Do you incorporate photography, electron microscopy, computer-generated visualization or graphic design in your research? Do you use graphic elements to illustrate your research for different audiences? Find opportunities to develop and share your visual communication skills.
Data visualization may play an important role in your research, and can be valuable for sharing your research with both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Understanding how to use tools and techniques to create effective data visualizations for a range of audiences is an important skill.
The Taylor Family Digital Library offers graduate student workshops in data visualization software.
What's the difference between data visualization and research graphics (also commonly referred to as infographics)? While data visualization objectively presents raw data using graphs, tables and so on, research graphics tell a story incorporating and interpreting data. Research graphics can be very effective in explaining the impact of your research in a succinct, easy-to-understand format. Developing research graphic skills can be very useful to you in both academic and professional settings.
Visual media can provide powerful ways for you to share your research. They can also give you the tools to tell stories about your experience doing graduate research and being a graduate student. Using visual media to reflect on and share your experiences can open a helpful window into the world of graduate studies for other students, family, friends and people in the community.
Learn more about communication skills for graduate students