• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.123-140
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• 2019

This study analyzed problems of interpretive signs along Eorimok-Yeongsil Trail on Mt. Hallasan National Park, focusing on factors of distracting visitor's attention from reading and understanding the signs. Eorimok-Yeongsil Trail has a total of 86 signs, and according to their purpose and content, they are classified into thirteen general signs, sixteen location signs, nine safety signs and forty-eight interpretive signs. Interpretive signs provide visitors with information and explanations about the nature and human resources of Mt. Hallasan as well as enhancing the opportunity for self-guided interpretation. The contents of interpretive signs of Eorimok-Yeongsil Trail are composed of landscapes, flora and fauna, topography, geology, history and culture, of which 70.8% of the total are related to plants and animals. Interpretive signs on the Eorimok-Yeongsil Trail do not attract visitors' attention because of the low readability, inappropriate locations and frequent errors in translation from Korean into other languages. The causes of low readability of interpretive signs include thirty-six physically damaged and faded signs, twenty-two improper font sizes and misuse of color schemes and five unclear description signs. The reasons for the incorrect locations include twenty-two long distances from the trails, twenty-one inadequate heights and fifteen inconsistencies in descriptions and locations. Problems with English use include eight grammar and spelling errors, twenty-one incorrect translations, and twenty-six English names missing.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.469-479
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• 2012

Trail is a main infrastructure for various forest recreational activities. In this study, the recreational supply (trail) and demand (trail program according to visitor characteristics, preferred forest activities) were studied. Through the application of a multiple correspondence analysis and cross tabulation analysis, 3 trails (Bukhansan trail, Uljin trail, Jirisan trail) were identified. On this study, visitor demands for trail program participation, preferred forest recreational activities, program contents and program operations. Visitors expressed positive attitude toward trail program participating and showed characteristics with the differences. Young visitors preferred active experience program and middle aged visitors more liked health program such as forest therapy. On site program and self guided interpretation were preferred for program operation. In Bukhansan trail, continuous health program (1~2 hours) would be proper and it needs to adapt various nature activities in the Uljin trail. For the Jirisan trail, self guided program would be developed in many ways.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.473-481
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• 2006

Readability, an indicator measuring the easiness of reading letters, has been known an important element that determines the communicative effectiveness of the self-guided interpretive signs. However, there are few studies to find out how the readability of the signs influence visitor's attraction and reading behavior of interpretive signs. This study examined the relationship between readability of interpretive signs and attraction, preferences, and intent to recommend reading signs to others. Data were collected from August to November of 2003 at a self-guided trail of Naejangsan National Park, Korea. 350 out of 375 responses from subjects who participated in the questionnaire survey were usable. Results showed that readability of the signs is related with the attraction, preferences, and intention of recommending reading signs to others. The higher the readability of the signs were, the higher the attraction, preferences, and intention of recommending reading signs were. Attraction and preferences were also positively related with intention of recommending reading signs. Preferences better explained intention of recommending reading signs than readability and attraction. These findings suggest that enhancing readability of the signs may lead to higher participation in reading them.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2006

Interpretive sign is a communication medium that is often used in self-guided interpretation. Understanding interpretive signs and their users is important to maximize the effectiveness of interpretation. This study evaluated design attributes of interpretive signs by visitor's personal characteristics and visiting patterns using Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA). Data were collected from August to September of 2003 at the self-guided trail in Naejangsan National Park, Korea. Visitors using the trail participated in a questionnaire survey, and a total of 276 subiects was used for data analysis. The IPA results showed that female(23.3%) than male(13.3%), low age group(43.3%) than middle(0.0%) and high age group(0.0%), higher education group(36.7%) than lower education group(0.0%), medium size group(33.3%) than large(10.0%) or small group(16.7%), 'with child' group(66.7%) than 'without child' group(20.0%) rated higher importance and lower performance on more design attributes of the interpretive signs. These groups also showed higher rate of 'Concentrate Here(CH)' attributes that require urgent improvement. The 'with child' group showed the especially high rate of 'CH' attributes. The results suggest that interpretive signs need to be designed considering diverse user groups. It is also necessary to develop some standardized items of the sign design attributes for more efficient and reliable implementation of IPA and other evaluative works.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.362-369
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• 2005

Readability, an indicator measuring the easiness of reading letters, is an important element that determines the communicative effectiveness of self-guided signs. This study examined how the letter design elements of self-guided signs influence on readability to provide basic information for more effective sign designs. Data were collected from August to November of 2003 at a self-guided trail of Naejangsan National Park, Korea. A total of 375 subjects participated in the questionnaire survey, and 94.7% of them were used for data analysis. Among the total of 19 attributes, five attributes such as number of letters, number of type styles, ratio of picture area on the signs, space between letters, type size influenced on readability. These five attributes explained 50.0% of the variation in readability. The number of letters was the most influential attributes on readability, followed by the number of type styles, ratio of picture area on the signs, space between letters, and type size. The effectiveness of signs may be efficiently increased by managing these five major attributes with more concern.