How to present scientific data

Table of Contents

Sharing scientific data, in a very real way, is one way to make the world a better place. The more we share scientific information, the more likely it is that, sooner or later, someone discovers newer and better ways of improving our way of life. In today’s digital age, people demand information more than ever, bringing new challenges for those in the position to share it. In the middle of this enormous melting pot of knowledge, how can you make your work stand out?

One of the best ways to make your research eye-catching and interesting for audiences is to present your research through visual elements. It takes a great deal of work and time finding the best way of organizing information to make sense visually, but you will be astonished by how many more people you can impact this way. Here are some tools you can use to present scientific data accurately and efficiently, AND visually attractive at the same time.

Scientific Illustration

Scientific illustration is a more artistic-oriented kind of illustration compared with charts or infographics. They are largely used in medicine (anatomy) and biology, for example, because of the attention to detail and realistic approach. It is the perfect way to render aspects of nature that are still difficult to understand without direct access to technology. Its purpose is didactic, objective, with the aim to express something that a scientific entity needs to disclose, but keeping an aesthetic side to it. These illustrations are mostly used to represent a single object rather than a sequence of events, like a scientific infographic, for example.

Scientific Graphs

Graphs are probably the most familiar visual data representations for most of us. They are an excellent way to consolidate large amounts of information and show patterns or relationships to your audience. Normally, graphs are used to communicate key findings of your investigation and eventually comparisons between groups of elements. The most common types of graphs include:

Line Graph
Histogram
Box Plot
Scatter Plot
Bar Graph
Pie Chart

Scientific Infographic

Infographics are normally used to convey a narrative. They combine icons, simplified illustrations, minimal text and data visualizations to engage the audience to follow a story. It is very common to see infographics communicating with non-academic audiences due to their simplicity. Indeed, they are very efficient in transforming complex information to primarily visual messages, making it perfectly understandable. Use them in posters, websites, brochures or articles. They are also a good option to summarize your research and communicate it to peers without the formalities of a journal article.

Types of infographics:

Article
Comparison
Decision tree
Flowchart
Single Graphic
Timeline

How can an infographic illustrator help?

Let’s imagine, for instance, that you are invited to an important conference in your field of work, and you have the opportunity to bring your work forward to the public in the form of a poster. But, there’s a problem – your article is twelve pages long and it is hard for you to imagine all that information displayed effectively on a poster. A professional infographic illustrator is someone who is used to translating written data into visual elements in a self-explanatory way. Together with the illustrator, you can determine the information flow, what to highlight and where, and even make decisions about more aesthetic aspects like color schemes, fonts, types of illustrations. A scientific/academic infographic is an excellent way to show your work in an accessible way, broadening audiences for your research. Take a look at what Elsevier has to offer regarding illustration services. We guarantee aesthetic attention hand-in-hand with scientific rigor:

Academic Infographics by Elsevier Illustration Services:

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