪，用于说明我们周围世界的模式和趋势。尽管地图变形图很受欢迎，并且有很多种类型，但很少有研究评估地图变形图在传达信息方面的有效性。基于最近的地图变形图任务分类法，我们评估了四种主要类型的地图变形图：连续型、非连续型、矩形型和多林型。我们首先通过定量性能分析（时间和误差）评估这些地图变形图类型的有效性。其次，我们通过态度研究和分析主观偏好收集定性数据。第三，我们将定量和定性结果与基于指标的地图变形图评估的结果进行比较。第四，我们在制图学、地理学、视觉感知和人口统计学的背景下分析我们研究的结果。最后，我们考虑了设计的影响和可能的改进。
