A study on students' preferences in graphical design of algorithm visualizations

The main focus of research in algorithm visualization has lately been on pedagogical aspects, but graphical features also deserve be studied. This paper presents an evaluation conducted with students on the convenience of including several graphical elements (labels for identifiers, arrows and shadows) in the visualization of an iterative algorithm. Students performed two tasks: to answer an opinion questionnaire and to trace visually the execution of the algorithm. The results reveal students' higher preference for arrows than labels or shadows. However, the analysis of drawings reveals frequent use of labels, highlighting changes in variable values, and remarking relevant variables. Some results can potentially be generalizable to other algorithm visualizations, such as the use of labels.