Hypertext is a method of online information management and/or presentation where textual documents are parsed (modularized) into many nodes and inter-connected using machine-supported links. These systems have become increasingly popular in numerous applications. Unfortunately, few empirical investigations have been conducted concerning the usability and utility of hypertext, and the effusive claims made by many hypertext enthusiasts are largely unsubstantiated. This study investigated several usability issues relating to hypertext within the context of an information retrieval application. Of particular interest were system linking structures consisting of linear, hierarchical, network, and combination hierarchical/network configurations. These commonly used hypertext linking structures were imposed on a text-intensive geography database (GEO). GEO contains 187 nodes discussing a variety of topics concerning the countries of North Africa. In addition to the linking structures, the task variables of number of required links (to reach the answer) and task type were studied. Task type refers to expert programmers’ judgements as to whether a task is best suited to a hierarchical or network linking structure. The approach was to create a set of information retrieval (IR) tasks with specific characteristics (as determined by number of required links and task type), and to study the performance of each linking structure in completing these tasks. The intention was to identify the task situations under which each linking structure excels. Results indicate that hierarchical linking structures perform quite well for most IR tasks and perform significantly better than network linking. The combination condition performs no worse than hierarchical, yet, with the exception of task completion times, provides no consistent advantages over the hierarchical structure. Hence, it is concluded that, for novice users of a system, the performance advantages resulting from the inclusion of network links (in isolation or in combination with hierarchical) are not commensurate with the associated costs of creating such links. Ultimately, results are aimed at a better understanding of hypertext systems, their performance, and more judicious applications of these systems. / Ph. D.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact that hypertext and hypertext design on the cognitive process. The study used two identical computer based lessons. One set of lessons used a complete set of hypertext resources that supported all of the learning objectives throughout the lessons. The other set of lessons focused the hypertext resources by limiting them to the immediate learning objective.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 158-166).

The Hypertext concept was introduced about 50 years ago. This thesis presents the development of a reference system using the Hypertext concept. HYATS (HYpertext Automata and Turing Theory Learning 5ys,em) is a system which helps users learn many topics in the area of theory of computation. The system is implemented by Guide which is a general purpose Hypertext system running on PC-Windows environment. HYATS also includes a Turing machine simulating program which was written by Dominique Atger as her Master's Thesis in 1993, so that users can actually experiment with Turing machines learned through HYATS. HYATS will be not only the reference system, but also the complete package of actual learning system. The motivation behind this project is to study basic concepts of a Hypertext system so that it will also contribute to G-Net research. HYATS can be used as a prototype for future development of versions of by using other Hypertext systems such as NoteCards. / Department of Computer Science

The main goal of this research is to develop an information base for learning and referencing graph theory, integrated with tools designed to create and manipulate graphs and to illustrate execution of graph algorithms and their applications. This research is dedicated to (1) helping those who wish to find the applications for graph theory but do not want to be experts, and (2) to empower experts in graph theory with more tools to progress further, through the use of a hypertext system.The development of this application is focused on using NoteCards, a hypertext system. It provides a variety of tools for collecting, representing, managing, interrelating, and communicating ideas. It provides the user with a network of electronicnotecards interconnected by typed links, which serves as a medium in which the user can represent a collection of related ideas. This facility is the basis for the development of a graph theory information base for GraphCards.The application can be classified into two major components:A graph theory information base which will cover most of the graph theory topics and graph algorithms.A graph theory experiment tool set with facilities like the Graph editor, Graph algorithm execution and animation, searching and annotating, testing and assessment of users, etc. / Department of Computer Science

The purpose of this study was to describe students' perceptions of their classroom in which HyperCard is used and to compare it to a non-HyperCard environment in which no HyperCard is or has been used. The participants were 67 fifth-grade students from four intact classrooms from the same school in a large, urban, midwestern city.A non-randomized control-group versus treatment group design was used. In this design preassembled groups were selected and given an environmental perception instrument and then compared for similarity on the five dependent measures: cohesiveness, friction, difficulty, satisfaction, and competitiveness.Specifically, the statistical design was a two factor MANOVA examining each of two levels (classroom type and gender), and five dependent measures corresponding to the five scales of the Mv Class Inventory, (MCI). Eleven null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance.In this study, students' perceptions of the non-HyperCard utilizing classroom learning environments were compared to classroom environments utilizing HyperCard. Four fifth-grade classrooms were examined: two classrooms utilizing HyperCard and two non-HyperCard classrooms.The following results were reported:1. Multivariate tests of significance for Sex by Group effect found no interaction (p. = .274) Multivariate Analysis (MANOVA) of the differences between boys and girls as measured jointly on the subscales of the found no significant differences (with F [5,59] = .91, p = .483).2. Multivariate tests of the differences between groups, as measured jointly on the subscales of the MCI, found significant differences (with F [5,59] = 5.34, p - .000).The researcher concluded that HyperCard classrooms present new and more difficult challenges that are not addressed in similar and familiar ways.Recommendations for further research included longitudinal studies that would ascertain how students' perceptions of their classroom environment change over a period of time. Additional research might examine the effects a more time-intensive HyperCard program has on students' perceptions of their environment. / Department of Elementary Education

GraphCards is a research project devoted to the development of a system for learning graph theory and implementing graph algorithms. It contains an information base for learning and referencing graph theory topics, integrated with an experimentation tool set to create and manipulate graphs. Due to the non-linear relationship of the information, its organization is hypertext based. The hypertext system NoteCards 1 is used to develop the application.The contribution of the current project is to complete and improve an existing system by reclassifying and rewriting the textual information into different chunks called "typed cards". This should serve to enhance the organization and make the traversal by the user easier.This project will also contribute to the development of an interface between the Information Base and the Graph Experimentation Tool Set. / Department of Computer Science

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2007. / A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the, College of Arts, School of Humanities and Languages, University of Western Sydney. Includes bibliographical references.