Combined vs. Separate Views in Matrix-based Graph Analysis and Comparison

While much work has been done in the area of visualization for analysis of graphs, relatively little research exists into how best to use visualization for comparing graphs. We have developed a suite of general graph comparison questions that can be tailored to specific data sets, and compared the use of superimposed and juxtaposed views of graph matrices on an example data set. Our observations indicate that combined views are more useful in comparing general graphs, allowing for greater user accuracy in determining differences and their effects.