An experimental investigation of the communicative efficiency of point symbols on tourist maps

This study analyses the efficiency of symbols in the legends of two comparable published tourist maps using a symbol comprehension method. Relative effectiveness is assessed with respect to the ease and accuracy with which the symbols were understood by subjects. The results highlight those point symbols that are inefficient. These were found to be mainly abstract, geometric or pictorial symbols that bear a poor resemblance to the object they are attempting to depict.