VUE User Guide

Flexible concept mapping tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of teaching, learning and research.

ii. Visualization Settings

Visualization settings offers two modes for visualizing nodes and links that are shared across maps: weight or vote.

Weight mode color codes the nodes based on frequency of occurrence and is the default setting. Users define the parameters (threshold) and how the connections will be displayed, such as node styles, line color and thickness.

The vote mode enables users to set a threshold to show nodes and links that meet a specific requirement (e.g., nodes and links that are in at least 35% of the maps). The resulting map will show only one type of link and node – styles from the primary base map.

To adjust visualization settings for Weight:

  1. With the Merge Maps window open (from the menu bar, select Analysis > Merge Maps), click the Visualization Settings tab. The options display.
  2. In the “What type of visualization would you like to use?” field, select Weight.
  3. In the Set parameters for field, select Nodes or Links.
  4. Optional: In the Select a color Palette field, make a color selection. The darker the node color, the higher the frequency.
    In the Intervals field, adjustments can be made to the interval range, as well as the color and font styling. No styles need to be defined, since VUE will take the styles from the base map.
    Styles may be edited by clicking Edit Style, which opens the Formatting Palette.
  5. Click Generate New Map. A new map is created and the Merge Maps window remains open.
  6. Close the Merge Maps window.
  7. Select File > Save As to name and save the new merged map.

To adjust visualization settings for Vote:

  1. With the Merge Maps window open (from the menu bar, select Analysis > Merge Maps), click the Visualization Settings tab. The options display.
  2. In the “What type of visualization would you like to use?” field, select Vote. The threshold sliders for nodes and links display.
    The threshold determines which nodes and links will appear on the new merged map. For example, a threshold of 60% will draw a node on the new merged map if it is present in at least 60% of the selected maps. The default threshold value is 20%.
    To define the threshold:
  3. Drag the slider to the desired percentage. More or less nodes or links will be represented in the new merged map.
  4. Click Generate New Map. A new map is created and the Merge Maps window remains open.
  5. Close the Merge Maps window.
  6. Select File > Save As to name and save the new merged map.