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>My question is whether to use
>For details, see Figure 5, "The Creation of the Earth" on page 123.
>Or
>For details, see the figure "The Creation of the Earth" on page 123.
>(I don't want to merely put "see Figure 5 on page 123", as the title endows
>a context that seems valuable.)
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Our working memory can only hold 7 +/- 2 items, and we remember the first
and last items the best. Therefore, "see Figure 5, "The Creation of the
Earth" on page 123" is already at the limit of what most people can retain
in their short term memory. (look out Goober and Geoff, did you hear the
subliminal "studies show"?)
Since the paragraph that contains the cross-reference for the figure or
table should sufficiently suggest what the table or figure will contain,
including the title shouldn't be necessary. Throwing in tables and figures
without a proper introduction is a common mistake and is not usually amended
by providing the title.
A cross-reference like "see Figure 5 on page 123" contains only two small
items to remember so the user is less likely to end up thinking, "OK, I
found page 123. What figure was I looking for again?".
