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Abstract
A comparison was made between two timetable formats: one (which is used extensively) represents the route vertically and is known as the Standard format; the other (which occurs less frequently) represents the route horizontally and is known as the Reflected format. The two formats were assessed in their basic versions and after being modified in ways which it was hoped would make them easier to use.
To test the merits of the four timetable versions, 168 students were timed whilst using them to answer six questions which were representative of the uses to which timetables are put in real life.
The results provided clear evidence for the superiority of the Reflected format after practice: the mean solution times for the Reflected versions being slightly (but not significantly) longer for the first questions, but significantly shorter for all the subsequent questions; the Reflected versions also producing fewer errors.
Evidence from several sources suggested that the main reason for the superiority of the Reflected format was that it is easier to scan.