Infographics

A deceptively challenging alternative to the research paper, this project asks students to do the same research needed for a paper, yet to present their arguments in a visual medium. This forces students to condense information, present it in a logical and pleasing format, to review and revise their visual arguments, and to develop plans for distribution. In many ways, the infographic is more difficult to compose successfully and convincingly than a written paper, and they can of course be assigned in conjunction with or following a traditional paper. We recommend using Piktochart or Powerpoint as the composition tools.

Sample Infographic Prompt – ENVS100, Urban Farming, Cinzia Fissore

Infographics as Creative Assessment, Kathy Schrock

A Student’s Guide to Getting Started with Piktochart by Will Fanguy at Piktochart

Tutorial: Creating an Infographic (In Piktochart) by Nicole Guzzo

Sample Module

Prompt Addresses the following:

Purpose

  • To gain skills in multimodal composition
  • Produce research-driven visual argumentation
  • Translate academic research into visual text that makes good use of design-oriented thinking
  • Develop and hone skills for visual and digital literacy

Requirements

  • Research (well-researched, uses trustworthy and rigorous sources, strives to be impartial)
  • Citations (legible, and using appropriate citation convention for discipline)
  • Original content (text, images, etc.)
  • Original visualizations

Workflow

  1. Original research project
  2. Draft (analog prototype/drawing/map)
  3. Feedback
  4. Draft in digital platform
    1. Emphasis on visual logic, design, cohesive aesthetic, visualization of statistics and research
  5. Feedback & Workshopping
  6. Publication, Dissemination, Contextualization, Evaluation

Suggested Readings

In-Class Activities

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