Hypertext Writing Profiles and Visualisation

TL;DR: It is indicated that graphical overview maps which can be edited are a rather attractive feature of hypertext authoring systems, Nevertheless, not all students profit from such features.

Abstract: University students increasingly use hypertextto write their assignments. To employ hypertexteffectively, more information about thehypertext authoring process is needed. Thereare features of hypertext which are notreflected in traditional theories ofcomposition, especially the possibility tostructure information visually. Our studyindicates that graphical overview maps whichcan be edited are a rather attractive featureof hypertext authoring systems. Nevertheless,not all students profit from such features.Students employ different writing styles whenthey create hypertext documents. The majorityof students experiments with hypertext's newfeatures but others are still influenced by themodel of the book.