A Classification of Infographics

Classifications are useful for describing existing phenomena and guiding further investigation. Several classifications of diagrams have been proposed, typically based on analytical rather than empirical methodologies. A notable exception is the work of Lohse and his colleagues, published in Communications of the ACM in December 1994. The classification of diagrams that Lohse proposed was derived from bottom-up grouping data collected from sixteen participants and based on 60 diagrams. Mean values on ten Likert-scales were used to predict diagram class. We follow a similar methodology to Lohse, using real-world infographics (i.e. embellished data charts) as our stimuli. We propose a structural classification of infographics, and determine whether infographics class can be predicted from values on Likert scales

Teacher Thoughts on Infographics as Alternative Assessment: A Post-Secondary Educational Exploration

This qualitative phenomenological case study is designed to investigate the learning outcomes, lived experiences, and perceptions of eight post-secondary teachers participating in a sketch-based infographic development training program. This research is designed to assess the viability of infographics as a learning and assessment strategy, providing insight into the application of infographics to the post-secondary education environment, and informing the development of an instructional and assessment model with prescriptive conditions for usage and training. This research provides much needed empirical support for specific applications of visualization tools in the post-secondary learning environment with a specific focus on teacher perspectives providing additional insight into visual skill development, learning environment considerations, training requirements and support implications associated with infographics. This study revealed five (5) major themes associated with the use of infographics as alternative assessment in post-secondary education. These five interconnected themes include Using Infographics, Teaching Infographics, Developing Infographics, Assessing with Infographics and Infographics and Learning. A prescriptive model and approach for using, teaching, developing, and assessing infographics in post-secondary educational settings is presented

Teaching Health Impact and Behavior with Infographics

The use of Infographics can be a tool that not only allows for the communication of empirical health data in an understandable format, but encourages the health administration student to present evidence-based research in a creative manner. The purpose of this paper is to describe a learning exercise that implements Infographics to demonstrate an impact of a health issue and/or encourage a health behavior change. This learning exercise is developed to increase student knowledge and visual literacy skills with respect to presenting, in a concise format, a well-researched and referenced health issue and/or a health behavior change. Specifically, the exercise was designed to: (a) curate health statistics and reference information for the selected health issue; (b) identify media resources and apply copyright and fair use in a proper manner; (c) evaluate internet resources for credibility and accuracy; and (d) utilize Infographic tools to communicate one\u27s visual viewpoint. At the conclusion of the course, students reflected on the effective visual aspects of their Infographics and the points that were challenging to communicate using this medium. The benefits of this applied learning approach for students and the faculty instructor are discussed

Interactive infographics and news values

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Digital Journalism [PUBLICATION DETAILS], copyright @ Taylor & Francis, available online at http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/21670811.2013.841368.This study is concerned with the news values and working practices that inform the creation of interactive infographics in UK online news. The author draws upon organisational theory in journalism studies, and considers how conventional journalistic news values compare with best practice as espoused in different literatures within this field. A series of open-ended, depth interviews with visual news journalists from the UK national media were undertaken, along with a short-term observation case study at a national online news publisher. Journalistic and organisational norms are found to shape the selection, production, and treatment of interactive graphics, and a degree of variation is found to exist amongst practitioners as to definitions of quality in this field. Some news stories are considered to be better suited to rendering in interactive form than others. The availability of “big data” does not drive decision-making in itself, but some numbers are considered more newsworthy than others. Budgetary constraint drives practice and limits potential in this field. Risk aversion, embodied in various forms; from the use of templates, to a perceived need to avoid audience complaint, is found to dampen experimentation. Detailed audience research was found to inform the choice of methods used in data visualisation at one national news producer. This warrants further investigation as to how audiences engage with news interactives, and what the framing of news in certain (preferred) data visualisation formats means in terms of how news is understood

Infographics As a Tool for Improving Effectiveness of Education

This paper defines the criteria of effective infographics for education. Visualizing information, including that with the help of infographics, is one of the mechanisms to optimize the learning process both in traditional and online format. In the first part    of the paper, the author gives a theoretical definition of infographics as a contracted multi-level polysemantic thing. The methodological basis for discussion is provided by the cognitive approach in psyhology and philosophy (R. Arnheim, R. Solso, Y. Valkman) and visual studies (I. Itten, B. Latour, D.  Roem, H. Schiffman). Deriving  the properties of effective infographics, the author seeks to harmonize empirical  data and the results of theoretical studies. The infographic aspects formulated by E.Tafti, Priego, and F. Verbitsky are compared with the results of a survey by L. Harrison on the aesthetic properties of effective infographics. Features of infographics such as scalability, structure-based, focusing on the key points, visual simplicity, and emphasis on the relationship between elements, are by author defined. The difference between infographics and other graphical products is demonstrated. For education it is particularly important that the logic of a structure or image ensures the contraction of information. In turn, the contracted information looks compact and concise. ”Real” infographics have a visual clarity, presence of composition, colour, and image-bearing reference points. Systematic manner enhances the process of developing additional meanings. Aesthetics of the designer‘s infographics represent the reverse side of expediency and logic of a project decision. Th3e article concludes with a discussion of the need to use a cognitive approach to infographics by designers who create effective educational products. Keywords: design, graphic design, infographics, definition of infographics, infographics for the on-line course, participatory design, surve

A comparative visual content analysis of the CDC and WHO COVID-19 infographics

In this study, I conducted a comparative visual content analysis of the CDC and WHO COVID-19 infographics. I considered infographics as an important genre of communication during such times because they not only provided sufficient information to the audience but did so in an engaging manner. The goal of my study was to think about the role of infographics in the context of health and risk communication during a pandemic, and to emphasize on the rhetorical elements that constitute the creation of infographics by major health organizations. I specifically focused on three elements: the kinds of information communicated through infographics, the text and graphic organization in the infographics, and the rhetorical strategies. The results of my analysis indicated that (1) the CDC and WHO infographics included how-to information, dos and don’ts, step-by-step guidelines, checklists, and general informational topics on COVID-19 in their infographics; (2) the CDC infographics had structured text and graphic organization that established a reading pattern, whereas the WHO infographics followed an abstract design that gave the audience more freedom to explore the infographic; and (3) Both the CDC and WHO used visuals to make information more understandable, used imperatives whenever the aim was to initiate action, avoided frightening references in the infographics and focused on helpful information, and used document design according to the reading patterns of the audience. I concluded that audience was the key factor that stemmed the differences in the implementation of rhetorical strategies in the CDC and WHO infographics --Abstract, page iii

Teaching with infographics: practising new digital competencies and visual literacies

This position paper examines the use of infographics as a teaching assignment in the online college classroom. It argues for the benefits of adopting this type of creative assignment for teaching and learning, and considers the pedagogic and technical challenges that may arise in doing so. Data and insights are drawn from two case studies, both from the communications field, one online class and a blended one, taught at two different institutions. The paper demonstrates how incorporating a research-based graphic design assignment into coursework challenges and encourages students' visual digital literacies. The paper includes practical insights and identifies best practices emerging from the authors' classroom experience with the infographic assignment, and from student feedback. The paper suggests that this kind of creative assignment requires students to practice exactly those digital competencies required to participate in an increasingly visual digital culture