A Practical Guide To Graphics Reporting

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GRAPHICS REPORTING:
INFORMATION GRAPHICS FOR PRINT, WEB & BROADCAST

This Page Intentionally Left Blank
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO
GRAPHICS
REPORTING
INFORMATION GRAPHICS
FOR PRINT, WEB & BROADCAST
Jennifer George-Palilonis
Ball State University
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CONTENTS
About the Author viii

Acknowledgments ix
CHAPTER ONE
Mastering the Art of Visual Storytelling 3
History 4
Our Visual Culture 6
The Role of the Graphics Reporter 7
Spotting Graphics Potential 9
The Visual Editor 13
In the Eyes of an Expert: J. Ford Huffman,
Deputy Managing Director, USA Today 15
Chapter One Exercise 17
Graphics Potential Packaging Form 21
CHAPTER TWO
Multimedia Storytelling: How Different Media Use Graphics 23
Print Graphics & News Coverage 24
Sept. 11, 2001: A Case Study 28
Digital Media Formats: Animation & Interactivity 31
MSNBC.com: A Case Study 37
Information Graphics & Convergence 38
One Graphic, Three Formats: A Case Study 41
In the Eyes of an Expert: Don Wittekind,
Graphics Director, South Florida Sun-Sentinel 44
Chapter Two Exercise 47
V
VI CO N T E N T S
CHAPTER THREE
Research & Writing for Graphics Reporting 49
Research Sources for Information Graphics 49
Sifting Through the Rubble 54
Developing a Source List 56
The Written Components of an Information Graphic 57
Information Graphics & News Coverage 61
In the Eyes of an Expert: Michael Price,
Presentation Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune 63
Chapter Three Exercise 67
CHAPTER FOUR
Ethics & Graphics Reporting 69
The Graphics Reporter’s Code of Conduct 70
Visual Plagiarism & Copyright 72
The Internet as a Source 73
Working with Numbers 74
In the Eyes of an Expert: Jeff Goertzen,
Senior Artist, St. Petersburg Times 75
Chapter Four Exercise 80
CHAPTER FIVE
Designing Information Graphics 83
The Seven Basic Design Principles 83
Working with a Grid 91
Color & Type Palettes 92
In the Eyes of an Expert: Ron Reason, Design Consultant 96
Chapter Five Exercise 98
CHAPTER SIX
Cartography for Journalists 101
Functions of Maps 102
Kinds of Maps 103
The Physical Components of a Map 109
Map Construction 114
Color Use in Maps 116
Type in Maps 117
CO N T E N T S VII
Maps in the News 118

In the Eyes of an Expert: George Rorick,
The Poynter Institute for Media Studies & USA Today 120
Chapter Six Exercises 122
CHAPTER SEVEN
Charts, Tables & Text-Based Graphics 125
Text-Based Graphics 128
Pie Charts 131
Bar Charts 133
Fever Charts 135
Tips for All Types of Graphics 136
In the Eyes of an Expert: Angela Smith,
Graphics Reporter, The State-Journal Register 139
Chapter Seven Exercises 140
CHAPTER EIGHT
Taking the “Numb” Out of Numbers: Statistical Data Displays 143
Spotting Problems with Statistics 144
Establishing Validity in Polls & Surveys 146
In the Eyes of an Expert: Kris Goodfellow, ESRI 149
Chapter Eight Exercise 152
CHAPTER NINE
Diagrams & Illustrative Graphics 153
Types of Diagrams 153
Organizing the Content 155
Illustration Techniques 159
In the Eyes of an Expert: Nigel Holmes, Explanation Graphics 161
Chapter Nine Exercises 165
Appendix A 169
Glossary 175
Index 185
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JENNIFER GEORGE-PALILONIS became the journalism graphics

sequence coordinator at Ball State University in 2001 after working as
the deputy news design editor at the Chicago Sun-Times from 1999 to
2001 and as a news and business section designer at the Detroit Free-
Press from 1996 to 1999. At Ball State, she teaches several upper-level
courses in visual journalism, including a number of courses focused on
visual editing and reporting. She is also the design and graphics adviser
for the award-winning student newspaper, The Ball State Daily News,
and is the faculty adviser for the student chapter of the Society for News
Design. George-Palilonis also teaches courses in media convergence
and multimedia graphics reporting. In addition to her work at Ball State,
George-Palilonis is also a project director for Garcia Global Group, Inc.,
a media design consulting firm that has been responsible for more than
400 publication redesigns around the world. As a consultant, she has
worked on the redesigns of more than 20 publications, including The
Portland Press-Herald (Maine), Crain’s Chicago Business and The
Harvard Crimson. She has spoken at more than 25 design, education
and editing seminars across the country and is the author of several
design- and graphics-oriented pieces, including Design Interactive, an
electronic textbook focused on basic design principles. George-Palilonis
received her master’s degree from Ball State in 2004 in Composition and
Rhetoric and her bachelor’s from Ball State’s journalism graphics
sequence in 1996.
VIII
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book is, first and foremost, dedicated to my husband, Jim. No

matter what sorts of obstacles I may face in life, the strength of our
marriage is the one thing I never doubt. We have accomplished so
much together. Without your love, support and complete devotion,
I would have never finished this book. You are my inspiration, my
heart, my whole world; and I could never adequately thank you for
all you do for me.
Along with Jim, I dedicate this book to my sons, Quinn and Gage.
Even as newborns, your strength amazes me, your beautiful faces
leave me speechless. While my career will always be important to me,
and while I will continue to reach toward new goals, nothing will ever
mean more to me than your health and happiness. You are the most
important, most amazing, most fulfilling accomplishment of my life.
I would also like to thank the rest of my family for your love, wisdom
and guidance, not just now, but for a lifetime of support. To my
mother, Jan, for teaching me how to be a successful wife, mother and
professional woman. To my father, Jerry, for always encouraging me
to strive toward excellence in everything I do, and thank you for con-
tinuing to love me, even when I pushed you to your limits. To my
brother, Chris, for your generosity of spirit, your good-natured out-
look on life and your enormous heart. To my sister-in-law, Kari, for
being the sister I always wanted. And, to my beautiful niece, Taya, for
keeping us all on our toes and for influencing our decision to have
kids of our own. Thank God for all of you.
This book would also not be possible without the support, wisdom
and guidance of my most cherished friends and mentors. Thanks to
Angela for being the best friend anyone could ever hope for. You
have loved and always will love me no matter what I do or where I
land, and you mean so much more to me than you’ll ever know.
IX
X A Practical Guide to Graphics Reporting
Thanks to Ron Reason for bringing me along for the ride on so many excit-
ing and challenging projects. I learn something new each time we work
together. Thanks to Dr. Mario Garcia for presenting me with so many won-
derful opportunities in our business. Over the years, you and your family
have come to mean so much to me. Thanks to Deborah Withey for open-
ing new doors for me very early in my career. Thanks to all of the amazing,
talented and supportive journalists I have worked with, especially those at
the Detroit Free-Press and the Chicago Sun-Times. And, thanks to Pamela
Leidig-Farmen, Ryan Sparrow, Alfredo Marin-Carle, Lori Demo, Marilyn
Weaver and the rest of the faculty at Ball State for both nurturing me as a
student and later supporting me as your colleague.
I would also like to extend special thanks to all of my students, former,

present and future, especially Miranda Mulligan. I learn so many new
things from each of you with every semester. I grow with you, and I hope
that I have influenced you the way so many others did for me.
Thanks also, to all those who contributed to this book, including J. Ford
Huffman, Don Wittekind, Michael Price, Jeff Goertzen, Ron Reason,
George Rorick, Angie Smith, Kris Goodfellow and Nigel Holmes. Your
expertise lends credibility to my work, and your willingness to share your
ideas strengthens our craft.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge that many of the materials that

inspired this book were created by Michael Price as lecture tools and
assignments used in the visual reporting course at Ball State University.
Michael first developed this course in the early 1990s, and I took the course
over when I replaced him as graphics sequence coordinator in 2001. The
course continues to evolve with the industry but still rests on the founda-
tion Michael established for it when he helped develop the journalism
graphics program at Ball State, of which I am a graduate. His early work at
Ball State helped establish our program as one of the country’s finest, and
for his dedication and commitment to establishing graphics reporting as a
primary sequence of study, all of the program’s graduates owe him a debt
of gratitude.
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GRAPHICS REPORTING:
INFORMATION GRAPHICS FOR PRINT, WEB & BROADCAST
CHAPTER
ONE
Mastering the Art
of Visual Storytelling
As a visual journalist who also really enjoys writing, I have often said that
information graphics reporting provides the best of both worlds. At once a
“word” person and a “design” junkie, I have always been fascinated by the
notion that the combination of words and visuals within a story package have
an extreme impact on catching a reader’s attention, keeping it and even ensur-
ing that he or she retains the information much longer than when a story is pro-
vided in the form of words alone. Information graphics generally stimulate
more brainpower because they appeal to both the literal and visual regions of
the brain. Information graphics can tell stories with a degree of detail that is
often otherwise impossible. Information graphics provide consumers with an
incredibly rich “reading” experience. And, information graphics provide jour-
nalists with a powerful tool for telling a variety of different kinds of stories.
Although it is still a fairly specialized field, the development of Web tech-
nologies, new and better graphics software and a greater variety of media
options has caused information graphics reporting to gain prominence in a
variety of news organizations. Although newspapers and magazines have been
making good use of information graphics for about 20 years, interactive, ani-
mated and 3D graphics are presented with more and more frequency on infor-
mation or news Web sites and television news broadcasts. Regardless of the
media format, information graphics serve an extremely important role in visual
storytelling – a concept that has a profound impact on journalism in our
increasingly visual culture.
3
4 A Practical Guide to Graphics Reporting
GRAPHICS HISTORY History

3800 B.C.: Assyrian maps People have been communicating through visual imagery for
on clay tablets exist.
centuries. Before there were written words, there were pictographs,
3000 B.C.: cave paintings and hieroglyphics. Archeological discoveries suggest
Egyptians
that symbolic, iconic images used by the ancient Egyptians as a
develop the first
365-day calendar and use form of written communication represent the oldest forms of writ-
it to map the floodplains ing. Ancient cultures in China, Mesopotamia and the Americas also
of the Nile. The hiero- first used similar iconic systems before evolving native alphabets
glyphic for “month”
and modern written language systems.
appears above.
Thus, information graphics have always been a part of civilized
2200 B.C.: Diagrams
culture. And, as human knowledge evolved through the
providing bird’s eye views
from Mesopotamian Renaissance and the ages of Enlightenment and Reason, so did the
elevations exist. use of maps, charts and diagrams as a method for recording impor-
540 B.C.: Greek philoso- tant scientific, economic and social data, and later, as a method for
pher Anaximander cre- communicating important information related to news and current
ates the first world map. events to the masses.
500 B.C.: Chinese etch From about the late 1800s through the middle of the 1900s, news-
maps in stone tablets. papers increasingly incorporated illustrations, charts and maps into
200: Ptolemy maps the the coverage of major news. With the invention of the linotype
world’s landmasses. machine in 1886, typesetting became automated, allowing publishers
Mid-1200s: English scientist and editors an opportunity to include more and larger graphics and
Roger Bacon develops illustrations in their newspapers. In fact, through both world wars,
multiple systems for
U.S. newspapers frequently employed the use of maps to help pro-
examining abstract
statistics in conceptual vide readers with important information about the status of the con-
visual data displays. flicts. And, during the 1960s and 1970s, charts and diagrams began to
appear with some daily regularity in most American newspapers.
However, it wasn’t until the proliferation of the Macintosh com-
puter in the early 1980s that information graphics reporting became
a prominent method for visual storytelling in most newsrooms.
With the development of the Mac, as well as graphics software –
some still in use, others now dinosaurs – the creation of detailed
maps, charts and diagrams became much easier and more efficient
on deadline. Newspaper page design and production was simpli-
fied, computer pagination was born and graphic artists were pro-
vided with more tools and editorial space to showcase their work
Late 1400s: Leonardo da and advance journalistic storytelling through the marriage of words
Vinci integrates diagrams
with text in his notebooks. and visual imagery.
Considered by many industry experts to be the catalyst for an
MASTERING THE ART OF VISUAL STORYTELLING 5
On Thursday June 15,

1944, The Birmingham
News (Alabama) ran this
rudimentary map
explaining the U.S. attack
on Japan and Tinian.
Copyrighted, The Birmingham News. All
rights reserved. Used with permission.
GRAPHICS HISTORY
1637: René Descartes
outlines the “Cartesian
Grid,” a system of plotting
points on a graph made
of intersecting lines,
called “coordinates.”
Descartes’ contributions
to geometry are the basis
for contemporary charts
and graphs.
1786: William Playfair
(Scotland) publishes The
Commercial Political
Atlas, a collection of 44
statistical charts. One
used bars to illustrate
imports and exports.
information graphics explosion that began to take place in the 1801 to 1805: Playfair
1980s, USA Today was founded in September of 1982. Its editorial publishes books that use
circles to represent
mission was simple: cater to the time-starved reader with tightly
amounts.
edited story packages in an entertaining and easy-to-read format.
1861: Charles Joseph
This meant shorter stories, innovative use of color and a multitude
Minard (France) plots the
of maps, charts, polls and other color graphics in the place of the progression and recession
more traditional, long-form, text-driven stories common in most of Napoleon’s army
newspapers. At USA Today, editors viewed information graphics as through its invasion of
Russia in 1812. Minard
equally, if not more, effective than word-driven story structures in plots six variables,
conveying news and information in simple, easy-to-understand including size, location,
contexts for readers. According to Lori Demo, a former USA Today direction, time and
editor, “If the story starts to get too bogged down by explanation, it’s temperatures.
NEWSPAPER GRAPHICS time for a graphic.” USA Today has continued to evolve this philos-
ophy for more than 20 years, and many newspapers across the
1875: The Times, in
London, publishes first country have adopted similar formats.
weather map. Now, most newspapers across the country and around the
1876: New York Daily world employ a number of information graphics reporters and edi-
Herald publishes first U.S. tors, and many devote a considerable amount of space to informa-
weather map. tion graphics, either as portions of larger story packages or as free-
Early to mid-1900s: During standing visual story displays.
World War I and II, U.S.
newspapers used maps to
inform readers of the lat-
est developments. Our Visual Culture
More than ever before, publications editors must be visually
1930s: Large U.S. newspa-
pers, such as the New sophisticated to keep up with the visual demands of consumers.
York Times and Chicago Ours is an increasingly visual culture in which consumers are daily
Tribune use maps and faced with a barrage of options from which to obtain news and
charts more regularly. information. During the mid- to late1800s, technological develop-
1960s and1970s: Most U.S. ment was rampant, and three advancements in particular prompted
newspapers add charts what photographer Lloyd Eby calls, “a profound change in human cul-
and graphs to coverage of
a variety of topics on a ture…taking us from a literary culture, based primarily on words and
regular basis. printing, to an increasingly image-based, or visual culture” (1999).
1980s: Advances in technol- The first of these was the invention of photography in 1839. The
ogy and software, as well as ability to capture real-life still images was foundational for the
the creation of USA Today, development of visual storytelling in all forms of media. And,
a newspaper committed to
although then-publisher of the Chicago Daily News Melville Stone
graphics reporting, con-
tribute to the information called it a “temporary fad,” the New York Daily Graphic’s first use of
graphics explosion occur- a photograph in 1880 set the stage for the positioning of photojour-
ring at most American nalism as an essential component to newspaper journalism. The
newspapers.
second development that contributed to a shift in culture was
2001: The New York Thomas Edison’s invention of the “kinetoscope” in the early 1890s.
Times receives national
This first motion picture camera is the foundation for the film
attention for its use of
maps and diagrams dur- industry that is such an integral part of our culture today. The third
ing coverage of the Sept. innovation was the invention of television. And, although the tele-
11 attacks on the World vision wasn’t actually invented until the early 1900s, work began in
Trade Center. Maps of
the late 1890s, and many consider it the single most culturally defin-
blocked-off neighbor-
hoods and damaged utili- ing invention of the Twentieth Century.
ties, among others, were As all of these media have evolved, and with more recent innova-
provided for readers just tions like the World Wide Web, consumers are provided with a greater
one day after the attacks.
number of sources for information. And, in a time-starved society
filled with individuals looking for ways to make their lives more effi- GRAPHICS RESEARCH
cient, the process of “reading” has changed as well. After all, cable
Eye-Trac Research
television provides us with hundreds of channels, several of which
Conducted by Dr. Mario
offer all news, all the time or special interest topics like history, art or Garcia and Pegie Stark
science. Why spend hours reading when you can get a quick fix in Adam on behalf of the
full moving color on CNN or the Discovery Channel? The Internet Poynter Institute for
Media Studies in 1991,
provides us with more control over how we navigate news and infor- Eye-Trac research exam-
mation. Why spend too much time trying to find what you’re look- ined how readers navigate
ing for in print, when you can just “Google” it on the net? We have a newspaper and what
more access to information than ever before, and the consumption elements are most salient.
Eye-Trac findings reflected
of visual messages is often faster and easier than reading. some interesting implica-
Right about now, the avid writers in the audience are probably tions for information
thinking, “Oh, great, you’re telling me my skill is worthless!” But graphics use in newspa-
hold on. Relax. It’s not that dramatic. Good writing is good writing, pers. Perhaps most signif-
icant was that readers
and by and large, people are still interested in that. After all, con- tended to engage with
trary to what some of the more panicked folks have said about cer- more photos and artwork
tain inventions, radio did not replace books; television did not than text and headlines,
indicating that visual ele-
replace radio; and so far, the Internet has not replaced newspapers,
ments act as main points
magazines and other prominent forms of print media. of entry onto a page.
However, these innovations have and must change our
Dual Coding Theory
approaches to the development and presentation of print media. Developed by cognitive
For several years, newspapers in particular, have been looking for psychologist Allan Paivio
ways to increase visual appeal through both page design and graph- in the 1970s, DCT pro-
ics reporting. And, as mentioned before, information graphics, poses that memory con-
sists of two separate but
whether for print, broadcast or the Web, provide a method for sim- interrelated codes for pro-
plifying complicated or numerically dense information, not only cessing information – one
making it easier to understand but more palatable for the time- verbal and one visual. By
integrating illustrations
starved consumer as well. Thus, information graphics should be
with text or elaborating
viewed as a way to better explain, enhance and complement written on illustrations with expla-
stories in news coverage, as well as a viable form of storytelling inde- nations, the brain will
pendent of text-driven stories. encode information in
both verbal and nonverbal
forms, and memory is
The Role of the Graphics Reporter likely to be enhanced. Put

simply, graphics stimulate
Today, the organizational hierarchy of most newsrooms includes more brainpower than
a “graphics” or “art” department that is home to any number of words or visuals alone,
leaving a greater impres-
graphics reporters. In newspapers, this number is generally propor- sion on memory.
tional to the circulation size and/or the number of graphics the
paper tends to run on a daily basis. In some cases, a graphics editor

PIONEERS heads up this department, and in other cases, a design director is in
Edward Tufte charge of both graphics and page design. These editors then work
Tufte closely with other department heads, such as the news editor, photo
teaches
editor and feature editor to help plan and edit story packages for the
statistics,
graphic daily paper. Many newspapers also employ graphics reporters for
design, their Web sites, and some Web-based news organizations and wire
and services, such as MSNBC.com, employ graphics reporters dedicated
political
to creating animated or interactive graphics packages.
economy
at Yale University. He is Before addressing the specific responsibilities of the graphics
known for his ground- reporter in a typical newsroom, it is important to note that while
breaking work on the use most people in the newspaper business use the terms “graphic
of graphics to display
artist” and “graphics reporter” interchangeably, I have deliberately
quantitative information.
His books include The chosen “graphics reporter.” Certainly, both artistic and journalistic
Visual Display of skills are equally important to the job. Just as a good news reporter
QuantitativeInformation, must be capable of writing interesting stories, a strong graphics
Political Control of the
Economy, Data Analysis reporter must be capable of creating visually engaging illustrations.
for Politics and Policy and However, a graphic’s merit should first be judged by its ability to
Size and Democracy advance a reader’s understanding of a story or event through clean,
(with Robert A. Dahl). clear and accurate presentation. Thus, a truly successful graphics
He has prepared evidence
for several jury trials and reporter is a journalist first and an artist second. In other words,
has worked on every artistic decision should be made with the information needs
information design and of the readers, the nature of the story and the clarity of the message
statistical matters for in mind.
IBM, the New York
Times, Newsweek, Graphics reporters’ roles and responsibilities are, in many ways,
Hewlett-Packard, CBS, similar to those of any other reporter. They engage in research for
NBC, the Bureau of the both the visual and textual elements of the graphic. They consult a
Census, the Bureau of
variety of sources including, but not limited to, encyclopedias,
Justice Statistics,
International Paper, and almanacs, reports, documents and individuals who are experts in
New Jersey Transit. He is their fields. Graphics reporters often go out on assignment to gather
a fellow of the American information for their work. They often attend news meetings and
Statistical Association
work with other reporters, editors and photographers on developing
and has held fellowships
from the Guggenheim story packages. And, they are inherently concerned with accuracy
Foundation and the in reporting, ethical journalistic practices and serving as credible
Center for Advanced sources of information for the readers their publications serve.
Studies in Behavioral
However, the nature of precision differs a bit between a reporter
Sciences. He founded
Graphics Press in 1983. who uses words as the primary form of expression and one who uses
charts, graphs, illustrations and maps. A reporter who writes, for
example, makes use of precise and descriptive language in regard to PIONEERS

events and scenes. A graphics reporter, on the other hand, has the
George Rorick
unique ability to truly show what happened and how it happened.
One of
Diagrams can illustrate objects in direct proportion to their real the
counterparts. Thus, a graphic can show exactly “what happened,” founding
“when” and “in what order,” “how much,” “how close,” “how far mem-
bers of
away” or “how to” in a much more realistic fashion than words. After
USA
all, would you rather read a paragraph that breaks down the racial Today,
makeup of the United States by percentage, or would you rather see George
it in a pie chart? In this and other cases, without the visual aid, the Rorick is best known for
the innovative weather
numbers become rather meaningless because they are more difficult
maps created for the paper
to process in comparison to one another. And, sometimes, a graphic that included state-by-
is also a more space-efficient way to provide that information. state weather briefings.
So, a graphics reporter often asks different kinds of questions, Additionally, Rorick was
architect of six graphics
searches for different kinds of reference material, and consults dif- services for print and
ferent kinds of sources than a reporter who writes. In many news- broadcast, including KRT
rooms, the graphics reporter is responsible for daily, deadline-ori- “Faces in the News” and
ented graphics, such as locator maps, charts and simple diagrams “News in Motion.” Rorick
retired from the visual
for breaking news stories, as well as more complicated, larger pack- journalism faculty at the
age graphics for future news and features stories. And, a savvy Poynter Institute for Media
graphics reporter is one who is constantly looking for opportunities Studies in 2004 after 42
to present information visually by combing through the daily story years in the news business.
budgets, talking to other reporters and editors about what they’re Nigel Holmes
working on and keeping an eye on the daily news wires, television As graph-
ics direct-
and the Internet for potential graphic stories. or for
Time
magazine
Spotting Graphics Potential (1978-
1994),
In his book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information,
Holmes’
Edward Tufte writes, “Graphical excellence is that which gives to the graphics on complex sub-
viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time, with the jects gained him acclaim
least amount of ink in the smallest amount of space.” This notion is as a pioneer. He has writ-
ten four books on design,
also referred to as the “data-ink ratio.” In other words, the best
lectures all over the world
graphics are the ones that provide a ton of information in a small and owns a company,
amount of space or using the least amount of ink. Even though this Explanation Graphics.
concept may seem quite simple, it actually takes quite a bit of fore- Among his clients are
Visa, Apple, Esquire,
thought and planning to develop an effective graphic or graphics Sports Illustrated and the
package. Graphics should be overly researched, clearly illustrated, New York Times.
concisely written and inherently relevant to readers’ lives.

Thus, the graphics reporter’s responsibilities shouldn’t begin
with illustration. Spotting graphics potential in a story is, perhaps,
one of the most important responsibilities of the graphics reporter;
and ideally, conversations about whether a specific story warrants
graphic support should occur as the story is developing, not after it’s
complete. Now, if you don’t know this already, you’ll soon find out
that in a newsroom, the ideal is not always so easy to come by.
Deadlines, breaking news and sometimes a simple breakdown in
communication often prevent a graphics reporter from getting in on
the planning and development of a story in its early stages. So, in
most settings, graphics reporters should be prepared to assess
graphics potential on two levels: (1) early in the story development
process, before the story is written, and (2) after the story is finished
and ready to run.
The first scenario requires that a graphics reporter be on her
toes, aware of the stories that other reporters are working on and
ready to contribute to the reporting process. You can’t expect that a
reporter or editor is always going to alert you as to what stories are
coming up that may need graphic support. Although, more and
more, reporters and editors on the “word side” are getting better and
better at spotting graphics potential in their stories, and many of
them have been trained to do so, they often have too many other
responsibilities and are dealing with their own deadlines to follow
through with this part of the process. A reporter’s primary concern
is writing a story, and graphics are sometimes an afterthought. This
is where a strong graphics reporter can really make a difference in
the reporting process.
If you’re a graphics reporter, get to know the other reporters in
the newsroom. Let them know that you want to be kept informed
about what they are working on. Offer to take some of the reporting
burden off their plates by helping track down information for story
packages that may be better displayed in graphic form. Ask them to
share any materials they gather during the reporting process that
could be used as reference material for graphics. Stop by their desks
regularly, and find out what they’re working on for today’s deadline
as well as any advance stories or special investigative or news fea-
tures coming up. Establish yourself as a fellow journalist interested
in enhancing the story as opposed to an artist who is more con-

cerned with making things look good. Don’t be afraid to ask ques-
tions about the story and make suggestions for improvement. I
have found that most reporters appreciate having a sounding board
for their work, and if nothing else, most reporters are happy to have
help ironing out the more visual elements of the story.
Of course, you should also plan how you will approach the
reporter. Make sure that you avoid dropping by when a reporter is
right in the throes of a tight deadline. And, always be sure your
attempt to help doesn’t come off as a chance to interfere or impede
the reporting process. Your goal should always be to help move the
story forward, not backward. Some organizations formalize this
process by establishing a regular meeting among designers, graph-
ics reporters, photographers, reporters and copy editors in a specific
department. Planning meetings offer these groups a chance to get
together and brainstorm ideas, share information and find ways to
enhance stories on all levels. It also puts each decision about the
story in the hands of the person who’s best qualified to assess its
potential in a given area. Let photographers determine what would
make a great picture. Let designers contribute to developing the
overall presentation of the story package. And, let graphics
reporters determine the graphics potential for a story coming up at
a later date.
Sometimes, however, in a deadline-oriented situation, it’s not
realistic to think that there will always be time for leisurely water
cooler banter about what stories we’re working on or formal brain-
storming meetings where everyone shares until they’re blue in the
face. In fact, more often than not, deadlines alone inhibit us from
always having the time to plan for tomorrow’s news. So, in this sce-
nario, a graphics reporter must become good at analyzing a story
that has already been written for its graphic potential and quickly
determining what types of visual elements can best advance or
complement the story. In this case, a graphics reporter must walk a
tightrope between the amount of time he can devote to a graphic
created on deadline and the amount of illustrative detail the graphic
can exhibit. Obviously, the more time you have, the more extensive
and detailed the graphic can be. But, regardless of whether a graph-
ic is planned in advance or developed after the story has been writ-
VISUAL CUES FOR ten, the same types of exercises should be used to determine a
GRAPHICS REPORTERS story’s graphics potential.
You can often determine

whether a graphic should LOOK FOR VISUAL CUES WITHIN A STORY, and propose a graphic when
accompany a story by the answers to the questions who, what, when, where, why or how are
simply looking for certain visual. Sometimes this means paying close attention as a reporter or
words and phrases in the
editor is describing the story, always listening for words, phrases and
story itself. If a story con-
tains any of the words and concepts that suggest a graphic. This could also mean carefully scan-
phrases listed below, it ning a story that has already been written for words, looking for num-
may be time to introduce bers and descriptions that set off visual signals in your head. This
an information graphic to
may even mean searching for holes in the storytelling: What pieces
the presentation.
were overlooked or missed because they don’t lend themselves to ver-
NUMERICAL CHARTS
bal descriptions but are better served through visual devices?
– Amount(s)
– Taxes
– Budget SIMPLIFY COMPLICATED INFORMATION. Specific numbers, visual
– Figures descriptions of objects or events and identifiable locations don’t
always jump out, and a graphic may not always present itself right
MAPS
– An address away. A good graphics reporter will often discover graphics poten-
– Escape routes tial in less obvious ways. Is the explanation in a story getting bogged
– Expansion down and hard to follow? If so, can the information be organized
– Police chase
– Trail of crime differently? Perhaps in a more graphic manner? Is there information
that can be conveyed conceptually to put a thought or idea into a
DIAGRAMS more visual perspective? Visual metaphors (or “data metaphors” in
– How to the case of mathematical or quantifiable information) often make it
– Expansion
– Reorganization easier for people to digest information.
– Organization
LOOK FOR COMPARISONS, DATES OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL FACTS
TABLES outlined in the story. Who are the key players, and why? What are
– Key players
– Pros and cons the key dates? How did we get here? Where do we go from here?
– Who’s who What’s at issue, and what does it mean for the reader? These types of
– The victims questions often lead to discovering graphics potential for a story,
– Schedule
and by presenting the answers in a graphic manner, you provide
– Key points
readers with a quickly accessible and easily understood context for
TIME LINES the rest of the story.
– Chronology
– Key dates
DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. After reading a story, talking with a
– Looking back
– Looking ahead reporter or attending a planning meeting, dig a little deeper. Find
– What’s next? your own sources, both textual and visual. Ask your own questions.
Graphics don’t always have to come directly from the story. Often,
they can serve as visual sidebars that not only enhance the story, but
build on it as well.
KNOW WHEN TO SAY “NO.” I have been involved in so many discus-

sions that involve a graphics reporter trying to convince another
member of the newsroom that, in fact, a graphic is not appropriate
for a particular story. You must make sure that all of the necessary
information is present or obtainable for the creation of a graphic,
and you must put a stop to graphics that merely state the obvious,
are a waste of space or actually complicate the story.
LEARN TO ARTICULATE YOUR IDEAS for graphics in a thoughtful and

thorough manner. If your primary job is to simplify complicated
information, then you have to be able to articulate your ideas in lay-
man’s terms as well. Try explaining the point of your graphic in five
words or less. For example, “how blood flows through the heart.”
(Okay, that’s six words, but you get the point!) Make sure your descrip-
tion contains a subject and an active verb. Get to the point quickly. If
you can’t, chances are your graphic isn’t focused enough yet.
The Visual Editor

Chapter Three will deal more extensively with writing, editing
and reporting for information graphics, but it’s important to note
that visual thinking and visual editing can come from anywhere in
the newsroom. Spotting graphics potential is not the sole responsi-
bility of the graphics reporter, and all reporters and editors should
work toward enhancing visual editing skills. You don’t need to be
able to illustrate or even use graphics software to think visually. It
just takes a clear understanding of some basic graphics principles
and a willingness to approach stories from a visual perspective.
GRAPHICS SHOULD BE PLANNED, WRITTEN AND DEVELOPED TO

STAND-ALONE. Even when a graphic is accompanied by a story, we
can’t always count on the reader to get that far. Scanning readers often
don’t engage with stories at all. Rather, they browse the page, often
reading only display type and visual elements. And, even those who
intend to read the story often engage with the graphics first because
they tend to be more eye-catching. In both cases, you simply can’t cre-
ate a graphic that isn’t complete without the story. Readers should fin-
ish an information graphic feeling confident that they understand the
information it presents. This isn’t to say that you must tell the entire
story with the graphic. However, the portions of the story that are rep-
resented in the graphic must be complete and clear.
UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION. There’s nothing worse than a

reporter who hasn’t taken the time to personally make sense of the
information. All visual editors and reporters should make certain
that they completely understand the information to be displayed in
the graphic before attempting to execute the graphic. If you don’t
get it, how can you possibly explain it to a reader?
MAKE USE OF A SIMPLE DATA METAPHOR. Regardless of the concept

you are trying to convey with an information graphic, you must
make sure that the visual metaphor (i.e., a circle to represent a
whole, as with a pie chart) be clear and logical. Don’t get so caught
up in being clever that you make illogical comparisons or use
unclear metaphors. In other words, don’t make your readers have to
think too hard to get the point. They’ll appreciate you for it!
Hiring strong visual thinkers and visual editors has become a

priority for all kinds of publications, and many newspapers in par-
ticular have recognized a vested interest in increasing not only the
number of information graphics they publish, but the number of
reporters and editors in the newsroom who can write, edit and
design from a more visual perspective. Good visual editors under-
stand how to articulate ideas graphically, “sell” graphics ideas to
others in the newsroom and understand the journalistic function of
information graphics in storytelling. And, visual editors/reporters
and word editors/reporters who work together can provide an
extremely rich reader service by developing story packages that tap
a variety of storytelling methods.
In the Eyes of an Expert J. FORD HUFFMAN

Deputy Managing
What is your philosophy of visual storytelling? Editor, USA Today
Tell your story in whatever form makes sense.
What was it like to be one of the founding members of the USA

Today staff?
Those were 70-hour weeks in which you couldn’t turn back and
say, wait a minute, putting out a national newspaper is too hard,
As deputy managing edi-
so let’s not do it anymore.
tor, graphics and photog-
raphy, Huffman’s respon-
What was the driving philosophy for graphics reporting at the time sibilities include Page One
in that newsroom? art direction and design.
He was on the committee
I was involved in the overall design during first prototype edi- that developed the first
tions a year before start-up. During the start-up, Managing prototypes of USA Today
Editor for Graphics and Photography Richard Curtis was the in early 1981 and was a
force behind the figures. I believe he saw the possibility that content editor in the Life
section at the start-up in
USA Today could make reading easier for readers by telling September 1982. He was
information visually. It must have worked. The paper averages also on the “New Media
six million readers a day. Task Force” exploring
online platforms for
Gannett in 1984 and
How has graphics reporting at USATodaychanged in the past 20 years? returned to USA Today in
I left six months after the start-up (in 1982) and came back to August 1999. Before
returning to USA Today,
USA Today 17 years later (in 1999) when I believed they would
he was managing editor
have all the kinks worked out. They didn’t. USA Today has the for features, graphics and
reputation for being graphics-minded but after being around photography for the
for 20 years, the product didn’t always reflect the reputation. 40,000-graphic Gannett
Graphics Network, at
There’s been a renewed emphasis on getting back to our roots
Gannett News Service for
but in a more sophisticated way. 13 years. He has visited
more than 50 Gannett
What’s the graphics reporter’s role in the newsroom? What makes newsrooms to advise on
presentation and content,
for a strong graphics reporter? including Gannett’s
Everything that makes a good reporter of any kind: curiosity, Military Times newspa-
varied interests, writing skills, creativity, math skills and the pers, which were
redesigned in 1999.
ability to find facts even when they’re not obvious. Plus? A
strong visual sense.
What’s the greatest challenge most often faced bygraphics reporters?

1. Working with staffers who believe graphics are what you do if
the story comes up short or the layout needs brightening.
2. Time, space, execution. But every news staffer has the same
foes. So, just do it!
Can you offer some tips for spotting graphics potential in a story?
Think of the graphic as a visual sidebar.
Think of a graphic as the place for context.
Then find the hints in the copy: numbers, totals, comparisons
and trends.
What are some of the most common mistakes made by graphics

reporters?
Not seeing themselves as equal players in the newsroom. Being
afraid to edit.
How do you recommend training “word” people to be better visual

editors for graphics?
Tell them about context. Graphics are just visual context. They
explain your story and they allow your story to be free of lots of
mindless numbers. If you get the numbers out of your story,
there’s more room for poetry.
Who do you think are among the best newspaper and magazine
graphics staffs? In other words, who’s doing it well; who’s leading
the way?
Anybody who thinks of an idea, who gets that idea into the
paper, who gets one more reader to understand one more story:
These are my heroes, whether they’re at a major metro or at a
community daily.
Could you offer five tips to all graphics reporters?

1. There are figures to be found. Keep asking. Use resources,
such as the library. Dealing with a graphic-less reporter? Ask
the reporter how he can write about a trend if there are no sta-
tistics to back up that trend.
2. Graphics give context to content.

3. The best graphics are the concise ones. I learned that from
John Monahan (formerly at Gannett News Service and The
Associated Press).
4. Readers look at the graphic before they look at the story.
Stories accompany graphics, and not vice versa. Make sure the
graphic is written well. Edit needless words.
5. The best writer-reporters are the ones, in my experience, who
also are most concerned about telling part of their stories visu-
ally, via graphics.
Chapter One Exercise

Read the story that follows and then complete the provided
graphics potential analysis form. Search for visual cues in the story and
answer the questions provided on the form to help develop a visual
focus for the story package.
Public schools across the country face an ironic dilemma.

On one hand, principals and superintendents are being forced
to allow classroom sizes to increase as a result of cutbacks in tax
dollars for teachers’ pay and educational materials, causing
some classrooms to reach enrollments of 30, sometimes 40 stu-
dents per teacher. On the other hand, these same principals
and teachers often blame larger classroom sizes as one of the
leading obstacles to giving individual students the attention
they need to pass their classes.
One fairly recent answer to this problem has been the cre-
ation of alternative school classrooms, geared to assist students
who are falling between the cracks, so to speak, because of
behavioral problems or learning disabilities. Most alternative
classrooms cut the student/teacher ratio down to 10 to one, giv-
ing teachers the opportunity to spend more time with each stu-
dent and students the opportunity to receive more intense
tutoring in the courses with which they struggle.
Bill Jones, the principal of Market Elementary School, says
many of his teachers face class sizes of 40-45 students. “It’s not
fair to any of the kids, or the teachers for that matter,” he said.
“But, schools everywhere have a hard time fighting it when they

can’t pay enough teachers to even out the numbers.”
Yet, in spite of the increasing demand for alternative
schools, if push comes to shove, they may be the first programs
to go if the schools aren’t given specific financial support to keep
them alive.
Aside from a few small grants from large foundations dedi-
cated to advances in education, little to no financial support
exists for schools that want to create alternative classrooms. Now,
those schools are forced to devote a considerable amount of
money from their general funds each semester to pay for them.
Furthermore, if school districts don’t perform well enough
on the new yearly tests mandated by President Bush’s education
package passed late last year, they risk losing the federal tax dol-
lars they already receive.
According to Delta High School alternative school teacher
Brad Himes, smaller classrooms often deter students from mis-
behaving. “In the alternative school, there’s no audience for stu-
dents who don’t want to follow the rules,” he said. “Kids who
cause trouble often do so because they are looking for attention.
In my classroom, they’re already getting more attention than
they know what to do with.”
However, as Indiana schools take steps to implement
reform measures outlined in Bush’s plan, many principals and
superintendents are left wondering how to pay for programs
that address their most pressing issues. Add to that Bush’s com-
mitment to a $1.6 trillion tax cut and war in the Middle East,
and these same principals begin to question what kind of a
future alternative education will have.
Patrick Mapes, Delta High School principal, has devoted a
great deal of his school’s time and money to building an alterna-
tive classroom that serves 28 students at a time, 14 in a morning
session and 14 in the afternoon. He says the alternative class-
room is absolutely essential to ensuring the best opportunity of
graduation for many of his students.
“There are enough kids who have trouble succeeding in the
traditional classroom to make this a priority,” he said.
“Some of them have gotten so far behind that they have to be

given special attention. Some have kids of their own and are
struggling to support them. Without the alternative school, they
likely would not make it.”
For Jim Smith, an 18-year-old junior from Delaware County,
the alternative school was a second chance to graduate on time.
“I came here to see what it’s like to get away from people…to be
less distracted,” he said. “I wanted out of my school because I
am way too distracted and couldn’t or didn’t want to learn any-
thing. I’m in trouble. Here, it is easier to stay out of trouble and
keep on task.”
According to U.S. Department of Education statistics, of the
country’s 14,859 school districts, 5,800 sponsor an alternative
school program, and those numbers continue to grow each year.
Delaware and Randolph counties are not the only school
systems in the state or the country using alternative classrooms
to reach struggling students. In 2002, the Indiana Council of
Administrators of Special Education reported that five to 15 per-
cent of students in Indiana are considered “at-risk” because
they have trouble succeeding in a regular classroom, and “many
of these students require special, individual intervention.”
This trend is also reflected nationwide. In its 2001 statistical
analysis report, 85 percent of the school systems in the United
States that reported sponsoring an alternative school cited large
classroom sizes as one of the leading factors that make the alter-
native classrooms necessary.
Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia are just a few of the
nation’s larger cities whose school systems have opted to pay for
alternative schools as a way to retain students without jeopar-
dizing the quality of their education.
When asked what will happen to alternative schools if the
question of how to pay for them isn’t addressed soon, Mapes’
answer is simple: “They’ll be cut. Math, science and social studies
won’t go. Of course they won’t,” he added. “If you have to start
looking for ways to cut back, it’s the extras that will go, like the
gifted and talented programs and the alternative schools.”
Himes says he, too, is worried about where the money needed
to pay his salary and support the program will come from.
However, he’s a bit more optimistic about the community’s
commitment to keep the programs going.
He says that because Bush’s plan stresses increased gradua-
tion rates, schools will need alternative schools even more.
“Realistically, I don’t worry about there not being a need for
alternative schools,” he said. “It’s not the trend. Society knows
that it has to find a way to keep these kids in school, and it will.”
Still, Himes admits that these programs could fail, even in
the face of high demand. “These programs could fall apart due
to the financial dynamics. But I have to believe that because
there’s such a huge need, society will find a way to make it work.”
Graphics Potential Packaging Form

USE THIS FORM to help determine the graphics potential for news, features or sports stories. Answer the following ques-
tions to find the visual focus for a story package, and fill in the requested information to help brainstorm ideas for your
graphics strategy.
STORY NAME: _______________________________ PUBLICATION: _____________________________
GRAPHICS POTENTIAL
What are the three most important points of this story? Why should the reader care?
a.
b.
c.
What are some possible headlines for this story?

a.
b.
c.
Does the story refer to comparisons, breakdowns, trends, how to, how much, numbers, a time series or other concepts
that can be illustrated? If so, outline the key points of those references.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
GRAPHICS STRATEGY
Check the types of graphics that apply to your story, and give a short, one-sentence description of how:
Pie chart: ______________________________________________________________________________
Bar chart: _____________________________________________________________________________
Fever/Line chart: ________________________________________________________________________
Table: ________________________________________________________________________________
Timeline: ______________________________________________________________________________
Diagram: ______________________________________________________________________________
Map: _________________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER
TWO
Multimedia Storytelling: How
Different Media Use Graphics
Print publications such as newspapers and magazines have, in many ways,
pioneered the field of information graphics reporting. And, as technology and
software continue to improve, so do the methods graphics reporters use to cre-
ate visual story packages. In recent years, information graphics have begun to
evolve beyond the traditional print format, as newspapers, television stations
and other news organizations have begun to make better use of the multimedia
storytelling capabilities of the Web. Additionally, with improvements in 3D and
animation graphics software, such as Newtek Lightwave and Macromedia Flash,
information graphics for broadcast, Web and even print have become more
visually rich and realistic.
Regardless of the format, many of the basic rules for creating effective infor-
mation graphics remain unchanged. Subsequent chapters will address these
principles and combine them with more detailed descriptions of the various
types of information graphics used in news reporting. However, before we go
there, it’s important to address some of the driving philosophies behind how dif-
ferent media use information graphics in news coverage. Obviously, some fun-
damental differences do exist. After all, an information graphic in a newspaper
isn’t likely to start dancing and spinning around the page, but this is a distinct
possibility for broadcast or Web graphics.
The ways in which the audience consumes and navigates an information
graphic is different depending on what form the delivery mechanism takes (i.e.,
newspapers, Web sites, TV broadcasts). And, in an industry saturated with talk of
23
media convergence and cross-platform partnerships, it’s increasingly

important for graphics reporters to understand these differences. In
fact, a number of agencies are beginning to employ graphics
reporters who are able to create graphics for print, Web and broad-
cast, and knowing the different software programs is only half the
battle. Becoming a well-rounded graphics reporter also means
understanding the driving philosophies behind graphics reporting
for each media format and then knowing how to apply the appropri-
ate software and basic graphics knowledge to each.
All types of journalists frequently talk about defining the audi-
ence as a means for determining the proper presentation approach
for a story. Of course, when you’re talking about mass media, you’re
essentially targeting all people in a given community or society with
your publication. But, as journalists, we know that some stories are
more interesting to certain types of people based on location, sex,
race, age, culture, community or other demographic characteristics.
And, different types of people may engage with the media differently
depending on some of those characteristics. Likewise, while print,
broadcast or online media generally target the same individuals
with their news content, the ways in which those individuals navi-
gate and consume different types of media are varied primarily
because the nature of each format is quite different. Thus, recogniz-
ing the strengths and weaknesses of a particular format, as well as
defining the ways in which a consumer will generally engage with it,
is essential to developing an effective information graphic.
Print Graphics & News Coverage

For years, information graphics have played a significant role in
journalistic storytelling for newspapers, magazines and other print
publications. Charts, diagrams and maps provide print journalists
with an opportunity to enhance traditional story packages with
graphics that serve both a visual and explanatory function.
Information graphics, such as simple charts and maps, are often
more space efficient and more quickly understood at a glance than
the written word. And, although photographs are often most effec-
tive at capturing a moment, an information graphic is better suited
for serving as a visual play-by-play of an event. When used in break-
M U LT I M E D I A S T O R Y T E L L I N G : H O W D I F F E R E N T M E D I A U S E G R A P H I C S 25
Perhaps the most

common types of
information graphics
found in print publica-
tions are statistical
charts. Pie, fever and
bar charts provide
journalists with an
effective method for
simplifying compli-
cated information by
using a visual data
metaphor (i.e., a circle
to represent a whole or
variations in length to
represent importance)
to convey a com-
parison, breakdown or
trend. This illustrative
graphic from The
Oregonian uses dia-
grammatic and chart-
based references to
present a number of
complicated statistical
facts in a simple,
easy-to-read and
understand format.
Graphic by Derrik Quenzer.

Copyrighted The Oregonian. All
ing news coverage, information graphics can often take us where

photos cannot and explain events when words are insufficient. In
fact, coverage of breaking news events such as the Columbine
(Colorado) High School shootings (1999), the tragic deaths of public
figures such as Princess Diana (1997) or John Kennedy Jr. (1999) or
major air disasters like the crash of Airbus A300 (2001) in New York or
the Concorde Jet in Paris (2000) is, in many ways, driven by visual
devices. The presentation of photographs and information graphics
can both convey the impact and importance of a story, as well as
relay a more immediate degree of emotion than other forms of sto-
rytelling. And, graphics in particular can serve a significant
explanatory function for stories that require an efficient account of
GRAPHICS SOFTWARE moment-by-moment details of how a particular event unfolded.
However well planned, an effective information graphic does
Adobe Illustrator and
Macromedia FreeHand not make itself. Even the simplest of charts can take a great deal of
Illustrator and FreeHand time and planning on the part of a graphics reporter, particularly if
are powerful illustration there are a great deal of numbers or statistical data that need care-
programs. Vector graphic
ful analysis and understanding prior to determining the presenta-
programs, Illustrator and
FreeHand equip graphics tion method. Additionally, print journalists are often under
reporters with a tool for extremely tight deadlines, especially in breaking news situations,
creating extremely rich and it’s not always possible to create the most highly illustrative,
and highly textured illus-
highly detailed graphics on daily deadlines. Thus, graphics
trations, as well as easily
and efficiently plotting reporters must balance time and talent with the amount of visual
numbers and statistics to detail they are able to put into a graphic.
automatically create a Print graphics reporters must also always remember that one
number of simple charts.
Vector graphics are made slight and even unintentional distortion of the information not only
up of many individual renders the graphic completely useless, but also renders the reader
objects. Each of these thoroughly confused and misled as well. Furthermore, when editing
objects can be defined by a graphic after it has been created, a copy editor may not always
mathematical state-
ments and has individual know that a numerical or illustrative mistake has been made. They
properties assigned to it are, in fact, difficult to detect if the original information from which
such as color, fill and out- the graphic was developed isn’t readily available. The deadline struc-
line. Illustrator and ture alone of most newsrooms may not lend itself to a thorough
FreeHand allow you to
create graphics that are review of all of that information in conjunction with the copy-editing
resolution independent process. Thus, graphics can be easily distorted and consequently
because they can be out- can become a burden to the story instead of an asset. Graphics
put to the highest quality
reporters must always make sure they understand the information at
at any scale.
hand before attempting to synthesize it into graphic form for read-
ers, and then take care to develop the organization of information in

Newspapers some-
times allocate as
a way that promotes understanding rather than confusion.
much space to graphics
The layout of a print graphic can also impact the audience’s
as they would a primary
ability to clearly understand the information. In Western culture, story. When Millennium
we have been trained to read from left to right, top to bottom when Park first opened to the
we interact with a print publication, and readers generally follow public, the Chicago
this pattern when visually navigating information graphics as well. Tribune ran this map/
In fact, because this pattern is so embedded in our natural reading diagram on two full
habits, a strong print graphic is one for which the organization of broadsheet pages.
Graphic by Phil Geib, Chris Soprych and
elements complements this natural eye movement. Additionally, a Dino Muñoz. Copyrighted 7/15/2004,
reader will often enter a graphic through the most eye-catching por- Chicago Tribune Company. All rights
reserved. Used with permission.
GRAPHICS SOFTWARE tion, which is usually the illustration or visual data metaphor. Thus,
the placement of elements in relation to one another is extremely
Newtek Lightwave
and Strata influential in terms of what order and path the reader will take in
Best known for their use reading the graphic and textual elements. (Chapter Five, “Designing
in the creation of 3D Information Graphics,” will address the specifics of this concept for
video game graphics, all types of graphics in greater detail.)
Lightwave and Strata are
tools for illustrating and Likewise, print graphics reporters must also consider how their
modeling 3D imagery. graphics will be presented in conjunction with the other story ele-
Print graphics reporters ments on a page. Although more and more, some newspapers and
began experimenting with
magazines are allowing information graphics to serve as independent
3D software in the late
1990s as a method for story forms, more often than not, print graphics appear together with
creating richer, more real- other story elements, such as written stories, photographs, head-
istic looking newspaper lines and other kinds of display type. Therefore, a graphics reporter
and magazine graphics.
must understand that a reader’s navigation of a print graphic will
Lightwave and Strata also
include animation func- also be affected by the context in which it is presented. Graphics
tions that allow a graphics could be secondary visual elements in a news package or dominant
reporter to put 3D illus- visual elements, and depending on how much visual weight a
tration models into full
graphic holds on a page, it may be one of the first elements a reader
motion for the Web and
broadcast. The produc- is attracted to. Thus, all graphics must be written and designed to
tion process is lengthened stand alone, regardless of whether they will appear alone or within
quite a bit when 3D soft- a story package. Readers should come away from a graphic with a
ware is used because the
rendering process (com- clearer understanding of what the story is about. They should not
manding the program to come away from a graphic feeling more confused or asking more
convert an illustration questions than they did before they started. Finally, space is defi-
from its original vector- nitely a hot commodity in newspapers and other types of print pub-
based model to the final
3D image) can be quite lications. Thus, print graphics reporters must always be aware of
time-consuming. the amount of space available for their graphics. There is a fine line
between trying to cram too much information into too small a space
and not providing the reader with enough valuable information in
too large a space. Balancing these concepts in graphics reporting
isn’t always easy. But, a space-efficient graphic is one that presents
the most amount of information in the most organized manner in
the least amount of space.
Sept. 11, 2001: A Case Study

Undoubtedly the single, most shocking news event to happen
on American soil, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, immediate-
ly represented a profound challenge for print publications around

the world. American journalists, in particular, were at once trying to
cope with the devastation of the attacks, as well as serve their read-
ers and provide accurate, in-depth coverage of the news as it devel-
oped for days after the attacks. Hundreds of maps of the cities under
attack and the routes of the crashed planes, diagrams of the Twin
Towers and Pentagon buildings and time lines of the days leading up
to and on 9/11 were created by hundreds of newspapers and maga-
zines as a method for helping readers understand what happened.
However, perhaps the most effective and impressive of these were
the information graphics developed by The New York Times just one
day after the attacks. Awarded “Best of Show” among more than
14,000 entries in the 2001 Society for News Design (SND) annual con- GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
test, The New York Times’ attack graphics provided readers with an Adobe Photoshop
incredible amount of detail and clarity at a time when New Yorkers – Photoshop is a design and
Times graphics reporters included – and Americans were desperately digital imaging program.
Graphics reporters often
trying to make sense of what had happened. In the twenty-third edi- use Photoshop as an illus-
tion of The Best of Newspaper Design, SND contest judges wrote, “The tration tool when they are
work was done under stress and personal hardship but stands on its seeking a richer, photo-
own merits.… The newspaper’s graphics offered a wealth of useful quality appearance for
their graphics. Photoshop
information to its readers. Each graphic was a powerful tool and ful- is a raster program,
filled the reader’s need for updated information about downtown meaning it constructs
Manhattan following the tragic events of 9/11.” what you see by using pix-
els. When you enlarge
The New York Times’ 9/11 graphics coverage chronicled the dam-
the picture, the pixels, or
age and destruction around the World Trade Center. Maps offered dots, get larger as well,
locations of medical and civic services and time lines of the simulta- and you risk losing sharp
neous flight paths of the four planes. Diagrams provided informa- edges. Thus, it is best to
make the illustration the
tion about where companies were located on each floor of the Twin
exact size you plan to run
Towers and how many people were killed on each, as well as how and because you will be limit-
why the towers collapsed, why excavating the site was so difficult and ed in how much sizing
the extent of damage to surrounding buildings. All of this informa- you can actually do. It is
also not advised to set
tion was presented within days of the attacks. And, later, as more
type in Photoshop
information became available, the newspaper continued to offer because it will be less crisp
tightly edited but extremely comprehensive graphics showing the in a pixel format. Rather,
sequence of events that led to the collapse of the towers and the set the type for the
graphic in either a vector
change in the New York landscape after the dust had cleared. program or a page design
These graphics are a haunting, yet impressive example of how program, such as In-
information graphics in print news coverage not only advance sto- Design or QuarkXPress.
Copyrighted, the New

York Times. All rights
reserved. Used with
permission.
Just days after the 9/11 attacks, this New York Times’ graphic
diagrammed the World Trade Center towers and explained how the
buildings collapsed, even though they were built to withstand such an
attack. These diagrams provided context for the devastating results
of the attacks.
rytelling capabilities, but also in many cases, serve as the best way
to tell a dramatic story with such far-reaching implications for a
nation and a culture.
Digital Media Formats: GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

Macromedia Flash
Animation & Interactivity Flash is primarily used for
animating information
The same foundational concepts graphics reporters apply to
graphics that have already
print are applied to online graphics. Of course, they should be well been created using another
illustrated, visually and textually accurate, overly researched, well illustration software pro-
written (if text is a factor) and should promote enhanced under- gram like Illustrator,
FreeHand or Photoshop.
standing. However, the difference between the print and online
Based on ActionScript lan-
interface is such that two additional aspects of online graphics guage, Flash makes it pos-
should be considered: animation and interactivity. These two very sible for graphics reporters
significant concepts fundamentally change the ways in which a or multimedia developers
to create onscreen envi-
consumer engages with and navigates through an information
ronments that can
graphic, and subsequently introduce a few new and different chal- respond to user input
lenges for information graphics reporters. Thus, a strong, well- through the keyboard or
versed graphics reporter for online media understands how to effec- mouse. Thus, ActionScript
is an object-oriented pro-
tively combine the basic principles of the different types of informa-
gramming language that
tion graphics (addressed in detail in the following chapters) to ani- can facilitate the creation
mated, interactive storytelling methods. of animated and interac-
One of the great challenges graphics reporters of print media tive information graphics
because it is an event-
face is how to illustrate and convey action when the medium is based language. In other
inanimate. Newspaper and magazine graphics reporters, for exam- words, Flash allows a
ple, often strive to efficiently and effectively convey progression, graphics reporter the
motion and dramatic action armed only with a few common visual chance to develop a
graphic that animates,
metaphors for those concepts such as arrows, numbers or rhythmic changes or can be navigat-
organization and directional lines. However, due to developments ed when a user clicks on or
in animation software and the efforts of a number of news and rolls over a certain spot.
GRAPHICS TIPS newspaper Web sites to enrich the dissemination of information via
the Internet, information graphics continue to evolve. Now, when
Think Inverted Pyramid:
Every graphic should fol- the illustration of movement, action and progression is essential to
low a logical pattern; it the audience’s ability to form a clear understanding of a particular
should have a beginning, story, graphics reporters have the opportunity to develop visuals
middle and end. When
that do, in fact, represent true visual motion.
developing a graphic, con-
sider the organization and Thus, animated graphics often represent a truer depiction of
flow to determine how a how something really has happened or is expected to happen.
reader will visually navi- Animation permits us to actually show a rise or a fall. It provides us
gate the information.
with an opportunity to both isolate steps in a process and illustrate
Find strong visual and textual a progression in real time. Finally, animated graphics have
reference material: The
enhanced a journalist’s ability to convey action in a story, which is
most effective graphics
reporters keep source files often more engaging, more dramatic and more direct than a static
just like any other print graphic.
reporter. Keep a list of However, like any technology, animated graphics are not perfect.
people (doctors, mechan-
ics, scientists, professors, In fact, as is the case with any illustration technique, design effect or
etc.) who are willing to visually graphic treatment of information, early use of animation soft-
help you when you have a ware in graphics reporting has at times been overused. It is extreme-
question about a graphic ly important for all graphic journalists to understand that the techno-
you are working on. Keep
handy a core set of refer- logical ability to implement a visual effect should not be equated with
ence books (maps, ency- free license to use it. In fact, an effective graphics reporter knows
clopedias, etc.). Develop a when to show restraint where animation is concerned. The decision
list of trustworthy Web to animate must be preceded by a carefully scripted plan for the pac-
sites on common topics.
Conduct your own inter- ing of the graphic through the creation of a storyboard that represents
views, visit the scene, a fluid and concise play-by-play of the action. Storyboarding is com-
make sketches and take mon in other forms of live motion storytelling, such as film and tele-
your own photos and
vision, and a well-directed storyboard can help lead to a clear and
measurements when the
story allows for it. tightly edited information graphic.
Animation also introduces a more complicated technological
Understand the info.: Make
sure you understand the challenge. Illustration software programs, such as Macromedia
information before you try FreeHand and Adobe Illustrator, while extremely rich and complex,
to explain it. One com- have relatively shallow learning curves compared to animation pro-
mon cause for inaccuracy
grams such as Macromedia Flash. Of course, the more illustratively
in a graphic is a reporter
who doesn’t get it. complicated the print graphic, the more time it will take to develop.
However, animated graphics not only require the same amount of
Compare apples to apples: Your
job is to simplify complicated time and attention during the illustration process, but they demand
information, not bog it a great degree of technical savvy when the time comes to make
down in more complexity. them actually move. Animation programs in general are a bit deeper
and more complex than other types of illustration software. Thus, GRAPHICS TIPS
creating an effective animated graphic generally takes more time
Understand the context:
and more software knowledge than creating print graphics. Find out what purpose
Additionally, animation for online graphics is generally accom- the visual device serves in
panied by a degree of interactivity uncommon in any other form of the audience’s under-
standing of the informa-
graphic storytelling. The nature of the Internet is such that the read-
tion. When planning and
ing experience can and should be non-linear. In other words, while creating the graphic,
print media – such as newspapers and magazines – generally pro- make sure the context is
mote a linear engagement in which the audience reads a story or plain and easy for your
audience to grasp.
visual package in a predetermined order (beginning, middle, end),
the online format allows the audience the opportunity to choose the Articulate the purpose:
Some graphics serve as
order in which they will engage with information. Online readers
representations of real
have a greater amount of control over the pace and order in which objects, such as building
they receive information. And, because of the non-linear nature of diagrams or land maps.
online storytelling, a graphics reporter cannot assume that the audi- Others illustrate more
conceptual ideas, such as
ence will engage with certain portions of a graphic in any certain inflation, stock prices or
order. Of course, a graphic that provides a step-by-step progression company mergers.
of information will often require a linear presentation. However, Decide what you want
interactive graphics that the audience gets to pick and choose, click your audience to learn
from your graphic, and
and navigate in a random fashion must be planned and written to express its purpose in five
stand alone. In other words, the graphics reporter must assume that words or less.
all portions of text are read independent of one another, changing Avoid art for art’s sake: In
the rules for how to make references to individuals or parts of an other words, make sure
event. For example, if a person is referred to in one chunk of text that you hang as much
and then again on a separate page of the graphic presentation, he or information (whether that
be in the form of text or
she must be referenced by first and last name on both occasions audio) from the main illus-
because you cannot guarantee the order in which the text will be tration. The visuals should
encountered. Thus, the most effective online graphics are those work in concert with any
explanatory elements.
presented in a manner that promotes a high degree of interactivity
while at the same time observing a clear and logical organization Movement can be great, but
use it wisely: Make things
with attention to the variety of ways different online readers may
grow or shrink in propor-
choose to engage with the content. tion to the actual time
For example, if a graphic’s focus is to show how to do something that correlates with it.
in a step-by-step fashion, the audience members should be permit- Avoid animation that
lacks an explanatory pur-
ted to click through each step at their own pace. If a graphic is meant
pose. Make sure anima-
to show various aspects of a particular situation or event, and order tions are clear, logical and
is not a key factor, the audience should be able to decide which easy to follow.
aspect they will engage with first, second, third, etc. If the informa-
This MSNBC.com
narrative graphic pro-
vides a simple explana-
tion of Enron’s dramatic
rise and fall. Diagrams,
detailed illustrations and
rich audio commentary
offer a thorough
description of Enron’s
demise, from failed busi-
ness plans to who and
what was to blame.
Sun-Sentinel
graphic
copyrighted This Sun-Sentinel
South Florida
Sun-Sentinel. All graphic simulates the
rights reserved.
Used with
actual voting process
permission. for readers about to
use new, touch-screen
voting machines. The
cursor becomes a hand,
and the reader can
complete a full ballot
online to practice using
the new machines.
This MSNBC.com
explorative graphic
explains the conflict
between India and
Pakistan and creates a
highly immersive
experience. This
graphic is designed in
three layers, and the
audience can choose
the order and pace to
engage the content.
This MSNBC.com
instructive graphic
explains how tornados are
formed by letting the
audience sequentially
click through the infor-
mation, one step at a
time. By clicking the
“next” or “back” buttons,
the audience controls the
pacing of the navigation.
India-Pakistan, Enron, Tornado graphics

copyrighted MSNBC.com. All rights
tion presented in an online graphic is complicated and complex, the

audience should be given multiple methods for accessing the same
GRAPHICS TIPS
information in a single graphic, and each method of entry should
Have someone else look at
enhance their ability to make sense of the information on different your graphic as you are
levels. In essence, these examples illustrate the full potential of the developing it: We some-
Web as a graphic medium, and graphics reporters should take full times have a tendency to
advantage of its capabilities. Animation that provides a reader with overlook confusing or
missing information
a passive viewing experience – pure animation with no interactivity because we become so
– is less engaging online and will likely be less effective in keeping the familiar with a topic that it
audience’s interest and attention. In a nutshell, online graphics not just seems obvious to us.
only carry the same illustrative and organizational challenges as But, what is obvious to the
graphics reporter who is
print graphics, but these challenges are essentially intensified by ani- extremely entrenched in
mation and interactivity. the topic may not be so
Additionally, while online graphics are similar to print in that obvious to an audience
that is encountering it for
they generally come in the form of diagrams, charts, maps, etc.,
the first time.
interactive graphics are categorized a bit more specifically. Four
Edit, edit, edit: Apply a great
main types of interactives exist: narratives, instructives, exploratives
deal of scrutiny to both the
and simulatives. In 2003, Maish Nichani and Venkat Rajamanickam visuals and the explanatory
provided a thorough and concise definition for each in an article portions of the graphic.
titled “Interactive Visual Explainers: A Simple Classification” on Your graphic is tight, easy
to follow and full of valu-
elearningpost.com. They explained that the object of a narrative is
able information.
“to explain by giving the reader a vicarious experience of the intent
through a story.” In other words, a narrative involves very little inter-

activity and is more closely related to a television broadcast in that it
provides a relatively passive viewing experience. Strong narrative
graphics are those that combine interesting audio voice-over with
graphic depth and rich animation. An instructive should “explain by
enabling the reader to sequentially step through the intent.” Thus,
instructive graphics are highly immersive in that they provide the
reader with a chance to click through the steps of a process.
Exploratives “give the reader an opportunity to explore and discover
the intent.” Like instructives, exploratives are also highly interactive,
however, the main difference is that exploratives tend to be a bit
deeper and may include multiple illustrations, audio and video clips,
photo slide shows, etc., in a single graphics package. The non-linear-
ity of exploratives is generally very strong, as these types of interac-
tives often have several topical points of entry. Finally, simulatives
“enable the user to experience the intent” and are usually a represen-
tation of some kind of real world phenomenon. Simulative graphics
are also highly immersive in that they are meant to simulate an expe-
rience as closely as possible. Thus, the planning process for online
graphics not only includes consideration for the type of data
metaphor (i.e., chart, map, diagram, etc.), but it requires that a
graphics reporter determine what form the actual storytelling
approach should be for a particular set of information and what is
the most effective approach to animation and interactivity.
Broadcast graphics share many of the same qualities as online
graphics, such as animation potential and illustration challenges,
with one major difference. For now – at least until interactive televi-
sion is fully developed – broadcast graphics are generally comprised
of straight, beginning-to-end narrative animation or static graphic
imagery accompanied by audio explanations. And, like television in
general, broadcast graphics represent a more passive viewing expe-
rience than Web graphics, due to a much lower level of interactivity.
Yet, statistical displays and explanatory diagrams can often
greatly enhance a news broadcast by taking the viewer where video
cameras cannot. In particular, maps have served an extremely
important function in broadcast news reporting for stories related
to weather, global and national politics and war, and the integration
of maps into the presentation of broadcast news often greatly
enhances the audience’s ability to conceptualize and understand

the importance and impact of a related story. Like information
graphics produced for the Web, broadcast graphics are often ani-
mated, providing viewers with a more realistic graphic representa-
tion of the information at hand. Additionally, due to developments
in 3D illustration software, broadcast graphics are often illustrated
with a degree of texture and depth that also presents an extremely
realistic visual quality. Add to that the potential to mix broadcast
graphics with rich audio and vivid, dynamic video clips, and you are
faced with a highly engaging platform for the presentation of infor-
mation graphics.
MSNBC.com: A Case Study

Truly pioneers in the multimedia graphics explosion, graphics
reporters at MSNBC.com are well versed in the capabilities of online
media. In fact, graphics have become an extremely prominent form of
storytelling on the Web site, and multimedia stories are often accom-
panied by narrative, explorative, simulative and instructive graphics
on a regular basis. Graphics showcased on MSNBC.com take users
beyond static text and images, providing highly immersive experi-
ences. MSNBC.com graphics are often developed using 3D software,
and some also incorporate audio and even video clips as well.
Known for its commitment to providing in-depth coverage of
complex stories in multimedia formats, MSNBC.com is responsible
for a number of highly detailed and dynamic multimedia graphics
packages. In 2004, for example, the site showcased an incredibly
deep explorative graphic titled, “Unfinished Business: The India-
Pakistan Rivalry.” A truly multilayered graphic, MSNBC.com’s
account of this politically charged conflict offers two interactive
maps, one that chronicles the fight for Kashmir from 1947 to the
present and one that explains the intense military standoff between
India and Pakistan, as well as a detailed interactive description of
the nuclear weapons possessed by each country. The non-linearity
of the package puts the user in control of the information-gathering
experience, and strong, attractive illustrations are combined with
well-written, tightly edited text. Like many MSNBC.com graphics,
“Unfinished Business: The India-Pakistan Rivalry” is an excellent
example of how multimedia graphics can serve both an informa-

tional and educational function. The CD-ROM that accompanies
this text contains a number of interactive graphics for you to review.
Information Graphics
& Convergence
Convergence, one of the most prominent buzzwords in mass
media in the early Twenty-first Century, refers to partnerships
between and among various types of media organizations, such as
newspapers, Web sites and broadcast news stations. Some media
partnerships are a result of a common owner, such as the Media
General conglomerate in Tampa, Florida, which consists of The
Tampa Tribune, NBC Channel 8 news (WFLA) and tbo.com. All
three organizations reside in the same building and share content
and staff for news coverage. Other partnerships exist between sep-
arately owned organizations, such as the one between the Miami
Herald owned by Knight-Ridder Inc. and CBS Channel 4 news
(WFOR), owned by Viacom, who agree to share some content and
generally promote each other’s products within their own news cov-
erage. Regardless of the organizational agreement, however, con-
vergence presents a great opportunity for the development of infor-
mation graphics for a single story across platforms.
This chapter has already outlined the strengths and weaknesses
of graphical presentation in each of these types of media formats,
and consequently, each of the platforms – print, online and televi-
sion – the potential to serve different types of stories and different
types of graphics at varying levels of effectiveness. A newspaper
graphic, for example, may be better suited for showing graphics that
are a bit heavier in text or graphics that provide greater visual context
for an accompanying story. Web and television graphics may be
more effective in showing the sequence of an event or the action
attached to a graphic due to the potential for live animation. And
although a television graphic generally provides the audience with a
more passive experience, a Web graphic engages the user in a more
interactive manner.
Thus, at the heart of convergence in graphics reporting is a
question that graphics reporters have been answering on a much
Multimedia Graphics: A Comparison

Level of audience Method of
interaction explanation Challenges Strengths
Fully animated; least Illustrations are Broadcast news spots are Can combine video and
interactive. The accompanied by audio short. You may only audio with graphic
BROADCAST
audience simply watches voice-overs. have a matter of seconds presentations. Like

GRAPHICS
and listens as the graphic to get to the point. The video, a broadcast
information unfolds. development of 3D and graphic can show an
animation can be time event or process in real
consuming, making it time.
difficult to create
detailed broadcast
graphics on deadline.
Static, one-dimen- Text serves as the Everything for the graphic Graphics can be created
GRAPHICS
sional structure; read- primary explanatory has to fit into one scene. relatively quickly on
PRINT
ing is the interactive element. Motion must be implied deadline.

process through with arrows or other static
which the audience visual symbols. Space is
engages with content. often limited with print
publications.
Greatest animation and Text and audio can be May also be more time Can show action in real
GRAPHICS
interactive potential. combined to serve consuming on deadline. time; has the potential
ONLINE
The audience can explanatory functions. to combine all types of

actually take part in the media, such as text,
physical navigation of illustration, animation,
the content. video, audio, etc.
smaller scale for years: What method of graphic presentation would

best tell this story? Of course, graphics reporters have always been
equipped with a multitude of ways to tell a story. And, graphics
reporters at print publications have been asking this question for
years as they work to determine what kinds of information graphics
best serve the stories they accompany and the audience who sees
them. Convergence simply puts a broader spin on the question
above, while at the same time providing graphics reporters with
additional options when formulating the answer. Instead of having
to rely only on print graphics to accompany newspaper stories, for
example, print graphics reporters are increasingly developing inter-
active, animated online graphics for their respective Web sites to
support written stories in the paper.
The New York Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, The

Washington Post and others frequently publish graphics for both
print and the Web to support news coverage. Likewise, partnerships
between newspapers and television news stations have increasingly
involved the development of information graphics for multiple media
formats for a single story. In other words, a single news story – such
as a presidential election – that will be published in a newspaper and
online, as well as broadcast on television, may include a number of
information graphics, some of which are better suited for print, some
for online media and others for broadcast. Thus, a graphics reporter
with convergence in mind should consider what portions of the
graphic story are best told for each format based on the nature of the
story, as well as the relative strengths of each format.
Graphics reporting for multiple media formats can greatly
enhance the storytelling potential for a single story as well as opti-
mize the number of individuals who actually see one or more of the
graphic elements. Creating a graphic for a single news or feature
event for each of the primary formats provides the graphics reporter
with more storytelling power. In other words, the most salient por-
tions of a story can be illustrated in different ways depending on the
media format, and interactivity, animation, video and audio can all
add to a reporter’s ability to emphasize key visual points. At the
same time, multimedia graphics may also have the potential to
reach a greater number of people based on the notion that individ-
uals may prefer one media format to another for obtaining news
and information. For example, avid newspaper readers are more
likely to engage with a newspaper first over other types of media.
Others may be more inclined to obtain the majority of their news
and information via the Internet or on television. And, to make
matters even more interesting, through media partnerships brought
about by convergence, each graphic in a multimedia package can
reference the others, hopefully persuading consumers to engage
with a story or graphic in more than one form. Thus, the strongest
multimedia graphics packages take advantage of both the rich sto-
rytelling potential created by a number of technologies and the
strengthened potential to appeal to a greater number of individuals
through convergence partnerships or a multilayered approach to
graphics reporting.
One Graphic, Three Formats: A Case Study

In 2002, Florida officials tried to sink a decommissioned Navy
ship, called the Spiegel Grove, off the coast of South Florida.
Intended for use as an artificial reef, a mishap left the 5,000-ton ves-
sel upside down and sticking out of the water for more than a week,
creating a huge dilemma for local officials. In a collaborative effort
with CBS Channel 4 news (WFOR), graphics reporters at the Sun-
Sentinel covered the story by developing information graphics for
print, the Web and broadcast. According to Don Wittekind, graph-
ics editor at the paper, a team-based approach to work across media
was implemented for this multimedia project, and graphics were
intended to show how a salvage company brought in to properly re-
sink the vessel was planning to accomplish its goal.
The team consisted of five people, each in charge of one of the fol-
lowing responsibilities: (1) research and reporting and print page pro-
duction; (2) 3D modeling of the Spiegel Grove; (3) animation of the 3D
Spiegel Grove model; (4) Web design for online animation; and (5) video
production and special effects for broadcast. They started by getting the
graphics reporter going on the research with the salvage company, and
the 3D artist working on the model of the ship, Wittekind explained. As
soon as the model was roughed out, a copy was given to the animator
and a render was made for the print product. Although these were not
finished images in any way, they were enough to allow work to continue
on three fronts. Once the text was finalized, this was given to the Web
designer, along with multiple renders of the ship, to allow him to begin
the online animation. When the final render of the ship was ready, they
were able to quickly place it on the print page and into the Web anima-
tion. On the broadcast side, the animation was done, but with an earlier
model of the ship. So, the team had to update the model and render out
the animation. The final step was taking the broadcast render into After
Effects to add the arrows and other special effects.
By making sure that everyone was able to work at the same time, all
three projects were ready for publication on the same day. The Spiegel
Grove project is a phenomenal example of how information graphics
can provide a convergence partnership with an amazing array of
resources for a large audience of newspaper readers, Web users and tel-
evision viewers looking for thorough coverage of a single topic.
Along with the “News

Illustrated” graphic,
the staff also created
an animated graphic
for the news broadcast
on CBS Channel 4, as
well as an interactive
graphic for the Sun-
Sentinel Web site
(below). The animated
broadcast graphic was
accompanied by audio
voice-over providing
explanation, and was
integrated with video
clips that included
interviews with the
company that would
right the Spiegel
Grove and footage of
divers working to get
The interactive
the vessel ready to be
graphic presented on
re-sunk.
the Sun-Sentinel’s
Web site allowed users
to click through the
steps of the re-sinking
process. Each package
referred to the others
to optimize the
number of people
who engaged all three.
The graphics staff at the

Sun-Sentinel is best
known for its weekly
full-page print graphics,
titled “News Illustrated,”
on topics that range
from science and tech-
nology to the War on
Terror. When the
Spiegel Grove incident
occurred, graphics
reporters quickly got to
work creating a full-
page “News Illustrated”
graphic that explained
the debacle and how it
would be corrected.
Sun-Sentinel graphic copyrighted

South Florida Sun-Sentinel. All rights
DON WITTEKIND
Graphics Director,
In the Eyes of an Expert
South Florida How have multimedia graphics evolved at the Sun-Sentinel?
Sun-Sentinel Back in 1996, the Sun-Sentinel was undergoing an overhaul from
a traditional service-based art department to a modern journal-
istic news graphics department. The graphics director who over-
saw this transition, Leavett Biles, believed that a modern graph-
ics department should produce for print, online and broadcast,
and he began hiring with this in mind. I came on board in 1996
Don Wittekind leads a with the stated mission to develop online graphics.
team of 10 multimedia
journalists who produce Our early work, all produced in Macromedia Director, tended to
news and entertainment
be fairly encyclopedic, and generally made minimal use of
packages for print, online
and broadcast distribu- audio and photography. And video (on the Web) was impossi-
tion. A veteran journalist, ble at this time (due to slower dial-up modem speeds). So what
he has also worked for the we produced were basically animated versions of newspaper
Atlanta Journal-Consti-
print graphics. Like their newspaper counterparts, they tended
tution and Melbourne’s
Florida Today in positions to tell only part of the story, and were often meant to accompany
ranging from design to a larger package.
editing to computer sup-
port. He is a 1989 gradu-
ate of the University of Today, thanks to advances in software (Macromedia Flash) and
Central Florida. increased bandwidth, we now incorporate every form of media
into our projects. This has allowed the multimedia component,
which was once an accessory, to become the entire project. If you
look at examples such as “Aids in the Caribbean,” “Haiti: The
Eroding Nation” and “Marine Parks: Below the Surface” (www.sun-
sentinel.com/broadband/theedge), you’ll see that the entire story
is presented in a multimedia manner. And we don’t ignore the text,
either. It’s right there with the audio, video and animations.
How are multimedia graphics viewed/approached at the Sun-

Sentinel? How much prominence do they hold among editors
when discussing news coverage?
Most of our multimedia efforts are extensions of major Sun-
Sentinel print projects. This works for us because we have
ample planning time to make sure the news gatherers know
what we need before they go out. And, because everyone has a
little more time on these kinds of stories, they are more willing
to go beyond their normal duties and collect the multimedia

content we need. The project-based approach is also important
on the production end. Because we have weeks of development
time, we can form a relatively small team (two to three) and
minimize disruption to the print product.
As for prominence, every project we do seems to gain a little

more. Although multimedia was once an afterthought, it’s now
discussed seriously in the earliest planning meetings. This has
actually raised my department’s stress level a little, because
where I once judged each project and decided whether I wanted
to get graphics involved, I no longer have that option. I can now
expect the managing editor to turn to me and say, “So what are
we doing for the multimedia component?” But it is definitely a
positive thing that multimedia is not just accepted, it’s expected.
How do multimedia graphics enhance news coverage?

With every other media, you find yourself working with huge
limitations. With print, you are limited to static text, pictures
and graphics. And, because of tight printing schedules, you’re
often way behind on the big story. With radio and TV, you’ve got
audio and video to help tell the story, but now you only have
seconds to make your point. The depth is too often lost.
With multimedia, you get the best of all worlds. You can offer
the depth of coverage from a print product, and also make use
of the storytelling and explanatory power of animation, video
and interactivity. Now a graphic artist can dump the arrows and
blurs used in print to simulate motion and instead animate
what happened. That’s a powerful tool that can greatly increase
the reader’s understanding. Add to that the ability to seamlessly
integrate photos, video and audio into the narrative, and you
have something unique.
And most important is interactivity. Only on the Web can you

create immersive experiences such as MSNBC.com’s luggage
screening simulator or our own Hunley Simulator and touch-
screen voting graphics. The ability to put the viewer into the
story, rather than show and tell, is in my opinion the most pow-
erful aspect of online storytelling.
What are the most significant differences in developing print, Web

or broadcast graphics?
With print, you have the battle that everything has to fit into one
scene, and you obviously don’t have the benefits of motion or
sound to help you tell the story. And the size of that scene you’re
trying to fit may be large or small, depending on how much space
is available in the paper. The good news is that because you’re
using a limited tool set, you can generally produce very quickly.
With online, your space becomes virtually unlimited, and you

have the ability to section your information off into scenes for
better organization. Add in sound, animation, video and inter-
activity, and the possibilities are endless. The thing to remem-
ber here is that this can translate into a lot of production time.
With broadcast you also have to worry about time, but in this case
we’re talking about the length of your presentation. You still have
video and audio to work with, but you have to get your entire
point across in 20 to 30 seconds. That’s a whole new challenge.
Who do you go to for inspiration? Who else in the industry is

doing it well?
For breaking news multimedia I’m a big fan of elmundo.es.
They have the benefit of a large staff, but the fact is, they explain
difficult subjects in multimedia formats in the same time frame
newspapers are putting it in print. Really impressive.
For project-based graphics I watch MSNBC.com, USA Today

and the New York Times. If I’m just looking for general inspi-
ration, I visit the Society for News Design’s SNDies site
(www.snd.org/sndies/sndies.html) to see their monthly and
annual multimedia graphics contest winners.
Beyond knowing certain software programs, what are some key

skills a multimedia graphics reporter should have? List five tips.
They have to be able to do everything! Here’s the skill set in

order of importance:
1. Research and reporting
2. Art and design
3. Technical skills/software knowledge
Basically, we expect a senior graphics reporter to be able to take

a project from start to finish. This means reporting the subject,
creating the art and designing and producing the print graphic.
And they have to be able to produce the online component, too.
5 TIPS:
1. You are first and foremost a journalist. Never forget that.
2. Get your reporting done first. Too many people rush into
multimedia before they really know what the story is. Let the
content drive you in the right direction.
3. If multimedia doesn’t help you tell the story, don’t use it.
Remember, not every subject needs a multimedia treatment.
4. Don’t trust your first idea. Whether you are working in print, online
or broadcast, the obvious solution is seldom the best. Brainstorm!
5. Integrate your media. The most powerful multimedia seam-
lessly uses different elements to form a narrative. Don’t segregate.
Chapter Two Exercise

Below is a proposed story that your multimedia news organiza-
tion(s) plans to cover. Sketch a graphics package idea that outlines how
a graphic component will be used in the print, online and broadcast
products associated with a convergence partnership.
Your scenario: You work for a media partnership in the Midwest that
includes a newspaper, a news Web site and a broadcast news station.
Winter is fast approaching, and your editors want you to develop a
graphics package that helps people get their cars ready for the icy roads
and cold temperatures to come.
Create a sketch for a print graphic, and storyboards for both an
online graphic and a graphic to be used in a broadcast news report that
explains to the audience(s) how to properly winterize a car. You can
choose the make and model of the car you will use in your graphics.
The graphics package may share some common information, as

key points may need to be repeated. However, it is important that each
graphic provide some unique content so that someone who happens to
read all three graphics doesn’t feel like he or she is simply reading the
same graphic over and over again.
References
Nichani, Maish and Venkat Rajamanickam. “Interactive Visual Explainers – A
Simple Classification.” elearningpost (Sept. 2003). 14 Oct. 2004
<http://www.elearningpost.com/features/archives/002069.asp>.
CHAPTER
THREE
Research & Writing
for Graphics Reporting
Regardless of the outlet or format, good journalistic writing is rarely a spon-
taneous exercise. In fact, in our business, research is often at the center of the
wheel around which a story revolves. Whether your specialty as a journalist is
pictures, text, design or graphics, strong research and writing skills are always
important. Just as a good photographer writes compelling captions for her
images or a successful writer engages in a good deal of in-depth research and
reporting before diving into the story, so too must the dedicated graphics
reporter. If we think of a graphic as a potential story form, then we must also
respect research as an essential part of the process by which a graphic comes to
be. Research provides a reporter with the education he needs to convey informa-
tion with confidence and authority. And evidence of research in a graphic pro-
vides the reader with the proof she needs to assess the validity of a presentation.
Research injects your work with credibility and your byline with respect.
Research Sources for Information Graphics

Graphics reporters often consult the same types of sources for stories as
other journalists. However, it is important to note that graphics reporters may
be looking for both textual and visual reference material for their work. In fact,
graphics reporters rarely engage in an illustration for a graphic without first con-
sulting photos, other illustrations or blueprints developed by credible sources.
And, while artistic skills are certainly important to the trade, so too are a graph-
49
ONSITE REPORTING ics reporter’s ability to spot good visual reference materials and
replicate them for his own graphics. In this regard, graphics
More and more, graph-
ics reporters are reporters may consult a variety of sources and conduct research for
required to leave the both the textual and illustrative pieces of their visual stories.
newsroom and gather Kathleen A. Hansen and Nora Paul (2004) cite four contributors
information from the
for information commonly used by communicators: informal
field. In fact, it is often
more effective for a sources, institutional sources, scholarly sources and journalistic
graphics reporter to sources.1 All four can be extremely valuable to a graphics reporter,
visit the site of a news and understanding how each can contribute to the development of
event and conduct face-
a graphic is important. Additionally, a skilled graphics reporter
to-face interviews with
expert sources just like should be ready to consult books, legal documents, annual reports,
other reporters. Web sites, newspapers, magazines, experts in the field and even tel-
However, because a evision when gathering information for a graphic. With all of these
graphics reporter is
often gathering source potential sources in your arsenal, most graphics should come
material for both the together pretty efficiently.
textual and visual ele- Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes an inexperienced
ments of a graphic, graphics reporter makes is failing to exhaust all of the source options
there are a number of
tools he should bring before throwing in the towel on a project. Thus, it is extremely
along. important that you understand the nature and potential of each pos-
Sketchpad, notebook and sible source of information and how to use them in the context of
pencils: Always be pre- various types of graphics.
pared to take notes and Making good use of informal sources is dependent upon a
sketch the scene. reporter’s ability to monitor and observe her surroundings. In other
Digital camera: Take pic- words, pay attention to what’s going on around you. Hansen and
tures from different Paul write, “Informal sources include observations about audiences,
angles and varying dis-
tances from the area(s) messages, and the environment in which the communicator oper-
of visual interest. ates, as well as networks of supervisors, colleagues, clients, neigh-
Digital images can be bors, and friends the communicator deals with every day.” Informal
read quickly once you
sources can provide a journalist with a great source for story ideas, as
get back to the office,
as well as provide a well as methods for interpreting those stories. In particular, informal
more realistic visual ref- sources can be extremely valuable to a graphics reporter when she is
erence for your scene. on assignment collecting information for a graphic related to a place
Tape measure: In order to or news event. Often, in both breaking news situations and advance
later provide a realistic project-oriented stories, a graphics reporter will be required to get
perspective of a scene,
you may need to know 1 In their 2004 textbook, Behind the Message: Information Strategies for Communicators,
the exact dimensions of
Hansen and Paul provide a thorough analysis of the various types of sources commonly used by
the news site. communicators. The sources they cite have been adopted for this discussion, and definitions
have been modified to better illustrate their usefulness to graphics reporters.
RESEARCH & WRITING FOR GRAPHICS REPORTING 51
out from behind the computer, leave the comforts of

the office and actually visit the site of a story to collect
reference materials to be used for both the visual and
textual elements of a graphic. For example, when a
crazed tourist attacked the Liberty Bell with a sledge-
hammer in Philadelphia in 2000, a graphics reporter
from the Philadelphia Inquirer rushed out to the
Liberty Bell Pavilion to talk with witnesses and sketch
the crime scene.
Institutional sources are generally represented by
social or cultural organizations with particular spe-
cial interests, political positions, professional goals or
governmental roles. Obviously a reporter who writes
has a number of reasons to consult these types of
sources when writing a story, not the least of which is
the fact that very often, news stories are in many ways
driven by or generated by the actions of institutional
sources. Likewise, a savvy graphics reporter should
be aware of the ways in which institutional sources
can provide valuable material for a graphic. For
example, institutional sources are often the founda-
tion for the simplest information graphics, charts and
graphs. In the public sector, sources like the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) provide a plethora of
information about the state of the U.S. economy,
such as inflation and consumer spending, national
wages, earnings and benefits indexes, productivity,
safety and health in the workplace, import and export
indexes, demographic characteristics of the
American labor force and employment and unem-
ployment figures, to name a few. Similarly, the U.S. Graphics reporters
Geological Survey (www.usgs.gov) acts as a federal source for infor- interviewed wit-
mation about natural and living resources, natural hazards and the nesses to determine
environment. The Web site provides a stockpile of data related to the chain of events that
led to an attack on the
regional geology, minerals, water and land, as well as countless geo-
Liberty Bell.
logically focused maps and charts developed through official U.S. Graphic by William Neff and Kevin
geologic surveys. In the private sector, businesses, industry associ- Burkett. Copyrighted Philadelphia
Inquirer. All rights reserved. Used
ations, religious organizations and others can also provide informa- with permission.
When a tragic fire tion that is relevant to graphics. Annual reports, earnings reports,
broke out at a local historical records or organization officials are just a few of the
bar, the Boston Globe resources graphics reporters should consult when dealing with
graphics reporters relied institutional sources.
on video footage shot by Scholarly sources, such as academic institutions or medical and
someone in the bar at the
scientific research centers exist to expand the body of knowledge
time of the fire, as well as
about related topics, and the results of their research are often use-
a member of a band who
had played there once ful to journalists. In particular, scholarly institutions often develop
before to determine the their own information graphics, such as charts, graphs and even
floor plan of the building diagrams as a method of reporting findings. Journalists should be
and create this graphic on aware of the many electronic indexes, databases and search engines
deadline. through which many scholarly reports, abstracts and journals are
Graphic by Peter Demarco, Ed Wiederer, archived, such as Academic Search Premier or Lexis-Nexis.
James Bennett and Joan McLaughlin.
Copyrighted Boston Globe. All rights
Often, journalists rely on what has already been reported about
reserved. Used with permission. a specific topic when developing a foundation for new stories or
angles for coverage. In this regard, journalistic sources, such as

newspapers, magazines, trade publications, television and news
and information Web sites, can be extremely helpful to graphics
reporters. Of course, a good journalist never simply copies anoth-
er’s work. However, a journalist who fails to do some searching for
previous reporting on a given subject could risk breaking one of the
cardinal rules of reporting: tell the reader something new.
Additionally, consulting other media outlets as references for visual
reference material, textual information and ideas about where oth-
ers have gone for information can often help graphics reporters
build new useful graphics. For example, when a tragic bar fire killed
about 100 people during a rock concert, graphics reporters at the
Boston Globe worked to create an information graphic that
explained the disaster in detail. The building had burned to the
ground, and just hours after the fire, survivors and blueprints of the
building were difficult to track down, and city officials weren’t quick
to talk about events that led to the fire while an investigation was
just getting under way. Although Globe reporters had their work cut
out for them, they managed to come up with a few possible sources
for their graphic, including a video shot by one of the concertgoers
that captured the start of the fire and the panic that ensued as a
result. The video was first aired on a local broadcast news station.
Graphics reporters at the Globe obtained the video and watched it
over and over again, hoping it would help determine the layout of
the inside of the bar. Although the video wasn’t their only source, it
certainly helped answer some basic questions about the stage setup
and floor plan.
Although each of these types of sources can often provide
the bulk of information that you may be looking for on any given
topic, stronger stories are those which employ multiple and varying
sources. In other words, don’t settle for one type of source. Consult
all possible sources for each graphic you intend to create. A variety
of sources and more important, multiple sources, add credibility to
your story because it shows the reader you put considerable time
and effort into reporting before you settled on a final graphic.
Additionally, consult multiple sources within each category as well.
A single source on a single topic is rarely enough to confirm its accu-
racy. For example, informal sources can sometimes be tainted by
DOMAIN DEFINITIONS individual opinions or misconceptions. Information from institu-

tional sources can be developed with specific political or cultural
Web sites are partially clas-
sified by the types of agendas, causing them to be one-sided or self-serving. Research
groups that sponsor them. reported by scholarly sources has generally already met certain
Sites are identified by the standards and criteria prior to publication. However, different types
suffix in the domain name.
of research methods are often considered more valid than others.
While these designations
don’t necessarily imply that So, as a graphics reporter, you must make an effort to understand
one is better or more reli- the data and the methods by which researchers arrived there.
able than others, knowing Finally, while journalistic sources have often been pretty thoroughly
what they mean can help
determine the primary researched as well, no single piece of reference material should be
sponsor for the site. taken at face value, and it is always a good idea to double check
.com sites are generally sources for accuracy.
used by commercial
organizations or individu-
als. These domain names
are easy to obtain, and
Sifting Through the Rubble
Whether they are printed sources, electronic sources or people,
graphics reporters should
be careful when using finding the most up-to-date, accurate, credible sources should be
information posted on a every graphics reporter’s first priority when sifting through potential
.com because there is no resources. For example, there are no less than four million Web sites
guarantee the source is
about or that mention breast cancer – four million! And, no doubt,
reputable.
there are likely just as many, if not more, books, periodicals and
.net sites are used by
other printed publications that address breast cancer, as well as
organizations that provide
Internet connection ser- hundreds of thousands of experts on the topic in the United States
vices. Although there are alone. So, how do you know what the most reliable sources are?
no special criteria for reg- While there may be no one good answer to that question, there are
istering for a .net as
opposed to a .com, most some things you can keep in mind when conducting your search
.net sites rarely contain that will help you through the process of elimination.
more generalized infor-
mation. Nonetheless, it is PRINT SOURCES: Books, periodicals, published reports and other
important to make sure
information from a .net is types of printed publications are often great sources of information
accurate and credible. because you can generally rest assured that the information con-
.edu sites are for educa- tained within has either been subject to review as with scholastic
tional institutions, which journals, encyclopedias and journalistic reports or written by
nearly always use the .edu experts in a given area, as is the case with many books. And even
suffix. though the Internet can often provide reporters with easier, quicker
access to information, the library should still be a primary resource
for journalists. However, just because something is printed doesn’t
make it true or accurate. And, even within the realm of printed
work, some sources, primarily those that are subject to peer review
or heavy fact checking, are generally more reputable than others.
Graphics reporters often rely on special topic encyclopedias,
atlases or medical documents for visual and textual reference mate-
rials for their work. For example, aeronautics or automotive encyclo- DOMAIN DEFINITIONS
pedias contain illustrations and diagrams of every type of airplane or .org sites are most often
car ever made. Likewise, atlases and almanacs often include valu- used by non-profit organi-
zations or industry stan-
able sources for maps and charts common to communications
dard groups. Again, it is
graphics. However, when conducting research using printed publi- no more difficult to obtain
cations, consider a few safeguards: (1) Do a background check on the a .org than a .com. So,
author(s) to make sure they are reputable sources on the relative there are no guarantees
that a .org site is more
topic; (2) when consulting annual reports and other publications reputable. Additionally,
submitted by a specific company or organization, scrutinize the because .org sites are
data, double check it against other sources and work to determine more often used by special
whether there is any bias present; (3) make sure the date of publica- interest organizations, you
must be wary of biased or
tion is as recent as possible or that an earlier publication date won’t self-serving information.
affect the accuracy of the information at hand. However, it is generally
safe to say that a .org site
ELECTRONIC SOURCES: When I am conducting research for a graphic is run by a group or
organization with some
or story, I sometimes wonder how I ever survived without the degree of knowledge
Internet! With search engines like Lycos, Google and Yahoo!, you can about the topic.
simply type in the word or topic you are interested in, and, voilå, .gov and .mil sites are sanc-
hundreds of potential sources at your fingertips! However, it’s tioned by the U.S. federal
important to remember to approach Web sources with care. After government. And even
though you shouldn’t nec-
all, just about anyone can purchase the rights to a URL and then
essarily take everything
publish just about anything he or she wants on that site. Thus, cer- contained within a .gov or
tain types of sites are often safer than others. Sites used by the U.S. .mil site as 100 percent
government (.gov), non-profit organizations (.org) and educational accurate, you can rest
assured that government
institutions (.edu), for example, are generally considered to be more
officials endorsed infor-
reputable than sites administered to commercial organizations or mation on a .gov site
individuals (.com). However, while the sponsoring organizations of before it was posted.
these sites may carry more clout than the average person, it’s still .int sites are generally related
important to remember that even government or education sites to international treaties or
may contain biased or self-serving statements. So, when conduct- containing international
databases. Information
ing research using the Web, make sure you determine the name of
obtained from a .int site is
the individual, organization or group responsible for the site’s pub- generally sanctioned by an
lication so you can check up on them and find out if they are rep- official political or govern-
utable; make sure the site includes a revision date so that you can mental agency.
determine whether the information published there is up-to-date;

and find multiple sources that corroborate your primary source to
ensure the information found there is accurate.
HUMAN SOURCES: Because of the nature of their work, graphics

reporters don’t always consult human sources as much as they
should. Of course, the average information graphic rarely contains
quotes from sources like a news story should. However, this doesn’t
mean that a human source can’t provide information that will be
valuable to both the textual and visual elements of a graphic. For
example, if your graphic is meant to explain how to do something or
how something happened, who better to consult than an expert in
that area? Experts often have their own reference materials that they
are willing to share with you and can explain a process or event in
greater detail than other types of sources. Additionally, experts can
often review your work as you go and help refine a graphic by advis-
ing you on the accuracy of your depiction, as well as help define, in
layman’s terms, other reference materials that may be laden with jar-
gon that the average person wouldn’t understand. When consulting
experts, check your expert’s credentials to make sure she is qualified
to address a specific topic; talk to your expert’s colleagues or others
in the field to determine whether he is respected among his peers;
and try to find other sources that support what your expert says
about a given topic to be sure the information offered is accurate.
Developing a Source List

Any seasoned reporter has a thorough contact/source list that
grows with every story she writes. In fact, reporters often have cause
to consult the same sources more than once for multiple stories.
Graphics reporters face similar circumstances, and developing a list
of commonly consulted sources that you know you can rely on is a
great way to develop shortcuts to the answers to future questions. A
graphics reporter’s source list should include a variety of types of
sources – print, electronic and human – as well as a number of
sources related to the same topics. For example, graphics reporters
must often create charts and graphs for business- or economics-ori-
ented graphics, so Web sites like the one sponsored by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) often contain useful economic calcu-

lators, equations and data for building those graphics. Develop a
list of trustworthy government, military or educational Web sites,
such as nasa.gov (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
or ama-assn.org (American Medical Association). Likewise, every
graphics reporter should have the most recent almanac and world
atlas on her desk, as well as a list of topic-specific encyclopedias and
other reference books she might commonly consult. And, why not
also develop a list of trusted expert sources on a variety of topics?
Find a doctor, professor, mechanic, city official, economist, lawyer
and scientist you can turn to when graphics packages would bene-
fit from their expertise. Develop a relationship with these people so
that you know they will return your calls and be willing to help when
you need them.
Finally, keep a graphics notebook full of clips that inspire you.
In it, you can include photos, graphic designs, other information
graphics and illustrations you find interesting for one reason or
another. Clips you keep for your graphics notebook can lead to new
graphics ideas for you to pursue, add to your list of possible sources
for future projects or provide a diverse group of examples of differ-
ent illustration styles. Keep photographs of interesting architecture,
landscapes and different types of people or methods of transporta-
tion to consult later as references for the illustrative portions of a
graphic. Save graphics developed by other reporters that you think
are well executed. And, research and keep different illustration
styles for inspiration and to help develop your instincts regarding
when it’s appropriate to implement different styles, such as sketch,
watercolor, cartoon, woodcut, etc. After awhile, your graphics note-
book will be both a valued informational source book and a great
place to go for new ideas.
The Written Components

of an Information Graphic
The writing style for the text of an information graphic really
depends on the tone and context for the graphic. Serious breaking
news events or simple charts and graphs often call for a more seri-
ous, straightforward tone, while lighter feature graphics can some-

times be more informal in tone. Furthermore, different types of
graphics will often have different levels of information. For exam-
ple, a simple or small passive locator map that merely marks a loca-
tion will rarely be accompanied by a headline or introductory text,
also known as “chatter.” It’s simply not necessary. Charts and graphs
generally contain a headline and chatter, but the chatter is general-
ly one to two sentences and extremely direct. More detailed maps
and diagrams often contain longer blocks of chatter, as well as addi-
tional callouts or labels to help provide more explanation and con-
text for the graphic.
Regardless, all of the written components for an information
graphic should be tightly written, direct, active and easy to under-
stand. In most print publications, such as newspapers and maga-
zines, space is a commodity, so the tighter the text, the better.
WRITING TIPS Likewise, broadcast graphics are often subject to time limitations, so
Understand the any voice-over explanation should also be tight and direct. However,
information even in situations where space isn’t a big issue – as is the case with
Don’t assume the Web – simple, direct, active language is often the most effective
Don’t make judgments method for explaining your graphic. After all, your job is to simplify
complicated information for a very large audience. Effective graph-
Don’t predict
ics are those that get to the point using clear, simple language.
Be specific In general, the most important thing for a graphics reporter to
Don’t overwrite remember when writing chatter, callouts and explainers for a graph-
Don’t restate the data; ics is to think storytelling. Write a narrative with a beginning, mid-
summarize it dle and end. Headlines, explainers, copy blocks and callouts should
Identify trends and call help establish a proper flow, and readers should recognize that
out differences order. Likewise, you can’t adequately explain something that you
Use complete data yourself don’t understand. So, you should always make sure you
When possible, use pres- clearly understand the data and related information before
ent tense attempting to pass that understanding on to the audience. Once
Use active voice you have a clear understanding of the content, try to boil it down to
a concise, simplified explanation.
Write in third person
It’s also important that you let the data speak for itself. In other
Eliminate duplicative words, you know the old saying about assuming, right? Making
information
assumptions or statements that the data can’t support in a graphic
Use correct terminology can be deadly. Just because a particular poll results in a single out-
Edit, edit, edit! come, doesn’t mean those results can be applied to other situations.
Anatomy of an information graphic

HEADLINE: Most information graphics should include some sort of headline.
Graphics headlines could be written as a label or title like the one below. They can also
be written more like a news headline, with a subject and verb, such as “Halloween
candy threatens dental health.” Regardless, always remember that a headline is meant
to capsulize the main focus of the graphic in a few concise, descriptive words.
CHATTER: A good
rule of thumb for
writing introductory
chatter is to first
summarize or evalu-
ate the information
by providing context
for the graphic.
Then, provide a tran-
sition to the main
body of the graphic.
This can usually be
done effectively in
two to four sentences.
CALLOUTS: When
labels need additional
explanation or defini-
tion, beyond the
one-word descrip-
tion, they can be
accompanied by a
callout. A callout is
generally an additional
sentence or two that
provides more
specific information
about the visual por-
SOURCE LINE: A source line
EXPLAINER: Supplemental tion of the graphic it
should accompany all credible
chunks of text are often use- accompanies.
graphics packages. Let the
ful in graphics packages that
reader know where your infor-
require additional context.
mation comes from. After all,
it’s not likely that you, the
graphics reporter, are an BYLINE: A byline lets the reader know who is responsible for compil-
expert in everything! ing the information at hand, adding to the credibility of the graphic.
Just because a stock price, for example, has risen consistently for the
past ten years doesn’t mean it will continue that trend. Just because
a plane crashed doesn’t mean everyone on board is dead. Avoid
making predictions beyond what you know to be true at any given
time. And even though it can be very easy to slip up and uninten-
tionally draw your own conclusions about a situation, you must take
care to only state the facts, report the news and let the audience
draw their own conclusions. Additionally, make sure you are always
using complete data. If numbers are missing or you don’t have
access to complete visual reference material for an illustration,
rethink your graphic. Leaving out key information will likely leave
the audience with more questions than they started with.
Developing an appropriate writing style for graphics can also
be tough to master. Of course, it’s always important that the writing
be lively, interesting and fluid. However, like other forms of journal-
istic writing, graphics style should generally be clear, use easy-to-
understand language and avoid jargon. Avoid vague or misleading
language, and write in layman’s terms. Furthermore, don’t over-
write. Allow the data metaphor, the chart or illustration, to repre-
sent key information, and avoid unnecessary words and sentences.
Be concise. Get to the point. There’s no need to repeat yourself. If
you said it clearly the first time around, you can avoid redundancy
and consequently, develop a more efficient graphic. So, summarize
important information, and work to evaluate the data in the context
of the news event it accompanies.
When possible, use sentence structures that employ present
tense and active voice. Admittedly, there are times when the tone of
a graphic will be awkward if present tense is used. However, most of
the time, present tense carries with it a quality of urgency and time-
liness. Even when constructing a time line, present tense is gener-
ally a more effective, vibrant writing style. Likewise, sentences that
make use of active verbs are generally more concise and interesting
to read. When possible, avoid passive verbs, also known as “verbs of
being,” such as is, am, are, was, were, has, have or had. Put the sub-
ject first in the sentence, and make sure the subject is actually doing
something. Finally, write in third person. There is rarely cause to
use personal pronouns in an information graphic. Even features
graphics should remain neutral in this regard.
It’s also important to use terminology correctly where graph-

ics are concerned. Graphics often show breakdowns, comparisons,
trends, cutaways, perspectives, angles of view, amounts, numbers
and locations. Make sure that you use these terms correctly to
describe what your graphic really shows. For example, a breakdown
implies that a “whole” exists and you are showing the amounts that
make up that whole. A comparison, on the other hand, implies that
you are calling out similarities or differences among and between a
number of values. These terms are not interchangeable because
they have two very different definitions.
Finally, be an editor. Eliminate unnecessary words. Scrutinize
your writing. Use spell check! I always tell my students that I will
never hold it against them if they aren’t good spellers. However, I
will be irritated if they don’t run spell check! Check the data for
accuracy. I always find it helpful to have someone else read my writ-
ing after I believe my work is complete. Bringing someone in who
has a fresh point of view will often help you determine how the larger
audience will actually respond to your work. If someone you trust
takes one look at your graphic and says, “I don’t get it,” chances are
you have some major revising to do!
Information Graphics & News Coverage

In news coverage, information graphics often serve as alternative
storytelling devices. In other words, if a text-based story is considered
the “traditional” approach to the presentation of news, then informa-
tion graphics, regardless of their form (print, broadcast or online) or
type (map, chart, diagram), provide journalists with a different mech-
anism for conveying information. And, because graphics are at once
visually driven and textually driven, they are often extremely rich and
informative devices for conveying news and information.
In most cases, other forms of storytelling accompany a graphic.
For example, a newspaper or magazine graphic often accompanies a
more traditional, text-driven story. Broadcast graphics are often
combined with video footage and live reports provided by a news
anchor or reporter. And online graphics often represent only one
piece in a package of storytelling devices, such as audio, video, text
and still images. However, it is equally important to note that infor-
mation graphics for print and online should almost always be

designed and written to stand alone. Because graphics are so visual,
your audience may often be attracted to and therefore consume a
graphic first, even though there are other elements in the story pack-
age. Thus, a reader should never come away from a graphic with
major unanswered questions. The reading or viewing experience
should feel complete, and the audience should feel satisfied that
they have engaged with a single, independent chunk of information.
This is not necessarily the case with broadcast graphics because
the nature of storytelling for this medium is much more linear in
nature. Thus, an information graphic is generally encountered at a
specific, designated point in a news broadcast. However, as interac-
tive television technology begins to emerge, this too may change.
Interactive television is based on the notion that television watching
will eventually become a much less passive activity, and viewers will
have an opportunity to navigate TV news much the same way they
do the Internet. Thus, as information technologies evolve, so too
will information graphics, and an effective reporter should be ready
to evolve as well.
Additionally, as I stated in Chapter One, information graphics
can often take you where reporters and cameras cannot. Graphics
can show a sequence of events with complete accuracy after they
actually happened. And because reporters and cameras can’t
always be everywhere in the world all the time, graphics provide us
with a great tool for explaining a news event for which we weren’t
actually present. However, putting the pieces back together after a
news event occurs can often make a graphics reporter’s job
extremely difficult. Graphics reporters absolutely must work to
become pseudo-experts for every graphic they construct. But,
beware. Remember that when you are closely related to something,
especially a creative endeavor, you know exactly what you’re talking
about. You get it. You know what you’re trying to accomplish.
However, for the audience these ideas may not always come across
as clearly as you intended. Make sure your enhanced knowledge of
the subject doesn’t get in the way of your ability to explain it clearly
to someone else.
Finally, learn to respect the power of information graphics in
news coverage, and understand that a well-researched, well-written
information graphic can be just as important, if not more impor-

MICHAEL PRICE
tant, than other storytelling devices in a package. On the other
Presentation Editor,
hand, a graphic with loose, incomplete information that is too ver-
San Diego
bose, vague or passive can actually impede your audience’s ability to Union-Tribune
make sense of the information at hand. If the graphic confuses or
frustrates the audience, you’re likely to do more harm than good,
leave them with more questions than answers and essentially turn
them away from your publication.
In the Eyes of an Expert Michael Price taught for

What role(s) does text serve in a graphic? 10 years at Ball State
Text should provide the information and context that visuals University, Muncie, IN,
cannot. By their nature, visuals can be ambiguous; well-written where he developed its
journalism graphics pro-
sentences are not.
gram and was one of the
founding faculty members
Infographics – whether statistical, cartographic or diagrammatic of the College of Com-
– are meant to demonstrate data visually and holistically. So the munication, Information
and Media. A former
visuals in an infographic should do as much explanatory “lift-
commercial graphic
ing” as possible, allowing words only to qualify, specify, summa- designer and art director,
rize and organize. Price was the graphics edi-
tor of the Philadelphia
Inquirer and a member of
Do different types of graphics differ in terms of the writing styles the Society for News
they call for? Design’s board of direc-
Not really. Even though different types of infographics will have tors. He graduated from
Ball State University and
different amounts of text based on their functions, it is impor-
completed fellowships at
tant to approach the writing of every infographic with the Poynter Institute for
Journalism 101 basics. That is, apply the inverted pyramid Media Studies and
when writing and organizing the infographic. Implement a National Geographic
magazine.
hierarchy of information.
An infographic’s headline should summarize the main point of

the presentation. Any introductory text or “chatter” should
explain the most newsworthy information within the context of
the visual story being told; i.e., is the what of the story most
important? Is the how of the story most important?, etc.
Subsequent callouts and data then support the introduction,
explaining the how, what, when, where or why as a reader
processes the infographic from start to finish. The most impor-

tant information goes at the top, with supporting facts and sec-
ondary information that add perspective toward the bottom.
How is writing for an information graphic different from other

types of journalistic writing?
I think it is more important to concentrate on mastering certain
writing basics that are common to all infographics rather than
worrying about different writing styles. Brevity and conciseness
are key.
Writing fluently in active voice is a must, as well as understand-

ing that present tense is a staple of most graphics. A headline, a
step in a diagrammatic sequence, an entry in a time line, a sen-
tence that describes activity on a map – they are all written in
present tense even though they often describe activity that took
place in the past. Why? Because we wish to convey a sense of
immediacy with our reporting, and an infographic conjures the
notion that the activity is taking place before the audience’s eyes
as it is described.
What is the most common challenge when researching and writing

for information graphics, and how can it be overcome?
The greatest challenge is often editing. Often graphics reporters
want to report most of the information they researched, not
realizing it isn’t necessary.
A large percentage of research is applied only to the journalist’s

knowing the material and understanding the subject. Only the
pertinent facts and explanations that visuals can’t provide are
important. The kitchen sink of information isn’t necessary in an
information graphic. Many professionals suggest loosely adopt-
ing a 25/75 ratio; that is, a graphic would contain only 25 per-
cent text and 75 percent visuals.
Another challenge is rectifying the data in an infographic with

its accompanying story. Often news artists work independently
from story reporters when covering subjects because of staff
organization or the need to maximize time by working on paral-

lel tracks. Unfortunately this can produce discrepancies in
information. Catching such discrepancies within an article and
its accompanying graphic is achieved by sharing information
early, communicating and continuity in editing. It is essential
that all involved reporters, news artists and editors review all
pieces of a story package to catch and solve potential conflicts.
What types of sources do you find yourself consulting again and again?
U.S. Census Bureau; CIA Fact Book; The Times World Atlas (or
other comprehensive world atlas); The Thomas Guide (or other
reputable, local street atlas); National Oceanic and Atmospheric
and Administration/National Weather Service; the Bureau of
Labor Statistics inflation adjuster (www.bls.gov); a dependable
online percentage-change calculator (or homemade spread-
sheet equivalent); The Statistical Abstract; howthingswork.com;
my Rolodex; and librarians, librarians, librarians.
What’s the most extensive research you have ever done for an
information graphic?
When I was the graphics editor for The Philadelphia Inquirer,
my staff created a presentation that helped readers understand
the nature of a severe area drought. The full page presented a
visual storyboard that included charts, maps and diagrams. The
infographic calculated precipitation shortfalls versus norms,
reservoir levels and detailed the underground water table. It
also taught readers where their water supply actually came
from: a unique system of reservoirs (located hundreds of miles
away) that supplies the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River,
and an underground aquifer system that supplies the New
Jersey side of the river. Each staff member was responsible for
one subject area of the infographic, and it took about four
months to produce, including research, writing, illustration,
design and editing.
Please offer five tips for graphics reporters to consider when con-
ducting research.
1. Communicate with all staff involved in the presentation,
Copyrighted Philadelphia Inquirer. All

especially other reporters who are covering the same story.

2. Consult the most current, reputable sources of information.
3. Search for infographics that have been published on the same
topic whenever applicable. Don’t “steal” or plagiarize, but ana-
lyze the strengths and weaknesses of the example.
4. Verify your work. Check and recheck your facts, and compare
them to additional sources when applicable to ensure accuracy.
5. When collecting facts, remember that the basis of many info-
graphics is simply to answer the question: “Compared to what?”
Please offer five tips for graphics reporters to consider when com-
posing the written components of an information graphic.
1. Apply the inverted pyramid when writing and organizing the
infographic.
2. When you start, write a headline for your infographic – not a
cutesy title or subject label but a subject/verb summary (prob-
ably five to 10 words) – of the visual story you are telling. That
will help you keep your presentation focused.
3. Avoid jargon. Use words that any reader can understand. If
technical terms must be used, make sure they are defined.
4. Have others read your work. Heed their suggestions and
advice. Often the best improvements are offered by those read-
ing an infographic for the first time, with no foreknowledge of its
subject matter.
5. Study infographics in The New York Times, Time and
Newsweek. Analyze how those publications write infographics.
They do so often on very complicated subjects, with so few
words; yet, they are complete. Strive for that kind of simplicity.
Chapter Three Exercise

Information graphics are often used to show how something works
or how something happens. In particular, graphics commonly accom-
pany medical and health-related stories. For this exercise you are to
research the process by which blood flows through the human heart.
The outcome will be a diagram that not only labels the parts of the
heart, but also shows the movement of blood through the heart.
Once you have researched this process, work on writing a headline,
chatter, callouts and explainers for a print graphic. Then, think about
how the text would change if the graphic were an interactive diagram
presented on the Web. Finally, adapt the text into a script used to
explain an animated broadcast graphic.
To effectively complete this assignment, you may need to create
rough sketches of the print diagram, as well as simple storyboards for the
online and broadcast pieces. This will help plan how many chunks of text
or audio you’ll need to effectively explain this process. If you have access
to them, consult the appropriate stylebooks for your writing as well.
References
Hansen, Kathleen A. and Nora Paul. Behind the Message: Information
Strategies for Communicators. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 21 Jul. 2003.
CHAPTER
FOUR
Ethics & Graphics Reporting
In recent years, surveys of public opinion place journalism at the bottom of
15 groups in terms of public credibility – even below politicians! Thus, maintain-
ing the highest journalistic and ethical standards for your publication’s informa-
tion graphics is not only important, but it’s essential to the credibility and reli-
ability of the product. The ethical and responsible journalist is one who con-
stantly challenges and reviews his personal ethical standards, as well as those of
the publication for which he works. According to Richard Keeble, author of
Ethics for Journalists, ethical inquiry “…encourages journalists to examine their
basic moral and political principles; their responsibilities and rights; their rela-
tionships to their employer and audience; their ultimate goals.” And in a media
age that boasts increased globalization, constant advances in technology and
more media outlets and journalistic roles (i.e., reporters, photographers, editors,
producers, graphics reporters, designers, etc.) than ever before, continued ethi-
cal inquiry on a number of levels must be every journalist’s top priority.
In general, graphics reporters face many of the same basic everyday ethical
challenges as photographers, editors and reporters who write. However, the
context in which some of these challenges present themselves is often a bit dif-
ferent. Add to this the fact that while much has been written about the ethical
responsibilities of journalists, few scholars, journalists and critics have
addressed the more specialized considerations related to graphics reporting and
design. Copyright laws are much sketchier where the graphic arts are con-
cerned, and due to the specific illustration techniques used by graphics
69
reporters, including tracing base reference material for visual accu-

racy, a finer line exists between visual plagiarism and acceptable
visual reporting methods. Additionally, an ethical and effective
graphics reporter must understand her ethical responsibilities
regarding citing sources, using Internet sources and working with
numbers to ensure that the credibility and accuracy of the publica-
tion are upheld.
The Graphics Reporter’s

Code of Conduct
Although as a graphics reporter you may not find yourself in
ethical dilemmas as regularly as other journalists, there are some
common scenarios that pop up from time to time. The first of these
is the tendency to be faced with incomplete data and the tempta-
tion to “fill in the blanks” in order to complete your graphic. When
information is incomplete or seems to be misleading, you must
make every effort to find the missing links through more research
and fact-finding. Often, you can consult the original source(s) of the
data and, by asking a few more questions, fill in the missing pieces
of the puzzle. If this doesn’t work, there are often ways to present
the information you do have in a way that provides the reader with
a bit more detail, while at the same time, makes it clear that there, in
fact, are some missing numbers. For example, when you don’t have
all of the numbers for a bar, pie or fever chart, you could present the
numbers you do have in the form of a “by the numbers” box that
lists each figure and gives a simple explanation of what it represents.
In this case, the worst thing you can do is try to pass off the numbers
you do have as a complete set of data when they aren’t. Finally, you
may sometimes have to scrap the graphic until you can get the
answers to your questions. Just remember that it’s much worse to
mislead or confuse the audience than it is to simply eliminate the
graphic altogether.
Other important considerations are related to onsite reporting
techniques. At times, you may be required to actually go out on
assignment and gather information at the site of a news story or
personally meet with sources. In these cases, you may run into
three common dilemmas. The first relates to your responsibility to
ETHICS & GRAPHICS REPORTING 71
always represent yourself as a journalist covering a news story. In

this regard, you must comply with “no trespassing” signs or restric-
tions to private property access, as well as accurately identify your-
self to sources or individuals you encounter along the way. In other
words, don’t lie about who you are in order to gain access to a site,
and make sure you obtain permission before entering private prop-
erty or when gathering source information. The second considera-
tion relates to your rights and responsibilities as a journalist when it
comes to interviewing sources. If sources say they are speaking off
the record before you begin the interview, you must respect their
wishes. If, on the other hand, you are clear with your source’s that
a formal interview is taking place, they tell you something and then
later say it’s off the record, you don’t have to strike their statements
from the record. Likewise, you may often want expert sources to
review a graphic for accuracy to help make sure you have told a
complicated story correctly. However, beware when sources tell you
they will only give you the information you need if you are willing to
let them have prior review of the piece before it is published.
Sources should never dictate to you what you can or can’t run as
long as they were clear at the time of the interview that they were
being interviewed on the record. Finally, a third consideration relat-
ed to onsite reporting relates to access to certain documents that
may be considered privileged. Be aware that in a post-9/11 world,
gaining access to building blueprints and other types of sensitive
information is more difficult. Provide yourself with enough time to
get the information you need, and know that in the interests of
security, you may not be able to gain access to information that
could be considered privileged.
Certainly, you are likely to encounter other specific ethical
dilemmas during your graphics reporting career, but regardless of
what you face, you can always rely on three key concepts by which
to measure your conduct: (1) your individual conscience; (2) your
publication’s policies; and (3) common sense and professionalism.
Chances are, if you feel “funny” about some action you’re consider-
ing taking, you shouldn’t do it! If you’re hoping to yourself that no
one finds out, rethink your plan. If you are uncertain about the
proper approach to take, talk with your colleagues and your boss.
Find out what they would do or if your publication has a formal pol-
COPYRIGHT icy or statement regarding this or similar scenarios. Rely on your

own sense of objectivity, balance, fair play, accuracy, credibility,
Fair use: Partial or limited
reproduction of another’s neutrality, social/cultural responsibility and the general public
work may be permitted interest. If you find yourself in an ethical conundrum, chances are
under the fair use doc- you already know the answer. Sometimes, you just have to dig for it.
trine. This doctrine is
especially liberal where
the use advances public
interests such as educa- Visual Plagiarism & Copyright
tion or scholarship. Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of work, in any form,
Expressions, not ideas are that is not the reporter’s own or without acknowledgment of the
protected: An author of a sources from which the information originally came. Thus, if a
written piece has protec-
reporter who writes, submits a story or any piece of a story that she
tion of her words, but not
for the basic plot; or a didn’t report and write yet claims it as her own, she has committed
photographer has protec- plagiarism. Likewise, if an artist copies a work that he didn’t create,
tion from duplication of he is in violation of visual plagiarism. Plagiarism is theft. Period.
his picture, but not from
And those who engage in plagiarism cannot only be held ethically
other people taking pic-
tures of a similar or even responsible for their discretions, but they may be held legally
the same object or event. responsible for violating federal copyright laws. Copyright laws are
Independent creation is per- a collection of rights related to the reproduction, distribution, per-
mitted: A second work, formance, etc., of original literary, musical, dramatic or artistic
identical to an earlier works, that protect the creator of such material(s) to the exclusive
copyrighted work, does
ownership. Thus, you may not simply scan an image from another
not infringe, if it is, in fact,
independently created. publication, book, the Internet, etc., and rerun it in your publication
(Of course, the better without permission from the owner. Nor may you lift the text from
known the first work, the an existing graphic or written work and use it in your graphic.
less likely that an inde-
pendent creation defense Instead you must create your own illustration and adapt the textual
will be believed.) information to fit. Now that you know what you can’t do, let’s talk
Adaptation of an earlier about what you can do. Just like any other type of reporter, a graph-
work may be protected: If an ics reporter’s job is to locate credible sources for information and
original piece of art is then conduct research and interviews to develop a cohesive, tightly
altered the artist does not edited graphic that effectively tells a news story. And, assuming
claim a copyright to the
underlying work, but you’re not an expert in every field from science, to medicine, to
instead, obtains a copy- technology, to architecture and so on, you’ll likely need to consult
right only in the derivative outside sources for both the visual and textual information that will
work. Thus, the artist may be included in your graphic. Thus, it is acceptable to draw both
claim a copyright only in
the changes and the visual and textual information from reference books, such as ency-
resulting expressive impact clopedias and visual dictionaries; atlases and other reference maps;
of such changed work. and architectural drawings, photographs and official or credible
Web sites. It will also often be necessary for you to sketch drawings
and illustrations based on these references in order to ensure that
your reproduction is accurate according to an official source.
However, the key to maintaining ethics in visual reporting is to
clearly give credit to those sources you do use.
Most source lines appear in the bottom left-hand corner of your
graphic, outside the boundaries set for the graphics package itself.
Most publications list all initial sources and omit sources that are
used solely to confirm or verify the accuracy of initial sources. In
any event, know your publication’s policy for citing sources, and do
not stray from it.
The Internet as a Source

Chapter Three, “Research & Writing for Information Graphics,”
goes into greater detail regarding the benefits and pitfalls of search-
ing the Internet for sources of textual information for your graphics.
And, basically, the same rules for ensuring that text found on the
Internet is accurate and reputable apply to visual sources, as well.
To review, you should always obtain the name of the individual,
organization or group responsible for the site’s publication so you
can check up on them and find out if they are reputable; make sure
the site includes a revision date so that you can determine whether
the information published there is up-to-date; and find multiple
sources that corroborate your primary source to ensure the infor-
mation found there is accurate.
The latter of these tips is probably the most important when it
comes to visual sources. Visual accuracy is a must when it comes to
maps, diagrams and other types of news graphics. If you are creating
an illustration of the human heart, for example, it must be exact. This
is not an artistic representation of the heart, and shouldn’t be over-
simplified, leaving out important visual information. Therefore, you
must find accurate and reputable sources for this graphic. Don’t rely
on a random illustration of the heart if you aren’t certain it was created
by a reliable source. Because virtually anyone can post information to
the Web without having to adhere to any specific standards regarding
the validity of their content, you should be safe and consult multiple
visual resources to confirm the accuracy of the image.
Working with Numbers

Believe it or not, it’s easy to make statistics lie. It’s called mas-
saging the facts, and people do it all the time. Struggling companies
often report earnings in a variety of contexts to make their financial
failures seem less magnified. Organizations report statistical data
without clarifying the span of time over which the data was collected
or the number of people polled in order to make the report seem
more significant. People compare apples to oranges in an attempt
to make issues or events seem more or less important than they
really are. It happens every day in every sector of our world, and if
graphics reporters aren’t careful, they can easily fall prey to this
deception and can even perpetuate it.
To avoid this, graphics reporters should develop a keen eye for
spotting problems with statistics in order to avoid the embarrass-
ment and possible liability of reporting incorrect information. Also,
graphics reporters conducting their own research that involves
numerical data should make every effort to gather information with
grave attention to the details of accurate and ethical reporting.
Chapter Eight will go into more detail regarding how to synthesize a
set of numbers and convert them into a useful graphic.
Diversity in Information Graphics

It is human nature to be more comfortable approaching people
who look like you. For this reason, journalists must constantly be
mindful of their responsibility to consult all types of people in their
reporting to ensure that the diversity of the population is adequately
represented. Male and female perspectives must be represented.
Likewise, different races, social classes and cultural groups must be
represented. As journalists, we must always work to offer a variety
of perspectives and avoid alienating individuals who represent a
different way of thinking.
The same concepts can be applied to visual journalism, such as
photography and graphics reporting. We have a responsibility to
represent different types of people in our graphics and photographs
as much as a writer should consult diverse sources for a written
story. This is important on two levels. First, we must recognize the
fact that people are generally drawn to and more likely to trust JEFF GOERTZEN
reporting that represents people who look like them. We want to see
Senior Artist,
ourselves and others we feel we can relate to in the pages of our St. Petersburg Times
newspapers, on our nightly news broadcasts and on the news and
information Web sites we frequent. Therefore, when developing
information graphics that include human figures, avoid always
using the same skin tones or gender. Second, because we will have
a tendency to consult real people or experts in a particular field for
our graphics, we must seek diversity in our information gathering as
Jeff Goertzen is a senior
well. Make sure that your list of commonly consulted sources
graphics journalist for the
includes some cultural and gender-oriented diversity, and review St. Petersburg Times and
your graphics for these staples of good reporting as well. an international graphics
consultant. He has
worked with more than
In the Eyes of an Expert 60 newspapers around
the world building graph-
What are some common ethical challenges graphics reporters ics departments and
encounter, and how should the responsible graphics reporter deal training journalists, edi-
with each? tors and graphics artists
how to incorporate
I appreciate that we are discussing this issue because through- graphics in their daily
out my career as a graphics journalist, I’ve encountered almost news coverage. His clients
every ethical dilemma that a reporter (who writes) encounters. include USA Today, El
Mundo in Spain, Le
Here are a few:
Monde in Paris and New
Straits Times in Malaysia.
For artists, (plagiarism) would be copying someone else’s art- He has been a visiting fac-
work or reworking a wire graphic and putting your name at the ulty member for the
Poynter Institute for
bottom of the graphic. Copying photographs or illustrating over
Media Studies since 1987
someone else’s photograph to make it look illustrated and tak- and serves on the Society
ing credit for it would also qualify as plagiarism, and it’s done for News Design Board of
quite often. The best advice I can give to artists on this matter is Directors where he
organizes graphics work-
to sketch, and don’t trace, unless it is your own photo. Use other shops around the world.
references as inspiration, but don’t copy someone else’s artwork; His work as a graphics
and be careful about ripping off ideas. The temptation is so journalist has won dozens
great at times, especially when you’re on deadline and you’re of awards both with the
Society for News Design
desperate for an idea or an image. and the Malofiej. Jeff has
a master’s degree in jour-
Always identify yourself as a journalist in the field. Let your nalism and fine arts from
sources know whom they are talking to. You are often seen as the the California State
University at Fresno.
bad guy when you’re snooping around crash sites, crime scenes
or wherever there is controversy. Witnesses just don’t want to

talk with you. But our code of ethics, at least at the St. Petersburg
Times, is to disclose your identity to your sources. It can be dif-
ficult at times, but then it’s your job is to gain their trust. Get
them to talk to you. That’s part of the job.
Never accept gifts or any tokens of appreciation from sources.

That has happened quite often, especially when doing a feature
story or feature graphic. The word “feature” has a schmoozy
connotation. It sounds fluffy and inviting, almost always good
spirited. Sources sense that. But what happens if during the
interview you stumble onto some rather controversial or ques-
tionable information? That free coffee you might have just
accepted from your source can quickly turn bitter.
Don’t develop personal friendships with sources. I’m not sure if

this one is written in the journalist’s code of ethics, but I try to
keep the relationship strictly professional. Getting too friendly
or too comfortable with your sources can cloud your objectivity
as a reporter.
Can you offer some onsite reporting tips/techniques every graphics

reporter should know?
1. Always take a digital camera with you, a reporter’s note pad
and a pen – never a pencil (they can break). AND DON’T FOR-
GET YOUR PRESS CREDENTIALS!!!!!
2. The first thing I do when I arrive on the scene is look for the
TV trucks and satellite towers. That’s where I’ll find the press.
3. The next thing I do is hook up with the reporter and photog-
rapher from my newspaper. I get caught up on the story and
find out what information they have obtained. This gets me up-
to-date and keeps me from asking the public relations officer
questions that have been answered already. I then write down a
list of questions I need to have answered to make the graphic.
4. Take as many reference photos you think are necessary. Then,
take more, just to be sure.
5. Talk with witnesses, and write down their names and tele-
phone numbers. That’s always easy to forget.
6. Don’t be afraid to horn in on TV interviews being conducted

by TV reporters. Just do it! Everyone’s there for the same infor-
mation, and they will only broadcast what the witnesses say, not
the questions they are being asked.
7. Learn as much as you can from watching other reporters at
work. They have a ton of experience.
What was the most challenging onsite reporting situation you have
encountered? How was it challenging, and how did you deal with it?
My interview with Tony Hawk was by far the most challenging.
He was doing his Boom-Boom Huckjam Tour throughout the
United States and was scheduled to reach the Tampa Bay area
toward the end of the tour. I was to fly out to San Diego to inter-
view him and research how they assemble and disassemble the
track and his world-famous “vert ramp.” I knew virtually nothing
about extreme skateboarding, and I had very little time to brush
up on the event before I had to meet up with Tony in San Diego.
I was told I would only have five, maybe 10 minutes with Tony.
When he sat down at the table, it was hard to keep my cool and
conduct a smooth interview. My mind almost went blank, and I
could barely keep from stuttering. There’s really nothing you
can do to prepare for celebrity interviews. Trying to keep cool
and focused in these sorts of situations is something you don’t
learn in school. It takes experience.
That was only half of the research. The other half was trying to get
a full understanding how the enormous track and vert ramp is
assembled and disassembled. Trying to be everywhere at once and
not miss anything is an incredible challenge. Also, knowing where
to go, who to talk to and where to find the sources while all the
mayhem of the track assembly is taking place is nearly impossible.
Fortunately, in the few days I had to prepare for the interview, I

had developed a lot of trust with the media relations director.
She sensed my enthusiasm for the event and put me in touch
with the proper sources so when I arrived, I wouldn’t waste any
time. I also had a list of questions ready for the various inter-
Goertzen taped his inter-

view with Hawk. With only
five to 10 minutes to
interview the athlete,
Goertzen was able to
gather some of the infor-
mation needed to explain
how they assemble and
disassemble the track
and his world-famous
“vert ramp.”
views. I took lots of photos and came back with more informa-
tion than I would possibly need.
What’s the most challenging ethical dilemma you have encoun-

tered as a graphics reporter? How was it challenging, and how did
you deal with it?
Probably the Tony Hawk interview. The relationship I developed
with the public information officer over the phone was definitely
an advantage. I love communicating and conversing with peo-
ple, especially sources. Charm has always worked in my favor.
You want to build that trust, but you don’t want to get too per-
sonal with your sources. You have to keep emotions (friendship)
at a distance so you don’t give the wrong impression. In this par-
ticular case, I was given many opportunities to accept free food
and free tickets. Of course, I had to refuse them. Also, the graphic
that we published in our paper, in essence, was good publicity
for the Tony Hawk Tour. We published the graphic the day the
event came to Tampa, and the whole crew in the Tour had seen
the graphic. That evening, I attended the press pool at the Forum
in Tampa, and Tony, himself, having seen the graphic, invited me
up on the stage to shake my hand and take a few photos.
Graphic by Jeff Goertzen.

If you had to put your own “code of conduct” as a graphics reporter Copyrighted St. Petersburg Times. All
into words, what would it be? rights reserved. Used with permission.
The reporters in the newsroom (who write) are your role mod-
els. Follow all the same rules they follow. Work like they work;
think like they think; act like they act. Learn from them. They are
proactive on the phone and on the streets, constantly looking
for stories. You do the same.
How do technology/software capabilities play into ethical respon-

sibilities for graphics reporters?
Adobe Photoshop has definitely made it easier for us to cross
the ethical line in the way we use digital imagery. There have
been numerous cases where photojournalists have manipulated
their photographs to become something that isn’t a true

account of what occurred when the photo was taken. Designers
in newspapers I’ve worked with in other countries have been
known to scan photos from other magazines as quick fixes for
feature page designs. There’s no doubt that digital imagery and
the software we use to manipulate them have been abused.
Does visual plagiarism exist in graphics reporting?

As I mentioned earlier, the misuse of visual images is a common
problem in the print media. I’ve seen many cases where graph-
ics artists copy graphics from other publications without giving
proper credit to their sources. Plagiarism occurs quite often in
the graphics industry. What’s sad is the apparent double stan-
dard that seems to exist: If a reporter is caught lifting material
from another story or inventing facts in a story, it makes head-
lines, and the reporter is fired. I’ve yet to see that happen with a
graphics reporter. My only explanation and fear are that per-
haps our profession is not held to the same standards as
reporters, and it should be.
Are there pitfalls to using the Internet as a source?

Be careful with the Internet. I use it quite often as a source of
preliminary research. I still prefer first-hand information. That
is, information from one-on-one interviews. There is a lot of bad
information out there in the Internet. Be careful where you get
your sources. Always use two or three sources. Government Web
sites are pretty reliable.
Chapter Four Exercise

Often, the best way to improve your reporting, writing and illustra-
tion skills is to analyze work created by someone else. Find ways to be
inspired by their strengths and learn from their weaknesses. Put your-
self in the mind of the audience, and analyze a graphic as they would.
For this exercise, you need to spend some time looking at informa-
tion graphics from a number of sources. You’ll have the best luck with
print and online sources because they are greater in number and it will
be easier to gain access to them for review than broadcast graphics.
Examine the graphics you find for the accuracy of their content.
Look for discrepancies between what is presented in the written story

and what is shown in the graphic. Look for instances of misrepresented
facts or misleading statistics. Once you have found three examples,
write a one-page analysis of the graphic. Explain its deficiencies and
how it could be improved. In order to do this effectively, you may also
need to do some digging of your own. If you are suspicious about a
graphic, conduct some of your own research and see if you can track
down the sources that will help clarify the information. Then, cite
those sources in your analysis.
Some great sources for finding graphics are your local newspaper
and newspaper Web sites, as well as the local library for newspapers
from cities and states from across the country. Another good place to
look is the news page designer’s Web site, newspagedesigner.com,
which has a catalog of information graphics from all over the world.
Finally, sun-sentinel.com/broadband/theedge/, MSNBC.com and
nytimes.com are sites very committed to multimedia graphics report-
ing and can be excellent places to review online graphics.
References
Edelman, Murray and Don Dillman. “What Is a Scientific Sample Survey or
Poll?” Jan. 2002. The AAPOR Standards Committee. 2 Jan. 2005.
<www.aapor.org/default.asp?ID=27&page=news_and_issue/aapor_
newsletter_detail>.
Franklin Pierce Law Center. Ed. Thomas G. Field, Jr. Dec. 2002. Pierce Law,
Concord, NH. 2 Jan. 2005 <http://www.piercelaw.edu/tfield/copyVis.htm>.
Intellectual Property Law Server. Ed. George A. Wowk. Dec. 2004. Parlee
McLaws LLP. 2 Jan. 2005 < www.intelproplaw.com/copyright>.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Designing
Information Graphics
Actually composing an information graphic – putting all of the pieces
together in a rhythmic, orderly, interesting design – is equal in importance to
writing the text and creating the main illustrations. In fact, the design of the
graphic can have a direct impact on an audience’s ability to follow the informa-
tion that is presented in an efficient and logical manner. Design can also affect
the level of meaning and understanding an audience will take away from the
graphic. Thus, understanding how to compose/design an information graphic
is paramount to a graphics reporter’s ability to succeed.
Basic design principles have been studied and implemented since the days
of the ancient Roman and Greek architects, sculptors and artists. Visual experi-
mentation in the fine arts has led to principles that were later applied in the
design fields. While every graphics reporter should feel a degree of creative free-
dom when working, there are certain concepts that are tried and true for ensur-
ing your work is fundamentally sound.
The Seven Basic Design Principles

In communications design, there are seven basic design principles com-
monly observed by page designers, graphics reporters, illustrators and even
photographers for composing their work. While each principle represents a dif-
ferent concept, each is strongly related to the others, and their incorporation
into the design process is essential to developing strong visual presentations.
83
Symmetrical balance is a
more deliberate, formal
organization of
elements. By organizing
elements symmetrically,
the reporter can place
equal importance on
more than one aspect of
the graphic.
Graphic by Katie Smith.

Used with permission.
Artists, architects and others dedicated to visual pursuits use these

design principles each in slightly different ways to measure the
quality of their work. When an architect designs a building, for
example, she must adhere to certain structural principles. If she
doesn’t, the building may be wobbly, at best, or it may collapse
entirely, at worst. This is true for communications design as well.
I often advise students to first memorize these principles and
engrave them in their brains so that each and every time they begin
a graphic, these principles are among the key considerations
throughout the process. It’s also a good idea to list the seven princi-
ples on a piece of paper and post it to the edge of your computer
screen. As you’re working on a graphic, and certainly as you’re going
through final edits, run through the list of principles and make sure
you have adhered to each of them in your graphic design. If one has
been neglected, chances are the composition of your graphic could
use some revising.
BALANCE: When weight is distributed evenly, the result is balance.

Because elements in graphic design have visual weight, they need to
be arranged so that a comfortable sense of equilibrium is achieved.
D E S I G N I N G I N F O R M AT I O N G R A P H I C S 85
Generally, they are arranged in relation to an invisible vertical axis.

Balance does not need to be precisely equal. Slight, but controlled,
imbalance can add a great deal of visual interest to a design. In
graphic design, we are concerned with two different types of bal-
ance, asymmetrical and symmetrical.
If a composition consists of two vertical halves that are unlike, the
balance is considered to be asymmetrical or informal. Although the
sections aren’t identical, they should still have relatively equal weight
and visual appeal to maintain a sense of balance. Asymmetrical bal-
ance is commonly used in the composition of information graphics,
because it generates a sense of movement and helps guide the eye
through the information in an extremely rhythmic manner.
Imagine a scene or an object folded in half right down the cen-
ter. If the shapes on both sides appear identical, symmetrical bal-
ance is present. Symmetrical balance conveys a stability and uni-
formity. Nature is full of symmetry. The human body is designed
symmetrically – two eyes, two arms, two legs, etc. In publications
design, symmetrical balance is often applied when the message is
more conservative or calls for a more subdued, classic look.
PROPORTION: If everything is “big,” nothing is “big.” Likewise, if In this example, asym-

everything is “small,” nothing is “small.” Large and small are relative metrical balance is used
to enhance the degree of
emphasis that is placed
on the dominant illustra-
tion and create a more
rhythmic presentation.
Also inherent in this
example is a sense of
proportion. The visual
elements are directly
proportionate to one
another, their level of
importance, within the
presentation and in rela-
tion to the overall space.
Graphic by Shawn Barkdull.

terms. Each needs the other in order for either to exist. Thus, pro-
portion refers to the size of one element in relation to the other ele-
ments in a graphic or the overall space devoted to the graphics
package. In other words, it refers to how large or small an element
is compared to its surroundings. Proportion can be achieved
through size, shape and tone, and it can help establish importance
through emphasis.
Proportion is important to information graphics because it
helps create a sense of hierarchy and order among the elements.
For example, if the headline or title for a graphic is too small, it could
get lost among the other elements. Likewise, if it is too large, it
could overpower more important visual elements. And, the head-
line should be proportionate to the total amount of space devoted
to a graphic. A 54-point headline would be way too large for a
graphic that occupies only two columns of a broadsheet newspaper
page. However, if the graphic is large enough to fill an entire broad-
sheet page, the 54-point headline would be just right in relation to
other elements on the page and the size of the page itself.
Proportion is also achieved by incorporating elements of vary-
ing sizes or shapes in a layout. This practice allows us to compare
them to one another and make visual judgments about their relative
sizes and shapes or proportion. Adhering to proportional size and
shape relationships will result in a more interesting overall visual
effect than if all elements are more or less the same size. Proportion
is also useful in contributing to a sense of depth. A large, dominant
item is immediately perceived as being closer, or in the foreground,
whereas the smaller element is perceived as being farther away, or
in the background. Thus, the main illustration in a graphics pack-
age should be considerably larger than any other element because
it is likely the most important.
CONTRAST: The human eye notices distinct change more readily

than when there is little or no difference among elements. By intro-
ducing various levels of visual contrast, a graphics reporter can
emphasize important information, create visual hierarchy and help
activate eye movement on a page. Every design should have some
degree of contrast; however, the level of contrast you choose to
incorporate is generally dependent upon the nature of the content.
Contrast can be created by using varying sizes and shapes of ele- The symmetry and
ments, implementing the use of color and through the use of a typo- unified type palette
graphic palette that incorporates a number of different fonts. establish a great deal of
Typographic contrast is very important to information graphics
harmony in this graphic.
Contrast is introduced
design. Through the use of varying fonts and type sizes, you can dis-
through differences in
tinguish among different levels of information, from headlines and
color and shape, as well as
labels, to chatter and explainers. This contributes to both the visual the typographic texture
appeal of a design and the ordering of items on a page. that exists in the bold and
Shape contrast breaks up the repetition in a graphic. By imple- light combinations.
menting the use of elements with different shapes, you can work to
Graphic by Josh Engleman.
minimize harmony and add contrast and variety to the printed page. Used with permission.
HARMONY: While some degree of contrast is necessary for a graphic

to be effective, so is some degree of harmony. Harmony refers to
how well the individual elements on a page work together. Is the
color scheme harmonious? Do the typefaces chosen work well
together? Is the overall presentation effective for the relative con-
Several techniques are tent? These are all questions a graphics reporter should ask when
used in this display to trying to determine how to introduce harmony to a design.
create a sense of rhythm. You can work toward typographic harmony by choosing type-
The arrow is used to create faces that work well together for one reason or another. Likewise,
a sense of implied motion.
harmony can be introduced through the predominant use of verti-
Numbers are used to
cal or horizontal shapes within a graphic layout. For example, if the
represent a chronological
ordering of events, and the graphic is a vertical shape, the elements in the layout should repeat
general placement and the same format to achieve harmony of shape in the design.
sizing of elements in an
asymmetrical display helps RHYTHM: Just as rhythm in music can move you to dance, sway or
to rhythmically move the tap your foot, visual rhythm is the combination and arrangement of
eye through the elements that moves your eyes through a graphic presentation.
information. Visual rhythm can be achieved by repeating patterns that are simi-
lar in size, shape or color, by alternating elements that contrast one
Used with permission. another in some way or by placing elements in a manner that cre-
ates progression, such as small to large or light to dark.
Graphics reporters must always be aware of the rhythm of a

design. It is important to move a reader through and around the
graphic so that nothing is overlooked or dismissed due to its ineffec-
tive placement. When considering the rhythm of a presentation,
think about your audience’s natural eye movement. In Western cul-
ture, we are taught to read left to right, top to bottom. For this reason,
our eyes have been trained to move in this pattern when we view
most complex objects. The natural path of the eye, then, moves us in
the form of a z-pattern when we visually navigate a graphic design.
Thus, rhythm can be achieved in a variety of different ways.
Asymmetrical balance is most commonly used in the design of
graphics because it is the most effective way to move the eye around
a graphic. Repetition in the placement of like elements or even the
same element can also establish rhythm in a graphic. The similarity
of the elements makes a visual connection for the eye and moves it
from one to the next. Chronological, numerical or alphabetic place-
ment of elements is also a simple way to create rhythm. This place-
ment creates an obvious order for the eye to follow. Finally, integrat-
ing visual elements that are directional in nature often helps lead
the eye in a specific direction. This could be something as simple as
the use of an arrow in a design.
FOCUS: While there are several ways to create focus, each method
results in creating a difference of some kind among elements in a
graphic. Focal points are important for grabbing a reader’s atten-
tion and establishing importance and visual hierarchy.
One of the most important rules of thumb for any graphic
designer is that there must always be a dominant element, which is
usually the main illustration. This refers to the one object within the
design that is larger than the others. By introducing a dominant ele-
ment, a good designer creates a focal point, or an area to which the
eye is drawn most strongly. Once a dominant element is estab-
lished, the addition of secondary and tertiary focal points is neces-
sary. In information graphics, these are usually secondary illustra-
tions and explanatory text blocks. Remember that the dominant
element should be noticeably larger than the other elements within
a graphic. In fact, the dominant element can be up to three times as
large as any other element in a graphic presentation.
THE PERFECT SET

In volleyball, there are three essential moves, the pass, set and spike. After pass sends the ball to the setter,
she lofts the ball into the air for the next move, the spike. Here are three basic steps to a perfect set.
Step One Step Two Step Three

Position yourself With your arms Extend your arms
under the ball, and legs slightly and legs, pushing
shoulders facing bent, contact the the ball with your
the hitter. Steady ball above your fingers toward
your footing with head. The ball your target. Move
your dominant should land in in the direction of
foot forward. your fingers and the set, shifting
Hold your hands should never your weight
above your touch the palms toward the
forehead creating of your hands. target.The ball
a window, with The main points should only
your thumbs and of contact should contact your
index fingers be your thumbs hands for a split
touching. Spread and index fingers, second.
the rest of your while the other
fingers out as if fingers should
you were actually touch slightly for
holding the control.
volleyball.
Ab
In this graphic, you UNITY: In publications design, unity generally refers to the overall
can see the underlying cohesiveness of the design of the entire publication. At first, unity
grid the graphics reporter may sound a lot like harmony. However, while harmony refers to
used to help organize and how elements in a specific graphic or in a page design work together,
size the visual elements of unity refers to the cohesiveness of the entire product. Unity can best
the graphic. Note that
be achieved through the implementation of consistent typographic
each element, from text
and/or color palettes and a uniform grid system.
blocks to illustrations,
locks to the grid. After becoming familiar with a publication, a consumer should
be able to immediately recognize graphics from that publication
Graphic by Robin Anderson. simply based on the consistent presentation of type and color. Thus,
most publications will have already established these palettes, and
you should always adhere to them when composing new graphics.
Working with a Grid

One of the best things you can do to help make sure your graphic
layout is active, easy to navigate, logical and attractive is to work
with a grid structure. While the average reader may not recognize
your efforts in this regard, working with a grid will go a long way
toward making sure the composition of your graphic supports all of
the visual elements present in the graphic. In fact, the grid can be
likened to the frame of a house. Without a frame made of equally
spaced wooden beams, the structure would be weak, the house
would be unbalanced and the homeowners would be subject to
major structural problems down the road. Ceilings would cave in
and walls would become cracked and deteriorate. Likewise, if a
designer fails to incorporate a grid structure into the creation of an
information graphic, she risks building a framework that is weak
and unstable.
You may have already noticed that grids are most closely related
to the basic design principles of balance and rhythm through place-
ment and proportion through size relationships. By using a grid
when you design graphics, you establish a mechanism for making
sure the visual weight of your graphic is balanced and all elements
within the design are well aligned. This is important because graph-
ics that are top/bottom/left/right heavy, fail to adequately move the
reader through all of the key elements. Instead, your audience is
likely to get stuck in the heavy dominance of the area that holds
excessive amounts of visual weight. A grid also helps ensure that the
sizes of individual elements are both proportionate to one another
and to the overall canvass of the graphic. This is achieved by mak-
ing sure that every element is sized in relation to the grid, with each
one locking to the grid on the left and right. This is important
because disproportion offends the visual appeal of the graphic and
causes elements that are too large to drown out and overpower
those which are too small.
The grid you choose for your graphic may be based on a variety
of things. If you are designing for a newspaper, magazine or other
type of print publication, your grid will likely be based on the
columnar (vertical) grid already established for that publication.
Newspapers generally use six-column grids for their editorial con-
tent. Thus, the overall size of your graphic will likely be between one
and six standard broadsheet or tabloid columns in width. Doubling
that grid – turning a six-column grid into a twelve-column grid – can
be extremely helpful for designing information graphics because
you will often be dealing with many small blocks of explanatory text
or smaller, secondary illustrations. Then, to make your grid even
more precise, add horizontal lines that create exact squares when
combined with your vertical grid lines. By doubling the grid and
adding a horizontal baseline, you establish for yourself a much
more detailed grid to work with and a nice guide for the placement
of all of those smaller elements.
COLOR CHECKLIST If you are developing graphics for the Web, you will likely have a
Strive for visual accuracy: pre-established amount of space to work with as well. If your editor
Your first and primary hasn’t already established a grid, it’s in your best interests to do so.
objective should be to
accurately reflect the visual And, while broadcast graphics don’t generally contain much text,
appearance of your sub- there may be a number of illustrative pieces for which you will need
ject matter by choosing to establish proportions and balance. In both cases, you may sim-
colors that are as close to
ply choose a logical number of vertical and horizontal columns –
reality as possible.
proportionate to the overall size of the media format – that allow
Establish a consistent choice
you to place textual and visual elements in a proportionate and bal-
of colors: Make sure you
have an adequate number anced arrangement.
of greens, blues, browns
and flesh tones in your
palette. Then round it out
with a few neutral, pastel
Color & Type Palettes
tints. Using established color and typographic palettes for your infor-
mation graphics is imperative when attempting to establish unity
Text is best in black: Avoid
color in chatter and for your publication and harmony for your individual graphics. Not
explainers. It causes type only will you create a sense of visual recognition that will become a
to be difficult to read in part of your publication’s visual identity, but you will also ensure
small sizes. that similar elements within a single graphics package are designed
Avoid creating false relation- in a similar fashion. This will eliminate confusion and disorder for
ships: By using the same your audience. Chances are, the publication you work for will have
color for elements within
your graphic, you will established these palettes a long time ago. However, should you
automatically create a ever find yourself participating in a redesign or the creation of a new
visual connection between product, there are several important considerations to be mindful of
them. Be careful that the
when developing new color and type palettes.
associations that are
caused by color combina-
tions aren’t unnatural. COLOR PALETTES: Developing a well-rounded color palette that covers
all the necessary bases is important. If you don’t, members of the TYPE CHECKLIST
graphics staff may be inclined to arbitrarily mix new colors later
Choose a sans serif: Most
because the palette doesn’t contain one they need. Before you know it, graphics type palettes
there will be stray colors in a variety of shades floating around the pub- make use of a single sans
lication, defeating the original purpose for establishing a palette at all. serif font that comes in a
number of weights and
There are a few colors that are essential for every color palette.
widths. Sans serifs are
For example, graphics often depict images of nature or human considered to be most
beings. Thus, your graphics palette should contain several shades readable in small sizes
of green for trees and grass, browns and tans for earth and ground when combined with
complex illustrations.
and blues for water and sky. You should also include a wide range of
flesh tones to represent individuals with very light skin to very dark Develop an inventory of
styles: Make a list of all of
skin. This will ensure that you never lack a skin tone you may even-
the possible typographic
tually need, as well as account for racial and ethnic diversity among elements you may need to
the human figures illustrated in your graphics. A few shades of red, create an information
orange, yellow and violet from deeper tones to brighter tones are graphic – headlines, chat-
ter, labels, etc.
also necessary to represent the natural colors of the world in which
we live. Finally, complete the palette with a number of pastel tints Create prototypes for differ-
ent kinds of graphics: Test
in neutral shades like peach and tan to be used when background different weights and sizes
shades are necessary. Darker hues like red, green or blue generally in graphics prototypes to
make poor background shades because they are too dark and determine the most read-
intense to recede into the background of your graphic. Thus, they able and space-efficient
styles for different typo-
often overpower the content they are meant to highlight. graphic elements.
If you’re developing graphics for print, beware that one of the
Develop a hierarchy among
biggest mistakes you can make when developing a color palette is to elements: Use different sizes
rely on only your computer screen for determining the appearance and weights to distinguish
of certain mixes. Depending on the type of paper on which you are among different styles, such
printing and the presses on which your publication is produced, the as headlines, explainers and
labels. The difference
colors you mix on screen may look very different in print. Therefore, doesn’t necessarily have to
when you have chosen a set of colors for your palette, run a press be extreme, but is necessary
test to make sure the colors will print the way you intended. If they to provide adequate con-
trast among typographic
do not, you may need to adjust the color mixes until they are accu-
elements in a graphic.
rate. Then, don’t ever worry if they look strange on the screen. If you
Stick to it: Once you have
have tested them in print, that’s all you need to worry about. Finally,
established a type palette,
remember that when you are creating graphics for the Web and don’t stray from it. This
broadcast, you are working with the additive color palette, RGB (red, will only interfere with the
green, blue). Color that is printed, on the other hand, is subtractive, harmony of individual
graphics and the unity of
CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). When developing a color
the entire publication.
palette for print, you can mix various shades of these four colors to
produce every color in the rainbow. When developing color for the
Web, you must choose from a limited number of pre-established
Web-safe colors.
TYPE PALETTES: Establishing a type palette is much like establishing

a color palette. However, for information graphics, you’ll be dealing
with a lot fewer typefaces than you were colors. In fact, a good
graphics type palette may actually only make use of one font, and
SAMPLE TYPE PALETTE different weights and sizes of the font are then used for hierarchy
Develop a type palette and contrast. Furthermore, most graphics type palettes make use of
that you consistently use
only sans serif faces to eliminate any unnecessary clutter in presen-
for every information
graphic you publish. tation. Because sans serif faces generally have little or no differen-
Doing so will create a tiation in stroke thickness and because they are generally pretty
strong sense of unity clean and streamlined, they tend to read more clearly when com-
among the graphics you
bined with complex illustrations. Serif fonts, on the other hand,
run on a regular basis.
This sample type palette tend to be much more detailed, with differences in stroke thickness
uses the font Richmond and small “feet” on the ends of the letterforms. Therefore, when
and its various weights for combined with illustrations that may contain complex lines and use
all typographic elements
of color, they tend to be less readable and can potentially clutter a
used for information
graphics. graphic unnecessarily.
So, your first step when creating a typographic palette for infor-
Headlines: 24- to 30-point
Richmond Black con- mation graphics is to choose the typeface, preferably a sans serif,
densed that will be the main font in the palette. You may have occasion to
Chatter: 10-point choose one additional font if you are concerned with adding a bit
Richmond Medium more contrast to the palette. But, I wouldn’t advise more than two
Explainers/callouts: 9-point fonts for your type palette. Too many fonts will only interfere with
Richmond Light the overall unity and harmony of your palette. If you are working for
Diagram labels/state & coun- a larger publication that presents other types of information in tex-
try labels: 10-point tual formats, such as a newspaper, magazine or Web site, chances
Richmond Bold, all caps are your type palette will need to align with the type palette for the
Roads & streets: 8-point entire publication. For example, if a sans serif has been chosen for
Richmond Light fact boxes, story labels or headlines, you will likely want to use the
Cities & towns: 9-point same font in its various weights for the graphics palette. This will
Richmond Medium help maintain a sense of unity with the rest of the publication.
Bodies of water: 8-point If you are in charge of choosing the typeface, make sure you
Richmond Light Italic choose one that comes in a variety of weights. Recently, type
Source lines/bylines: 6-point foundries like Font Bureau & Frere Jones have developed fonts with
Richmond Light a number of extended, compressed and condensed weights to pro-
vide more options for a more detailed type palette. In the end, you
may not use every weight or width available in a given font, but hav-
ing a number of options will be helpful when developing a rich,
comprehensive palette. Once the primary graphics font has been
chosen, you can begin testing the readability and efficiency of dif-
ferent weights and sizes.
Start by developing an inventory of all of the different typo-
graphic elements you will make use of in the various kinds of graph-
ics you’ll produce. For example, all graphics will likely contain
headlines, chatter, explanatory callouts, labels, source lines and
bylines. Maps will contain street, city and country labels, as well as
labels for political boundaries and bodies of water. Finally, large,
complex diagrams may also contain additional explainer boxes,
bold lead-in text or labeling devices. Once you have developed a
comprehensive type style inventory, you can start creating proto-
types that test various type styles in a variety of weights and sizes to
find the combination that works best for each element. Establish a
fair amount of contrast among the styles for different elements by
using different sizes and weights. This will ensure that there is some
hierarchy and visual rhythm built into your palette. As a rule, head-
lines for smaller graphics should generally be between 18 and 30
point. Add to that a size and style for a larger, more complex graph-
ics package, and you should have plenty of headline options.
Labeling devices are generally bolder and are between 10 and 14
point, depending on their intended use, and chatter and explanatory
callouts generally range between eight and 10 point, depending on
what is most readable in a specific weight and width. It’s a good idea
to test a number of style options in a number of different types of
graphics – maps, charts, diagrams, etc. – before settling on the styles
that will comprise the final type palette.
Finally, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that
once a type palette has been established, you must stick to it. I have
known designers and graphics reporters who will occasionally
squeeze or resize type to make it fit in tight situations, and believe
me, it’s not a good idea. The minute you start manipulating type
styles beyond how they were originally intended – even if you think
the modifications are “barely noticeable” to the audience – you put
the integrity of the design at risk. You disturb the unity of the pub-
RON REASON lication’s overall visual appeal, and you defeat the purpose for estab-
lishing a consistent style in the first place.
Design Consultant

What design principles cross over from page design to designing
graphics?
With 20 years experience Perhaps even more so than good page design in general, infor-
in news design and edit- mation graphics absolutely rely on cleanliness and the use of no
ing, Ron Reason helps frills. For example, a feature page about New Year’s Eve doesn’t
newspapers and maga-
zines become more cre- inherently suffer from gratuitous curlicues, arrows, starbursts or
ative, smart, relevant, other doo-dads that might suggest a party of fireworks. But a
appealing and easy to use. graphic cannot afford to incorporate elements like that, since
He has redesigned The the audience particularly looks for meaning in every visual ele-
Dallas Morning News,
Orlando Sentinel, and ment included.
Boston Herald, among
others. For Garcia Media, The placement, sizing and editing of text (“information architec-
he directed the redesigns
ture”) is also extremely important in infographics. Whether a tab
of The San Francisco
Examiner, The Harvard chart, fever line or a locator map, the audience instantly zooms
Crimson, Staten Island in on the small text to derive meaning in relation to the visuals.
Advance and Crain’s
Chicago Business, and
What are the most important design concepts a graphics reporter
assisted with The Wall
Street Journal and Gulf should be aware of?
News. He has also provided The real estate devoted to a graphic must be extremely economi-
training for newspapers cal, so editing has to be as tight, clear and to the point as possible.
around the world. Ron
honed his skills at the Dow Typically, a headline of two to five words, and introductory text of
Jones Newspaper Fund one to two sentences, must set the stage very quickly.
editing workshop and got
his real-world start at the Colors also must be used critically. More than in a page design,
St. Petersburg Times,
where he edited and readers make associations between colors; the repeated use of a
designed for 10 years. He color (in a bar chart or pie graph) will definitely create a connec-
then joined the faculty at tion. If only black and white is available, most newspapers cannot
the Poynter Institute and
print more than four to five shades of gray very distinctly, so that
served as Director of
Visual Journalism from obviously affects the kind of information that can be presented.
1995 to 1999. You can
find lots of tips, case stud- Finally, the graphics reporter or editor should be aware of what
ies and commentary on
other elements are going with a story, i.e., photos, illustrations,
design at his Web site:
www.ronreason.com. sidebars, etc. Particularly in the case of headlines on main sto-
ries and sidebars, the graphics text has to be coordinated so it

complements, and doesn’t repeat, the other headlines.
What can graphics reporters learn from designers?

Editing. Good designers often leave good text and visuals on the
cutting room floor. Graphics reporters probably have to do this
even more. Knowing what to leave in, what to leave out and
what to emphasize is paramount.
How important is a good design to creating an effective graphic?

The more complex a graphic becomes – the more visual and text
elements to be thrown in together – the more important good
design becomes. The arrangement and sizing of elements
become critical to the understanding of the information.
What are some of the greatest challenges when designing infor-

mation graphics?
Fitting the information into the space allotted. Distilling the
information – visuals and text – so that the “average person” can
understand it, without talking down to the more knowledgeable
reader.
Please offer five tips for composing/designing information graphics.

1. Have a set color palette that repeats or at least complements
the color palette of the rest of the newspaper.
2. Never use funky fonts.
3. Use a set palette for type, i.e., headline, introductory text and
small identifiers within the graphic should always be consistent.
4. Follow consistent standards for boxes, shadows, spacing,
credit placement and so on.
5. Always have as many people involved with the reporting and
editing of the story – and maybe one or two who aren’t – look
over the graphic several times before publication.
Would you recommend that graphics reporters design on a grid?

The graphics themselves typically should be on common grid
measures – one column, two, three and so on. This greatly eases
production later in the deadline process. Within a graphic, I’m
usually less concerned that a strict grid is followed, but as a rule,

a designer might break a graphic into a three-, four- or five-col-
umn mini-grid if it seems to help the placement of elements.
What’s your philosophy as a designer?

Let the information – visuals and text – speak for itself, clearly
and intelligently. Never try to make the design elements them-
selves (fonts, colors, shadows, rules) cry out for attention.
Chapter Five Exercise

Below is a set of elements used to create an information graphic
that diagrams how secondhand smoke affects the respiratory system.
You are provided with a main illustration, an inset and several blocks of
text. Using all of the pieces, develop a layout for the graphic in the
illustration program of your choice (i.e., Macromedia FreeHand or
Adobe Illustrator). In the end, your graphic may be horizontal or verti-
cal, and you may choose any size you feel is necessary to display the
information effectively. Feel free to set the type for the chatter and
explainers in any width or configuration. Adhere to the styles from the
type palette that is provided. (NOTE: The diagram elements can also
be found in electronic form on the accompanying CD-ROM.)
Headline: Secondhand smoke & the respiratory system
Chatter: Secondhand smoke contains approximately 3,000 harmful

chemicals. These chemicals primarily affect the respiratory system,
causing numerous types of illnesses or diseases, such as lung cancer,
asthma, bronchitis and heart disease, to name a few. The steps below
show how these chemicals invade the respiratory system.
1: NASAL CAVITY Chemicals in the air enter the body here, where it is
moistened, warmed and filtered.
2: PHARYNX The pharynx, or throat, is located where the passages

from the nose and mouth join.
3: TRACHEA Otherwise known as the windpipe, the trachea is the
main tunnel leading toward the lungs.
4: BRONCHI From the trachea, the air is split into two tubes, called
the bronchi.
5: LUNGS Located behind the rib cage, the bronchial tubes split into
tiny tubes transferring the air to sacs called alveoli.
(Inset) ALVEOLI The bronchial tubes split into tiny tubes, transferring
the air to sacs called alveoli. These sacs provide nourishment to the
bloodstream. When these sacs are filled with harmful substances, they
spread through the rest of the body, increasing the risk for disease.
By: Kate DeHaven

Source: www.cin.org
CHAPTER
SIX
Cartography for Journalists
Maps are, perhaps, the most common types of information graphics. In
addition to serving a variety of purposes in communications design, such as
forecasting the weather, locating the scene of a news event or plotting statistical
information geographically, maps are also used by the government, private and
public companies and community organizations. Road maps provide us with
directions for how to get to where we’re going. Land-use maps are used to out-
line a city’s zoning parameters. Topographic maps show the physical features
(i.e., water, mountains, valleys, etc.) of land. Statistical maps associate numeri-
cal data with specified areas of land. In fact, for every known location in the
world, any number of maps may exist that provide a variety of information from
a simple x-marks-the-spot location to a more detailed explanation of a specific
location’s various characteristics.
Thus, map-making, or cartography, mixes geography with many other fields,
including mathematics or meteorology, and a cartographer’s job often includes a
great deal of research and data analysis, as well as illustration. Likewise, a graph-
ics reporter who is faced with the task of creating a map-based graphic must be
aware of a number of concepts related to all of these areas to effectively do her
job. Newspapers, magazines, online publications and broadcast media frequently
use maps as a way to apply news and information to cartographic illustration.
Understanding what kinds of maps are possible for illustrating a given story
requires thorough knowledge of the geographic nature of map-making and
knowledge of the illustrative hierarchy prescribed by cartography.
101
However, it is also important to understand that while cartogra-

phers and information graphics reporters may engage in many of
the same practices, there are some differences in the way each
approaches map design. Cartographers, who are often employed by
agencies that are concerned with the most thorough, detailed maps
possible, are often primarily concerned with maps that include the
highest degree of visual detail related to the topic at hand. For
example, a cartographer’s version of a road map would include all
highways, major and minor, as well as all bodies of water and major
landmarks. A graphic journalist, on the other hand, is equally
devoted to accuracy but perhaps less concerned with locating all of
these things. Because a graphic journalist is always relating the map
to a specific news event, he will often edit out less important visual
information that is not essential to the telling of that particular
story. This less essential information is called “map fat.” In fact,
graphic journalists should always remember that the average per-
son isn’t generally well versed in geography. So, in an effort to sim-
plify complex information, a graphics reporter will often remove
map fat from the base map to ensure that the elements most rele-
vant to the story remain salient and the map remains uncluttered.
So, most communications graphics only include the amount of
detail necessary to provide context for the news at hand. For exam-
ple, a simple locator map will likely include major highways, roads
and streets, but may not necessarily mark every street in a nearby
housing addition if their names and locations aren’t intrinsic to the
story. Or a topographic map used to explain how a volcano erupts
or how a wave forms may include a great deal of illustrative detail,
while leaving out latitude and longitude designations. Likewise, a
map of a country may include labels for the locations of major cities
or political borders, but may not locate every city, which keeps the
map from becoming too cluttered. Again, the goal should be to pro-
vide as much necessary information, in the smallest amount of
space, in the least visually and textually complicated fashion.
Functions of Maps
While a graphics reporter’s basic goals for map design are the
same – to accurately depict a landmass or location in the context of
CARTOGRAPHY FOR JOURNALISTS 103
a news story – the function of a map is determined by the nature of

the story, and it is imperative that a graphics reporter understand
those various functions. A thorough knowledge of the different func-
tions of maps will ensure that a reporter chooses the right display for
a specific set of data or information. For example, a graphics
reporter’s approach to a map meant to show how many bushels of
corn are produced in each county in Indiana each year is different
than the approach to a map geared to show the location and progres-
sion of an earthquake in Southern California. Like diagrams, maps
are often categorized as passive or active. A passive map generally
shows nothing more than a location. It’s an x-marks-the-spot visual
description of an event. An active map, on the other hand, displays
the progression of an event through movement, chronology and
direction. For example, an active map of a car accident would not
only show where the crash occurred, but the chain of events that led
to the crash as well. All maps have some passive qualities, in that
they all illustrate a specific geographic location. However, a map is
only active if it shows or implies movement. In print publications,
movement or visual rhythm is most often illustrated with arrows,
lines and numerical or alphabetical ordering. Online and broadcast
news graphics benefit from the potential for animation, allowing the
graphics reporter to provide an even more realistic depiction
of an event. Regardless, passive and active maps each have Centennial Ave.
their place in visual storytelling.
New York Ave.
3-ALARM FIRE
Wh
BSU
Kinds of Maps
eel
Central
ing
High
Walnut St.
School
Ave
There are different kinds of maps available to graphics Riverside Ave.

.
reporters. The most common of these are surface (locator) University Ave. .
Blvd
McKinley Ave.
maps, geological maps and statistical maps. Each type serves River
ite
Main St.
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a different purpose in storytelling, and a graphics reporter

W
e. 32
must understand the function as well as the illustrative char- Av Jackson St.
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or
acteristics of each type. ite River ilg N 1 MILE
Wh K
Locator maps are generally small

LOCATOR MAPS are the most common types of maps used in
and don’t necessarily need a
print journalism. So often, the level of understanding of a headline or chatter. Their purpose is
news story’s context or significance is enhanced when an to give context to a story by showing
audience is provided with specific information regarding the location of a news event.
Downtown land use plan
Land use
Residential N
Residential/Transitional
Commercial/Mixed Use
Office/Mixed Use
Arts/Entertainment/Mixed
Hospital/Medical Research
R/D-Light Industrial
Retail-Office Core
Civic/Government
Land-use maps are where the event occurred. Locator maps provide recognition when
commonly used to a story occurs on a local or state level and a greater degree of con-
show how various patches text when a story occurs on a broader, international scale.
of land are zoned. Color- Regardless of whether they show city streets or focus on a single
coded segments show the country, they are usually relatively small, as it generally doesn’t take
types of activities that take
much space to pinpoint a specific location. Locator maps should be
place on each block or
clean and simple so that the audience can consume them at a
area.
glance, and they should include adequate visual detail. In other
words, label streets, highways, landmarks or cities that are either in
the immediate vicinity of the news focus or are major, widely recog-
nized areas to provide clear context for the primary location. If you
are working for a publication in the United States, it is generally
acceptable to isolate a single state without showing its bordering
states (if they aren’t intrinsic to the story) because you can assume
that most readers at least know in what part of the country most
states exist. However, when a locator map focuses specifically on a
country outside the United States, avoid isolating the country. You
can’t assume your readers know where various countries are in the
world without seeing their neighboring countries. Locator maps
may also include insets that show either a zoomed out or zoomed in
view of the area to either provide greater context or more detail.
Insets are discussed in greater detail in the next section.
GEOLOGICAL MAPS are used to show the Earth’s formations, such as

Topographic maps show
fault lines, surface characteristics of a landmass or mountains, val-
the physical features
leys and bodies of water. The two most common types of geological
and surface characteristics
maps are land-use maps and topographic maps. Land-use maps of a landmass, or the “lay of
show how communities and individuals use land, as well as how the land.” These types of
chunks of land are zoned. For example, counties often use land-use maps can offer important
maps to show what portions of a city are designated for schools, res- information about the geo-
idential areas, industrial areas, parks and playgrounds, cemeteries logical makeup of a land-
or other public, private or institutional areas. Topographic maps mass.
show the physical features and surface characteristics of a land-
Graphic by Josh Engleman.
mass, or the “lay of the land.” Topographic maps may show moun- Used with permission.
tains, valleys or ocean floors, for example, and can be very helpful in
Flood plain
clay
Hills
sand
Old terrace
water
Flat woods Prarie

top soil
Marsh
Gulf
Louisiana
Chenier
clay
Marsh is top
loses ground
unstable
and provides soil
little structural
support.
water
To present day, coastal waters along
the Louisiana coast have swallowed an water
area of land the size of Rhode Island. Every
day, a chunk of land the sixe
size of a football field sand
sinks farther below sea level because of the
construction of flooding embankments combined
with natural erosion.
water
Swamp and marshlands in southern Lousiana cause accelerated
land loss due to sinking. This graphic shows the geological difference
between the northern and southern parts of Louisiana.
Choropleth maps categorize

data according to sets of
values. Each set is then
color-coded, allowing the
County Infections
audience to associate blocks of of Citrus Canker
color with a predetermined 1995-1997
ORANGE
value at a glance.
1998-2000
HILLSBOROUGH
Graphic by Jeremy Brumbaugh.
2001-2003 BREVARD
MANATE E OKEECHOBEE
Citrus canker DESOTO

HIGHLANDS
spreads across SARASOTA MARTIN
south Florida PALM BEACH

LEE HENDRY
In 1995, citrus canker made its return
to south Florida. Over the past nine
years, the disease has affected 16 COLLIER
BROWARD
counties and grown exponential in the
Miami-Dade county area causing problems
for all citrus growers. Currently, scientists are DADE
MONROE
tracking three different strands of the disease
across the contaminated area.
displaying important geological information in a news presenta-

tion. Sometimes, topographic maps are illustrated to appear three-
dimensional. When this is the case, a topographic map is also called
a relief map, and it allows a graphic artist to show topographic char-
acteristics to scale.
STATISTICAL MAPS are used to correlate numerical data with geo-

graphic locations. In other words, you can show the concentration
of agricultural production, numbers of voters, democrats vs. repub-
licans, etc., in a specific area of land by color-coding or using sym-
bols to denote quantities or numerical values. Like any other type
of statistical data display, statistical maps can require a great deal of
time and attention from the graphics reporter. You must take care
to understand the data, be sure you have a complete set of data, and
understand the best type of display for conveying the information at

hand. Three common types of statistical maps are choropleth, iso-
lene and dot distribution.
To create a choropleth map you must first categorize the data
according to sets of values. For example, if you are attempting to
show the approximate number of Hispanic residents currently liv-
ing in the United States, broken down by state, you can create
numerical ranges for each category such as 0-10,000, 10,000-20,000
and so on. The value ranges in each category should be equal
amounts, and you should generally limit the number of value ranges
to a number that is proportionate to the amount of information you
are showing. In other words, too few categories result in a statisti-
cally less-detailed map, and too many categories result in a map
that fails to show significant patterns. After your categories have
been established, assign different colors to each value set, and col-
orize each state accordingly. When choosing colors for your choro-
pleth, make sure you choose colors or shades of gray that are easily
discernable. If your colors are too similar tonally, your audience will
have a harder time distinguishing among them. By using this
CANDADIAN
CANADIAN PRECIPITATION DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL
500
100
80
Precipitation departures
60
40 Weather maps are the most
20 common types of isolene
0 maps. Like choropleth maps,
-20 isolenes shows similarities in
-40 bands or blocks of value in a
-80 color-coded fashion. This
-100 map simplifies the informa-
tion at hand by associating
precipitation levels with
degrees of color.
approach, your audience can clearly see, at a

Distribution of citrus canker
glance, which states have the lowest to highest
strains in south Florida
concentrations of Hispanic residents.
An isolene map is one that displays data in
Orlando
relation to land by correlating points of similar
Tampa
value. In other words, this type of map shows sim-
ilarities in bands or blocks of value, which, like
choropleths, are colored to match specific value
sets. The major difference between choropleth
and isolene maps is that although choropleth
maps link numerical information to specific units
West Palm Beach
of land (like states, for example), an isolene map
links points of similar values to one another along
Strains of Naples a specific patch of land. The most common type of
Citrus Canker Miami isolene map used in communications design is the
Lake Worth weather map. In fact, nearly every newspaper in
Strain
Manatee the world runs a weather map of some kind every
Strain day, and nearly every nightly newscast devotes a
Miami
Strain period of time to forecasting the weather during
the coming days. The maps we see in those types
BSU NEWS 485: Jeremy Brumbaugh, Kristen Angarola, of presentations show bands of color that repre-
Sara Heimann, Kathryn Biek, Scott Rogers
sent temperatures, amounts of precipitation and
Dot distribution maps other pressure systems sweeping across the land. You can create
associate statistical these bands by connecting similar temperature patterns from
information with blocks of region to region with lines and shapes and eventually filling them
color. Larger or greater
with color to represent varying weather patterns.
numbers of dots equate to
The third most common type of statistical map is the dot distri-
greater numbers.
bution map, which is used to combine numerical data with geo-
graphic areas through a series of dots meant to represent various
Graphic by Jeremy Brumbaugh. value sets. Dots are most often related to a ratio, with one dot equal-
ing a larger number of items. For example, a dot distribution map
showing corn production in Indiana might assert that one dot is
equal to 10,000 bushels of corn. So, if 50,000 bushels of corn are
produced in Allen County each year, five dots should be placed in
this area of the state. Thus, the areas with the most intense dot pat-
tern are the areas that produce the greatest amounts of corn. The
best way to establish your initial ratio is to find the area on the map
with the greatest concentration and divide it by a given number. An
effective dot distribution map is one that clearly shows a significant

concentration or pattern of dots across the land mass. If your ratio
is too low, sparse areas will be covered with many dots, making it
appear more concentrated than it really is. Likewise, a ratio that is
too high will make a more densely populated area appear to be
much more sparse than it really is. Because this type of map is
meant to convey information at a glance, your audience may be
misled if the ratios aren’t just right.
The Physical Components of a Map

All maps that are intended to convey information related to
news should be constructed with some of the same basic compo-
nents in mind. In fact, without certain distinguishing elements, a
map could become quite misleading and even display incorrect
TRANSFERRING A SCALE
information altogether. Make sure that you assess each map you In order to ensure that
your map remains pro-
create, and determine whether the following elements are necessary
portionate regardless of
for the type of information you are showing. how small or large you
make it, you must trans-
SCALES: A map without a scale is not a map at all, but merely an fer the scale from your
original reference materi-
illustration. Scales are used to represent distance, and the map itself al, such as a road map or
should be illustrated in proportion to that scale. Scales help ensure atlas, to the map you are
that distances from one element to another are accurate and that illustrating. The best way
the map as a whole is relative to the actual mass of land it repre- to do this is to scan the
scale and the reference
sents. When a scale is not used in a map meant to convey news and map together. Then, you
information, elements can be dramatically distorted. Streets can can shrink or enlarge
seem longer or shorter than they really are. Buildings or other land- them to fit the size and
marks can seem closer together or farther apart than they really are. shape of your map. If the
scale of the reference
Cities can become misplaced and states or countries can be dispro- map is too far away from
portionate to one another or to their actual size, hindering the audi- the area you are cropping
ence’s ability to get a true picture of the story. For example, if you are in on, you can scan the
scale and the map sepa-
using a map to show the path of a police chase from the point of the
rately as long as you make
robbery to the point of the final apprehension, illustrating the cor- sure they are scanned at
rect distance can be crucial in helping the audience understand the same percentage.
how long the chase took and what expanse of land it covered. Scales Then, you can later com-
bine the two scans, illus-
should generally be anchored in one of the lower corners of the
trate your scale and move
map, away from the main point of interest. Also, it is acceptable to it onto the area of the
overlap simple illustrated elements such as roads, but avoid over- map you are focusing on.
This inset (circled in red)

CAR BOMBS KILL IRAQI GUARDS, CITIZENS
Suicide bombings in Iraq have been a high threat to U.S. soldiers and Iraqi
shows a zoomed-out citizens. Below shows the locations of the deadliest attacks this year.
view of the landmass to
show where Iraq is in the
context of surrounding
countries and continents.
Insets can also be
reversed to show a
zoomed-in view of an
area. Insets should be
small and simple.

MAP SYMBOLS
Scale:
500 miles
Compass Direction:
N
lapping the scale with text. Instead, find a way to drop the scale in
Legend/Key: a less detailed area of the map. Finally, although you may encounter
County Infections reference maps that measure distances in kilometers, if you are cre-
of Citrus Canker ating a map for a primarily American audience, you should convert
1995-1997 kilometers to miles because that is the standard measurement used
in the states. Metric conversion charts can be found online or in the
1998-2000 Associated Press Stylebook. Kilometers may be used for maps created
for audiences outside the states.
2001-2003
COMPASS DIRECTION: Ideally, an effective, accurate map should also
Pointer Box: include a north compass direction, and most maps should be drawn
Explainer text should be
with north facing up to eliminate any possible confusion on the part
set inside pointer box. of the audience as to the orientation of the map. The most common
Leave space for margins.
way of designating the compass direction is to simply place the let-
ter “N” along with an arrow that points north in one of the bottom
corners of the map. Like the scale, the compass direction shouldn’t
overlap text, and shouldn’t interfere with the point of news interest in
the map. Some publications may choose to deviate from consistent
use of the “N” symbol in maps by establishing a rule that all maps are
drawn with true north facing upward because the average reader is
likely to assume “N” is up anyway. Then, if there is a rare occasion to
deviate from this rule because the content calls for a different angle,
for example, then the “N” symbol is added with an arrow pointing
the reader in the appropriate direction. Three-dimensional maps or
maps that are turned a specific direction due to special circum-
stances in the content are rare, but are indeed sometimes necessary.
For example, if your map includes a building that has suffered some
sort of damage as a result of a tornado or earthquake, and the bulk of
the damage is on the north side of the building, you may choose to
turn the building around to show that area of interest more closely.
In that case, north wouldn’t be facing up, and the audience should be
made aware of this alteration so as not to create confusion. Like the
scale, the compass direction should be clean, simple and out of the
way. Avoid adding illustrative flair to devices that are used as mere
secondary reference points in a graphic.
LEGENDS OR KEYS: Depending on the purpose and focus of a map, it

may also include a key or legend meant to simplify the information
it displays. A legend is a list of definitions for symbols, colors or
shapes used in a map to represent numerical values, objects or
landmarks, and they are most often used when there isn’t enough
space in the map itself to display all of the story’s key information.
Letters, numbers, iconic symbols or blocks of color are commonly
used as visual devices for a legend and allow a graphics reporter to
show significant information in a small amount of space. Legends
should always be present in statistical maps, such as choropleth,
isolene and dot distribution maps, because they are the only effec-
tive way to inform the reader of the values each pattern of color or
dot pattern represents. Additionally, any symbol, number or letter
you intend to use in a map presentation that has no obvious mean-
ing should be defined in a legend. However, not all maps require a
legend. But when they do, legends should be small, simple and
clean, and like scales and compass directions, they are generally dis-
played in a separate box or are placed somewhere below or to the
MAP REFERENCES side of the map so that they are easy to read and don’t interfere with
the illustrated information found in the map itself.
There are a lot of helpful
and reliable references for
developing maps of all REFERENCE POINTS: Effective maps should also include reference
kinds. Every graphics points that most of the intended audience would be familiar with to
reporter should have a
create recognition and context for the illustration. Reference points
source list for maps on
hand. include state highways, main streets, state capitals, neighboring
towns or cities, parks, rivers, churches, schools, railroads or business
Any up-to-date world atlas:
Several good world atlases districts. These familiar focal points help readers get a sense of how
exist. National Geographic close or far something is as well as where something happened in
and Rand McNally, for relation to streets, neighborhoods or cities with which they are more
example, frequently
familiar. Of course, you must use your best judgment regarding how
release new versions of
their atlases that include many reference points to place in a map. Too many can clutter your
full-color political maps for map and too few can result in not showing enough reference points
each continent, maps with for your map to be meaningful to most of your audience.
topographic detail, individ-
ual maps for the United
States and Canadian POINTER BOXES: Maps that are intended to accompany a news or
provinces, an index of feature story should have a central area of interest. This point on
thousands of place names your map is generally the area(s) where the main event occurred.
and country-by-country
geographical data. You can effectively highlight these areas by using pointer boxes to
call out key locations or information in the map. The visual style for
An up-to-date country atlas:
All graphics reporters pointer boxes generally varies among publications and types of
should have an atlas that graphics. However, most are generally white with black type or
accurately reflects the black with white type. The key to designing an effective pointer box
country in which they live. is making sure it stands out clearly among the other elements in the
These will show state/
province/etc., and borders graphic, calling direct and immediate attention to the area it signi-
and topographic detail as fies. Text inside a pointer box should have adequate space sur-
well as index thousands of rounding it. You shouldn’t run text right to the edges of the box, as
place names.
this tight placement will cause visual tension. The type inside a
Several detailed maps of your pointer box should be limited to one to three words and should also
city, county and state: These
be a couple of points larger than the other textual elements of the
can generally be obtained
from your local chamber graphic, because elements highlighted by the pointer box should be
of commerce or city hall. of extreme interest and news focus. The type in a pointer box is gen-
Look for maps that show erally either bold or all caps to create a visual hierarchy in compari-
detail of the city’s zoning
son to other textual elements. The pointer box should be rectangu-
boundaries, neighbor-
hoods, roads, streets and lar, and the arrow attached to it should stem from the middle of the
highways, county lines, etc. box, either on one side or from the bottom. Avoid overlapping key
illustrative and other textual information with a pointer box.
INSETS: Sometimes it’s necessary to show a zoomed-in view or a

zoomed-out view of the area of news value in order to offer more
context regarding location for your audience. For example, if you
are locating a news event that occurred in Dubai, a city in the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), you might also want to show where the UAE is
in relation to other Middle Eastern countries. If you try to show
Dubai, UAE and the countries that surround it, you may not be able
to illustrate the amount of detail necessary to adequately report on
the news event. In other words, the crop on the map may seem too
zoomed out. In this case, it would be more effective for the main
portion of your map to focus on Dubai. Then, create an inset that
shows a more zoomed-out view of the UAE in relation to its sur-
rounding countries. Likewise, if the area of primary interest is the
zoomed-out view, but showing a tighter crop would also offer a bit
more context for your map, you can create an inset that is more
detailed to accompany your main map. Not all maps need insets,
but when they do, insets can be a great way to efficiently and accu-
rately provide the audience with additional context.
In general, insets should be small, usually about one inch wide or
smaller in a two-inch-wide map, for example. Of course, the larger
the map, the larger the inset. However, the inset should always be
much smaller proportionately than the main map in order keep a
strong visual hierarchy between the two. An inset that shows a
zoomed-out view should also include minimal detail and should be
MAP REFERENCES
illustrated in the same style as the primary map it accompanies. In
usgs.gov: The U.S. geologi-
other words, use the same color palette and typography so that
cal survey is a federal
there is visual unity between the two. Finally, the inset can break the source for science about
frame of the larger map; however, don’t cover up important details the Earth, its natural and
with the inset. Like scales, compass directions and legends, insets living resources, natural
hazards and the environ-
should be placed within the dead space or sparse, less important
ment.
areas of the main map.
geodata.gov: Part of the
Geospatial One-Stop E-
HEADLINES, LABELS, CALLOUTS AND EXPLAINERS: Most information Gov initiative, geodata.gov
graphics, maps included, have headlines, introductory explainers provides access to many
(a.k.a. chatter), labels and callouts. While the amount of text in var- U.S. maps, including
administrative and politi-
ious types of information graphics may vary, the textual compo-
cal maps, agriculture and
nents are generally what transform simple illustrations into com- farming maps and atmo-
plex information graphics. The more basic and straightforward a sphere and climatic maps.
MAP-MAKING TIPS map, the less text it will likely require. For example, simple, small
locator maps sometimes don’t include a headline or much chatter.
Find a good reference:
Without a strong base Rather, they include labels for streets and other key locations, as
map, you can’t ensure that well as callouts in pointer boxes to highlight the news focus. More
your reproduction will be detailed maps, on the other hand, often include headlines that
accurate. Every good
clearly summarize the main point of the map, chatter that expands
graphics reporter has a list
of handy map references, on the headline and transitions to the illustrative portions of the
including a world atlas and graphic and additional callouts, labels and explainers that support
a detailed map of the city the visual information. Chatter and explainers should be tightly
in which he or she works.
edited, concise and written in active voice.
Edit the fat: Before getting
started, pinpoint the cen-
SOURCE LINES AND BYLINES: Be sure to cite the main textual and
tral area of news value on
your base map. Then visual sources for any information graphic. It’s important for the
determine which sur- audience to know where your information came from because it
rounding streets, cities, lends credibility to your graphic and reliability to your product or
boundaries, landmarks,
bodies of water, etc., pro- publication. Likewise, most maps include a byline that gives credit
vide important context for to the graphics reporter. Source lines generally appear just outside
your map and which ones the graphic along the bottom left-hand edge and bylines along the
are unnecessary to under- bottom, right-hand edge.
standing the news event.
Get rid of those that are
less important.
Adhere to a type and color
Map Construction
palette: Most publications Don’t worry. No one is expecting you to illustrate a neighbor-
will have previously estab- hood, city, state or country by memory. In fact, as a journalist, you
lished color and type would be making a big mistake by doing so. Like any other reporter,
palettes to be used for
a graphics reporter seeks expert sources and official documents to
information graphics. It’s
important that you strictly help tell accurate stories. Thus, when creating a map, your first step
follow those guidelines to should be to find good, reliable reference material. Make sure your
maintain hierarchy, order map reference is current and roads and boundaries are easily
and consistency.
understood and adequately marked. State and world atlases, phone
Determine what type of map books that include simple area maps, county maps and road maps
should be used: Is it active?
If so, make sure you show are all great sources for reference. Once a good base map has been
that action. Is it passive? If located, you can focus on the area of news value.
so, make sure the focal If you’re creating a map for print, you’ll likely be illustrating and
point is placed in a central designing to fill a predetermined amount of space. And even graph-
position on the map. Is it
statistical or geographic? ics for the Web and broadcast will likely need to fit certain image size
Choosing the right type of requirements. Make sure the space allotted for the map is adequate,
map will definitely impact and then determine how much of the area from your base map
needs to be shown. For example, when creating a simple locator

map that is meant to focus on a very small area, such as a neighbor-
hood, the entire city or county in which the neighborhood exists
doesn’t need to be shown. However, in order for the audience to
quickly understand where the area of news interest is, make sure at
least one commonly recognized landmark, such as a park, body of
water or major road or highway is visible. Once you’ve found the
closest landmark, crop in on the area of interest, using your prede-
termined size window as a guide.
The easiest way to make sure the map you produce is accurate is
to scan the reference map and import it into the software program
document in which you intend to illustrate your version. Remember
to scan the map with the scale that accompanies it and with north
facing up. This way, if you need to shrink or enlarge the area you are
using as reference, you ensure that it remains proportionate to actual
distances and maintains accurate directional orientation.
Before illustrating roads and other landmarks in your map, you
must also make some choices about which landmarks are neces-
sary, eliminating those that aren’t. This is where your job differs a bit
from that of a true cartographer. A cartographer would be con-
cerned with illustrating every significant landmark or road in a par-
ticular area, but a graphics reporter is much more concerned with
illustrating those locations that are necessary for effectively telling a
news story. In fact, although a cartographer would likely want to
MAP-MAKING TIPS
illustrate every street in a neighborhood, for example, a graphics
its ability to tell the story
reporter may actually leave some roads out of the map in order to
and help the audience
keep it from becoming too cluttered. However, be careful that you understand the news.
don’t edit out too many roads or reference points. Too few will result
Make sure you include neces-
in a sparse map, potentially skewing a reader’s perception of the sary elements: Run through
actual makeup of the area. There’s no formula for choosing just the a checklist in your mind
right amount of visual information for a map. You’ll have to rely on that includes the scale,
compass direction, legend,
your journalistic skills and use your best judgment. After your ref- inset and source line. Your
erence map is scanned and scaled accordingly and you have chosen map should always include
the roads and other landmarks you will need to show, you can sim- a scale and a source line
ply trace the roads, landmarks, bodies of water, etc., that surround and almost always a com-
pass direction. Determine
the area of news value. whether you’ll also need a
The size of your map really depends on the amount of sur- legend or inset, and plan
rounding detail necessary to provide appropriate context for the accordingly.
news event you intend to locate. If you focus too closely on the area
of news value, you may not be able to provide enough reference
points for the average reader to quickly determine the location of
the event. If you zoom out too much, you risk cluttering the map
with too much unnecessary information, overshadowing the visual
impact of the most important area. Again, use your best judgment
to determine just how closely to focus in on your area of interest.
Finally, make sure that the area of news value is placed near the cen-
ter or visual center (slightly above and to the left of true center) of
the map. The visual center will likely be the natural entry point for
most readers, so placing the area of news value too low, too high or
too close to the edges of the map will create visual tension and draw
the eye away from the most important part of the map.
Color Use in Maps

Color can be an extremely useful tool for creating both illustra-
tive and statistical detail in maps. If your map will benefit from full-
color reproduction, shades of tan, blue and green can be quite help-
ful in distinguishing land from water and highlighting other key ref-
erence points. Likewise, color can be extremely useful in statistical
maps when you have a large number of statistical values to repre-
sent. For example, different colors can be assigned to different
numerical values in choropleth maps, patterns in isolene maps or
dot sizes in dot distribution maps. The more color you have avail-
able to you, the more distinct these types of maps can be, making
them easier to read at a glance. When creating a color palette for
maps, make sure you have an adequate number of shades of the col-
ors of nature – brown, blue and green. Then, fill in your palette with
a few other hues, such as red, yellow and orange, to ensure you have
an adequate number of supplementary colors for landmarks, build-
ings or statistical values.
While it’s a nice luxury, full color isn’t necessarily essential to
creating an effective map. If you only have the ability to print in
black and white, you can still develop a palette that includes a num-
ber of shades of gray to differentiate among elements in your map.
However, when working in black and white, your most significant
consideration should be determining the appropriate number of
shades you will include in the graphic. It has been proven that the SAMPLE TYPE PALETTE
eye can generally only distinguish six shades of gray at once, and
Develop a type palette for
grays should generally vary by 20 percent each for the eye to clearly maps that you will use for
detect a difference in tone. Thus, when developing any type of black every map you publish to
and white graphic, you should adhere to a palette that includes create a strong sense of
unity among the types of
white, 20 percent black, 40 percent black, 60 percent black, 80 per-
graphics that regularly
cent black and 100 percent black. This way, you can be relatively run. Below shows a sam-
certain that strong contrast among elements will be clear. ple type palette for maps.
Newspaper graphics reporters should be even more careful with Roads & streets: 8-point,
color and shades of gray when developing graphics because sans serif, regular weight.
newsprint is usually very porous, causing the ink to print darker Don’t take up too much
space with street labels.
than it may first look on screen. So, it is generally a good idea for
They need to be clean and
newspaper graphics reporters to test colors and shades of gray on readable but shouldn’t be
the paper’s actual presses to ensure that what is designed on the dominant visual elements.
computer screen prints well on paper. Graphics reporters for mag- Cities & towns: 9-point, sans
azines, online and broadcast generally have less to worry about serif, regular weight. You
when matching what they are designing to what the audience will may also choose to make
cities and towns bold to
see, because colors are generally truer in these mediums.
make them stand out
more. A capital city may
be marked with bold to
Type in Maps stand out among others.
As with most other types of information graphics, sans serif Bodies of water: 8-point,
typefaces are generally more effective than serifs. Maps in particu- sans serif, oblique (italic).
Labels for bodies of water
lar tend to be more detailed illustratively, and with numerous lines
are the same size as road
representing borders, roads and bodies of water, the typeface you labels. Using italics helps
choose should be less detailed and cleaner to avoid excess clutter. distinguish them as bodies
Sans serif typefaces read clearly at smaller sizes, take up less space of water and not roads.
The type for a river or
and are less likely to interfere with the illustrative detail of your map.
stream should follow the
Typographic contrast can be introduced by using oblique (italic), path of the waterline.
bold or all caps in addition to the regular weight of the face.
Pointer boxes: 12-point,
An effective type palette will include a bit of differentiation sans serif, bold, all caps. A
among the type styles used to label various common map elements, bold weight and all caps
such as roads and streets, cities and towns, country or state names make the text inside a
pointer box stand out.
and bodies of water. Additionally, you may choose yet another
Pointer boxes highlight
style/size for any text that might appear in a pointer box. Finally, the area of news value in a
round out your typographic palette by including the font, Carta. map and should therefore
Carta is a symbol font that includes shapes common to map-making, be the most noticeable
signifying elements.
including state road and highway signs. By using Carta, the graphics
reporter eliminates the need to actually draw those symbols.

The placement of road and city labels can also influence the
overall clarity of a map’s design. Place text in a uniform manner
above the road it marks, and align street names both horizontally
and vertically. This will make text that signifies similar types of ele-
ments easier to follow and easier to read. On the other hand, if
street names are placed randomly on the map, they will become
more difficult to find and follow as the eye navigates the visual con-
MAPPING/ILLUSTRATION
SOFTWARE tent. Likewise, state or country labels should be placed as close to
the center of the land mass they signify as possible. This makes
Arcview: Developed by
ESRI, a leading GIS tech- them easy to find and easy to read. And, when positioning state
nology developer, Arcview road or highway symbols on the map, consider the nature and
is a program that provides curves of the roads. When two roads intersect, for example, don’t
graphics reporters with
place the road symbol or name in the middle of the intersection, as
the ability to visualize,
manage, create and ana- it will be difficult to determine which road the symbol or text actu-
lyze geographic data. The ally belongs to. Finally, avoid placing a road symbol on a breaking
software combines geo- point in a curve, and when a road is segmented by an abrupt dip,
graphic and statistical
information, revealing avoid placing a road symbol on that particular point on the road.
relationships and patterns
in the data.
Adobe Streamline: Certain Maps in the News
types of geological maps In recent years, map use in news coverage has evolved from its
often require a greater most common forms, weather maps and simple, passive locators, to
degree of detail in the
much more intricate, detailed and content-driven reporting tools.
illustration of landmasses
to differentiate mountains Geological maps are often used to explain natural phenomena
or plains. Using Stream- about the world in which we live. Additionally, maps combined with
line, it is possible to sketch diagrammatical information are frequently used by news media to
detailed textures by hand
show how police chases, plane and car crashes or devastating earth-
and then automatically
convert them to line art quakes and tornadoes unfold, providing audiences with context for
that can be imported into the news stories that affect their lives every day. And, every time
an illustration program, there’s an election, a census report or a major environmental issue,
such as Adobe Illustrator
or Macromedia FreeHand. newspapers, Web sites and broadcast stations across the country
use statistical maps to geographically plot data so it’s easy to under-
Adobe Photoshop:
Illustrating textures in stand at a glance.
Photoshop can also be a Perhaps one of the greatest recent technological advances to
useful way to create a provide journalists with a new method for enhancing their report-
greater degree of detail in ing strategies where maps are concerned is the creation of geo-
your maps.
graphic information system (GIS) software that more efficiently
combines statistical data with geographic mapping. According to

Mapping the News, by David Herzog, GIS software was used to plot
the path of Hurricane Andrew, map election results, pinpoint the
locations of environmental hazards, chronicle demographic
changes and report census data. News organizations such as the
Miami Herald, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune are
among those that have adopted GIS software as a method of report-
ing a number of stories with significant implications for their audi-
ences. Additionally, transportation planners, geologists, telecom-
munications agencies and police departments have begun to use
GIS to craft management plans for their organizations.
Herzog writes, “Broadly defined, a geographic information sys-
tem is a system of hardware and software used for the storage,
retrieval, mapping and analysis of geographic data.” Thus, GIS com-
bines database technology with mapping software and allows
reporters a chance to enter all kinds of statistical data into the pro-
gram and instantly combine it with corresponding geographic loca-
tions. For example, in 1992, reporters at the Miami Herald used GIS
to plot the path of Hurricane Andrew in conjunction with specific
statistics related to local properties and storm damage information
supplied by the local Red Cross. The data they collected led them to
the discovery that “shoddy construction and lax inspections
exposed thousands of houses to risk” and in 1993, they were awarded
a Pulitzer Prize for their outstanding hurricane coverage and inves-
tigative reports. Likewise, the San Diego Union-Tribune used GIS to
analyze the Census 2000 data and develop an extremely interesting
and insightful report on how the population and demographics of
neighborhoods had changed since 1990. In the end, the package
that ran in the newspaper combined statistical data with detailed
maps that efficiently reported Census 2000 and its implications for
San Diego County, showed which areas of the county had the most
racial diversity and explained how increasing numbers of Hispanics
were buying homes in San Diego County.
In general, maps have become an extremely effective way for
journalists to tell visual stories in news coverage, as well as lend a
great deal of reporting power to stories that range from very simple
to highly complex. Understanding the basics of cartography, geog-
raphy and even simple mathematical equations is an important
skill for a graphics reporter to have. In fact, many aspiring graphics

reporters supplement their journalism and graphic arts coursework
with additional courses in economics, geography or statistics to
help bone up for the more intense demands of reporting and ana-
lyzing data for all kinds of information graphics. Regardless, make
sure you familiarize yourself with these concepts as well as related
software programs to make your life and your job much easier.

What are the most effective uses of maps in news coverage?
Maps are practically unlimited. From small locater maps to full-
page presentations, the key is that they are content driven, not
just decorative.
GEORGE RORICK What are some of the more common mistakes graphics reporters
The Poynter Institute
make when developing maps for news coverage?
for Media Studies Using 3D maps for visual effects rather than a method for clari-
& USA Today
fying the topic. Geographical mistakes, typos and no scale for
distance are also common.
How does journalistic cartography differ from other types of

graphics reporting?
There is no difference. Everything needs to be truthful and
A founding member of accurate.
USA Today, George
Rorick is best known for
the innovative weather
What is the most common challenge when developing maps for
maps that included state- news coverage?
by-state weather brief- Having the proper amount of space – not too much or too little –
ings. Additionally, Rorick
to add all the necessary points of interest and frame of reference.
was the architect of six
graphics services for print
and broadcast, including What was it like to develop the weather map for USA Today?
Knight Ridder Tribune How/why did it come to be?
“Faces in the News” and
“News in Motion.” Rorick I created the first two prototypes. The weather page was on the
retired from the faculty at back on one of them, and it was in the inside in black and white
the Poynter Institute for on the other one. We wanted to find out what advertising agen-
Media Studies in 2004 cies would say about that. They all felt that it definitely should
after 42 years in news.
be on the back page in full color, so it was.
I hadn’t seen any models of full-page newspaper weather pages

to work from. We would, of course, have a map of the United
States. We talked about the five-day forecast. We had a lot of dis-
cussion on what cities to use in the forecast, because it was
going to be a national newspaper. A huge obstacle was the lim-
itations of the technology of the time. I was scared to death until
I saw the first prototypes. You didn’t know if it was going to work
until you saw the page. We didn’t have computers to make sure
the colors would come out the way we expected. One time Al
Neuharth asked me: “Is this gonna work?” And I said “yes.” But
really, to be honest, I wasn’t positive.
I think we did 15 prototypes total with tremendous differences.

On the final prototype the map is more dynamic. It has a differ-
ent shape, a different style. It’s more what I’d call a designer
map, an icon, a symbolic map. I didn’t design a map that you
would use to go from New York to San Francisco. It was more of
just a symbolic map of the United States. It’s a very quick read
map. A very graphic map.
I remember all the attention that the weather page drew. It

almost got to be embarrassing. After we started publishing, the
TV stations would come in with their cameras and we would be
live on television, and they’d want to talk to the weather guy.
And then we would get letters. I would get more mail and
responses from readers than almost anybody would in the
beginning. People would come and ask me for my autograph.
We got letters from people saying, “You don’t have my city on
the map. Can I get my city on the map?” There was a congress-
man at the time lobbying to get Alaska on the map in proportion
to the United States.
Once I finished the design and established a way to automate

the weather bands plus the standing features, it was easy to do
on a daily basis. Remember, that page had been published for
several years, 1981-1989, before it was a computer-generated
page as it is today. I enjoyed doing the daily weather feature the
most. For me, the weather graphic was the big challenge. There
were no graphics that the average person could understand that

were being published for the general public at that time. I was
sure there would be an audience for that, and I was correct.
If you had to summarize your philosophy of visual storytelling in

one or two sentences, what would they be?
My definition of an informational graphic: a visual presentation
of facts and visuals based on authenticity, truth and believability.
A successful graphic artist must have excellent graphic skills in

addition to having the ability to research, write text for graphics
and the desire to follow local and international news events. In
other words, today’s visual journalist is expected to cover the news
and report the news the same as a reporter is expected to do, with
the exception being that the reporter reports with text, and a visual
journalist reports with visuals and some text as needed.
Offer five tips for graphics reporters to consider when developing

maps for news coverage.
1. Credibility should be your first concern.
2. Do your research; credit your source.
3. Do not take maps for granted. People love maps.
4. Develop a coherent style, and be consistent.
5. Create a map checklist, and use it.
Chapter Six Exercises

EXERCISE NO. ONE: SIMPLE LOCATOR MAPS
Recreate the map shown on the next page as best you can. Use
either Macromedia FreeHand or Adobe Illustrator to illustrate the map,
and refer to the style palette below for specifications on type size, shad-
ing and line widths.
STYLE PALETTE
Box size: 12.5p x 14p
Background shade: 4C, 7M, 17Y
River line: 3-point, 50C, 23M, 5Y, 12K
River type: 6-point, Times italic (attach to path)
Campus shade: 10C, 15M, 30Y

Centennial Ave.
New York Ave. 2-lane streets: 1-point, white
3-ALARM FIRE on 2-point, 70% K
4-lane streets: 2-point, white
BSU
Wh
eel
ing Central
High
on 3-point, 70% K
Walnut St.
School
Street labels: 8-point.
Ave
Riverside Ave.
Helvetica, u&lc
.
University Ave. lvd. Road numbers: 7-point

McKinley Ave.
R iver B
ite
Main St. Helvetica, 3-point black circle
h
W
e. 32
Av Jackson St. Reference point labels: 6-point
e
or Helvetica u&lc
ite River ilg N 1 MILE
Wh K
Pointer box text: 9.6-point
Helvetica Bold, all caps
Compass: 8-point Helvetica
Bold, all caps
Next, use the same style

palette to create a locator map
for a warehouse explosion.
Access the base map that is
shown at right from the CD-
ROM (CH6 BASE MAP.jpg) that
accompanies your text. Import
it into your illustration program
and size and illustrate it accord-
ingly. Remember to edit out
unnecessary streets and land-
marks and include a scale and
compass direction.
EXERCISE NO. TWO: ACTIVE MAPS

Read the text about the fake scenario on the next page, and develop
an active map that illustrates the news event. Use the information pro-
vided to write chatter and a headline for the graphic and to determine
what types of visual reference materials are necessary. The scenario of
known information at the time of publication is provided. Your final map
should be in color and should be six inches wide. The depth of the graph-
ic is up to you. Develop your own style and typographic and color
palettes for this project.

Yesterday, while traveling to promote business investment in
Western Europe, Indiana Governor Joe Schmoe and his aides – travel-
ing from Stuttgart, Germany, to London, England were aboard a
Boeing 737 that crashed in the Ardennes Mountains of Belgium.
• British Airways Flight 200 was headed for Heathrow Airport near
London.
• Jet crashed in Ardennes Mountains.
• Crash site was on side of 2,300-foot mountain about 20 miles
from Bastogne, Belgium.
• Noon, Wednesday (5 a.m. EST), Schmoe had lunch with German
business leaders in Stuttgart.
• At about 2 p.m., Schmoe’s plane left Stuttgart for flight to
Heathrow.
• 2:52 p.m., Plane disappears from radar screens.
• 7 p.m., U.S. ambassador to Belgium informs U.S. officials that
plane is missing.
• 7:22 p.m., Nightfall in Belgium hampers rescue efforts.
• Reported possible cause for crash was a weather report consisting
of rain, strong winds from the south and visibility of no more than
100 yards.
• U.S. Navy helicopters dispatched from the USS Conolly as well as
NATO rescue teams were dispatched to the area.
• On board: 27 passengers, 6 crew members; flight list has not yet
been released.
• No survivors have been found.
References
Herzog, David. Mapping the News. Redlands, CA: ESRI P, 2003.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
Charts, Tables
& Text-Based Graphics
Abstract graphs and charts, along with the beginnings of statistical theory
and the systematic collection of empirical data, were introduced to mathemat-
ics during the Eighteenth Century. And as the collection of economic, political
and census data became more common, visual forms of presentation that
allowed the data to “speak to the eyes” also became more prevalent. First con-
ceptualized in the late 1700s by William Playfair, a Scottish architect, pie charts
and bar charts use geometric shapes to metaphorically represent statistical con-
cepts. Pie charts, for example, use sections of circles to represent parts of a
whole amount. Bar charts, on the other hand, use rectangular shapes to repre-
sent how whole amounts may compare to one another. These simple shapes act
as illustrations of visual data metaphors. And because the brain tends to better
remember information that is in some way related to visual symbolism or
imagery, individuals often come to understand statistical information more
quickly and easily when presented in this way.
In fact, some of the most space-efficient, effective information graphics are
simple charts. Tab charts, pie charts, bar charts and fever (or line) charts are
often capable of presenting a great deal of serious statistical data in a relatively
small amount of space, providing the audience with a great deal of evaluative
information. Although these types of information graphics may seem relatively
simple at first glance, don’t underestimate their power or complexity. Not only
do they have the potential to act as visual points of entry when combined with
a story package and communicate important messages often central to the
125
1979 1980-1988 1990

CONFLICT A ceaseﬁre is
IN IRAQ declared with
Iran after a
War and politi- long, eight-
cal turmoil have year war that
plaged Iraq for killed 150,000 Iraq invades
nearly 25 years. Iraqi leader
Iraqi soldiers. Kuwait. United
This timeline Saddam
Hussein Nations
highlights some demands Iraq
key events in succeedes
Al-Bakr as withdrawal by
the history of
conﬂict in Iraq. president. Jan. 15, 1991.
SEPTEMBER 2004: 1,000 DEAD IN U.S.-LED

War between the United States and Iraq officially ended in March 2003. However, conflict continues
even today. Below is a timeline of U.S. casualties and key events since the official end to the war.
July 14, 2003
May 1, 2003 First meeting January 5, 2004
President Bush of Iraqi August 22, 2003 U.S. soldiers sent
declares an end interim Ali Majid, “Chemical Ali,” is captured and home for beating
to war in Iraq. council. questioned about WMD. prisoners of war.
2003 MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2004 JANUARY FEBRUARY
May 28, 2003 July 22, 2003 August 29, 2003 October 27, 2003 January 17, 2004
Large increase of U.S. troops Explosion in Najaf Suicide bomber Bomb takes U.S.
resistance to U.S. kill Uday and kills 90, including kills 35, injures death toll in Iraq
occupation. Qusay Hussein. Shi’ite leader 224 outside war to 500.
Saddam Hussein Ayatollah Red Cross
Mohammed headquarters.
Bakir al-Hakim.
In this example, the time audience’s understanding of a story, but they can be extremely
line is actually displayed tricky to execute as well. Graphics reporters must understand that
in conjunction with a data the nature of the information at hand will dictate which type of
metaphor. The time graphic should be used to properly display the data. Likewise, what
continuum helps organize
attracts the eye may not necessarily engage the brain, and to be
the content linearly and
effective, these types of graphics must be used to present clear and
conceptually.
precise information accurately and consistently.
Graphic by Miranda Mulligan.
One of the most important things that Chapter Eight will teach
C H A R T S , TA B L E S & T E X T- B A S E D G R A P H I C S 127
1991 1998 2002

Iraq didn’t The U.S. and Bri- Photos and a simple typographic hierar-
leave Kuwait. tian make plans chy can help make text-heavy time lines
A coalition of to destroy Iraq’s more visually appealing. These types of
39 countries weapons of mass time lines can either be displayed hori-
entered Iraq. destruction and
The Iraqi army remove Hussein zontally or vertically, depending upon
Iraq refuses to
was defeated. cooperate with from power. the space available for the graphic.
U.N. to seize
weapons of mass Graphic by Erica Riggle.
destruction.
Series of air-raids
are launched.
Time line content may
COALITION IN IRAQ also be adapted for the

Web and presented in
a non-linear format as
well. Dates, images or
categories of informa-
March 1, 2004 June 24, 2004 tion can be made
Interim government and Terror attacks
U.S. approve Iraqi interim throughout Iraq
“clickable,” allowing
constitution. kill 100. the audience to navi-
MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER gate the time line in
any order.
March 2, 2004 April 2004 June 28, 2004 September 7, 2004
Terror attacks in Insurgency by Iraqi Prime U.S. death toll in
Karbala and radicals, including Minister Iyad Allawi Iraq war reaches
Baghdad kill 117 Moqtada Sadr and assumes power in 1,000.
Americans and his Mehdi Army. sovereign Iraq.
271 Iraqis.
us is that statistics can often mislead rather than inform. Charts and
tables, therefore, should accurately reflect the numbers they portray.
This concept will be addressed in greater detail in the following
chapter, but it is also an important concept to be aware of as we
explore the different types of tables and charts in this chapter. Time
lines, tables and various types of charts all have different strengths,
weaknesses and purposes, and the sections that follow will provide
you with some clear-cut guidelines for how and when to apply them.
Text-Based Graphics
Although most information graphics contain some type of illus-
tration or data metaphor (chart), there are also ways to present
information that is primarily text-driven in a more graphic format.
Time lines and tables represent two commonly used text-based
graphics that can provide readers with a great deal of important
information in formats that are more visual and more conducive to
at-a-glance reading. Although tables and time lines aren’t exactly
the most “graphic” pieces, they are alternative storytelling forms
that provide opportunities for a more visually pleasing, visually
organized format for data than the traditional one-paragraph-at-a-
time story form.
In an increasingly visual age, designers and graphics reporters
are often taught to cater to time-starved audiences by providing
story packages that contain a number of different story forms. Of
course, broadcast journalists have been catering to these types of
readers for a long time. But even as television technologies evolve
and information graphics as well as interactive television formats
develop, information layering becomes more and more prominent
in broadcast as well. Regarding print media and the Web, the idea is
that by providing the shorter “quick reads,” fact boxes, information
graphics and other less traditional story forms, you provide the audi-
ence with an opportunity to scan the content quickly. Likewise, you
may even have a better chance of keeping the audience engaged
through a more visually rhythmic presentation. Thus, by developing
a more hierarchical typographic format, as well as a more graphic
style for the presentation of time lines, tables and other kinds of text-
based graphics, you can hopefully create a more visually engaging
package with relatively text-heavy pieces.
Any time you encounter content that addresses an ongoing
story, a historic event or a set of circumstances precipitated by
another, a time line may be an effective way to help provide more
context for the primary story. In print formats, time lines should
generally be comprised of 10 to 20 entries, each with a specific date
attached. Entries are generally no more than one or two sentences
and should be written in active voice present tense, even if the
events of each entry happened years ago. Present tense is an effec-
Candidates address key issues

Presidential candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry differ on several hot topics
leading into the upcoming elections. Below is a quick comparison of their stances
on a few of these issues.
BUSH KERRY
HEALTHCARE
Reduce the growing cost of health Lower family premiums by up to

REFORM
care, and provide inexpensive $1,000 a year, cut waste and lower Tables are best used when the num-
coverage for those who need it most. the cost of prescription drugs.
bers or figures themselves are as
important or even more important
MARRIAGE
Supports constitutional amendment Is against gay marriage, but stands

GAY
that bans same-sex marriage. behind equal benefits for gay than a comparison or breakdown of
couples.
the differences between them.
Supports offensive war against Iraq Supports continuing peace efforts
WAR IN IRAQ
and terrorism. Wants to restructure in Iraq. Wants to reduce U.S. troop Graphic by Broc Borntrager.
American forces overseas to use strength in Iraq by the end of first Used with permission.
existing forces more effectively. term in office.
Wants to sustain No Child Left Behind Wants to increase resources and

EDUCATION
Act, reform America’s high schools reform in elementary and secondary

and strengthen Head Start programs. education, expand college oppor-
tunity, expand after-school
programs.
Should be allowed only in cases of Pro-choice; would nominate only

ABORTION
rape, incest or when a woman’s life Supreme Court justices who are in
is endangered. favor of a woman’s right to choose.
Sources: msnbc.com, johnkerry.com, georgewbush.com By Broc Borntrager
tive way to apply a more engaging and timely tone to any kind of
information graphic.
Furthermore, the basic design for your time line can take a
number of forms. When there are large gaps in the amount of time
between each entry, you may choose to present entries in a horizon-
tal or vertical format, using only typographic hierarchy and a few
simple structural effects to create a more visual display. If space and
structure permit, you may choose to take your design approach a
step further by creating a visual time continuum on which to place
the entries. The continuum serves as the visual data metaphor and
should be divided into equal sections – five, 10 or 20 years per chunk
– with each time-based entry placed relative to its time period. This
approach also calls for a horizontal presentation because conceptu-
ally, the data metaphor (the continuum) is best conveyed in this for-
mat. Finally, if you choose this approach, it is also important that you
work on a grid to ensure a clean organization of entries both above
and below the time line. In most cases, too few or too many entries
organized erratically along the continuum can really compromise
the readability of the graphic. You may also choose to incorporate
historic photographs with some or all of the entries on your time
line. Photos can really enhance the graphic appeal of a time line by
making it more visually interesting and more informative.
Like any other type of information graphic, the technological
potential of a Web-based format can also enhance the interactivity
and multimedia potential for a time line. The presentation and
design of a Web-based time line can be a bit richer if entries are pre-
sented in a more non-linear format, allowing the audience a chance
to navigate each time period or entry in whatever order he or she
likes. In addition, Web-based time lines can incorporate video and
audio clips with text-based entries, often providing the audience
with a richer interactive experience.
Tables represent another kind of text-based graphic and are best
used when the numbers or figures themselves are as important or
even more important than a comparison or breakdown of the differ-
ences between them. In other words, when comparing the stats of
two competing basketball teams, for example, the individual per-
centages for each category often attract as much interest as whose
stats are better between the two teams. In this case, a table would be
better than a bar chart because the table calls more attention to the
individual data figures, while the bar chart draws more attention to
the differences between them. Tables can also be more effective
when the individual numbers in a data set have no discernable pat-
tern. As you will find when you read the following sections, pie, bar
and fever charts generally show some sort of trend or pattern in the
data that facilitates the use of a data metaphor to pull it together
visually. Finally, like a time line, a table should incorporate a clear
typographic hierarchy and design format that makes the reading
experience quick and easy, and it may also incorporate photographs

or illustrations to enhance the graphic appeal.
While time lines and tables tend to be the most common text-
based graphics, there are a number of alternative story formats or
quick read presentations that could also fit this category. Fact boxes
and profile boxes provide the audience with a schematic look at the
who, what, when, where and why of a story. Similarly, at issue boxes
can provide the scanning audience with a quick take on what’s at
the heart of a story, the broader social perspective, if you will. Lists,
Q&As, ratings boxes and any other graphically designed, or typo-
graphically organized set of information could be considered a text-
based graphic. In all cases, it is important to write in active
voice/present tense. Most of the time, text-based graphics should
be accompanied by headlines, introductory chatter, source lines
and bylines, and entries should be tightly written. Furthermore,
typographic hierarchy and an attractive but clean design structure
are the elements that really heighten the visual appeal of a text-
based graphic.
Pie Charts
Put simply, pie charts, or circle graphs, are used to represent dif-
ferent parts of a whole. Data displayed in pie charts must always be
represented in percentages, and because the circle metaphor is
associated with a complete amount, 100 percent, the sections of a
pie chart should always equate to this sum. In this way, it is possible
to see how something is divided among different groups represent-
ing a whole. For example, when reporting census data that focuses
on the racial makeup of a specific city or town, a pie chart can show
both how individual groups (black, white, Asian, Hispanic, etc.)
compare to one another as well as show what portion of the total
each group represents.
Perhaps more important than knowing what makes a pie chart
work well within a presentation is knowing the different ways in
which pie charts are often misrepresented. In other words, while
they may look like simple illustrations of numerical content, if they
aren’t correctly executed, pie charts (or any kind of chart, for that
matter) can actually skew, distort or completely destroy the accuracy
HEALTH CARE COVERAGE Pie charts are a simple and clear way to show a breakdown
Private companies provide the majority of health of a whole. Perhaps the most important rule for pie
care coverage in the United States. Below is a
breakdown of the kinds of health care used by charts is that the wedges must add up to 100 percent.
most Americans under the age of 65.
of the data at hand. There are several ways this distor-
Public tion can occur:
8% LEAVING OUTONE OR MORE PARTS OF THE WHOLE: If your
No coverage pie chart doesn’t represent exactly 100 percent every time,
18% you have misrepresented the information. Two things
will happen. Either the audience will examine the graphic
Private at a glance and simply take the data at face value, causing
74%
them to believe the sections of the chart are the complete
and entire set of data, or they will notice that your chart
equals more or less than 100 percent and will be left with
questions about how this is possible or what has been left
out. Either way, you have misled the audience and ren-
dered the data useless as it was presented.
PIE CHART TIPS
NOT DEFINING WHAT THE “WHOLE” STANDS FOR: If a whole is not
Represent a whole.
defined, then we don’t know what the parts represent. Ten percent
Illustrate a “breakdown.” of 10 is one. Ten percent of 100,000 is 10,000. If your audience isn’t
Sections must add up to given a clear indication of what the whole amount actually is, then
100 percent. they are left with no context or frame of reference for the percent-
More than two and less ages you have offered. I once sat through an hour-long presentation
than seven wedges. focused on presenting the results from a survey that questioned
Each wedge should have media professionals about their attitudes toward media conver-
its percentage displayed. gence. The presenter showed one pie chart after another that stated
Introductory chatter large percentages of newspaper editors and television producers
should state the total had positive and negative attitudes, making the study seem pretty
quantity of the breakdown.
impressive and telling regarding the climate in today’s media envi-
Circles work best to ronment. It wasn’t until the end of the presentation that the presen-
demonstrate percentages
at a glance. ter quickly conveyed to the audience that 14 newspaper editors and
23 television producers responded to the survey. In other words,
Proportions must be
accurate. when the data showed that 50 percent of newspaper editors
responded a certain way to a specific question, the raw number
When stacking pie charts,
colors or shadings must amounted to seven. Seven! There are more than 1,000 daily newspa-
be used consistently. pers in the United States, and seven hardly represents a scientific
sample! Not only was I extremely frustrated by the presenter’s mis- CHARTING SOFTWARE
representation of the numbers, but I was irritated that I had wasted
Although there are many
an hour of my life listening to such insignificant findings. Don’t put different types of data-
your readers in the same situation I was by not letting them know up charting software avail-
front what the sample size is. And, while you’re at it, make sure your able, most graphics
reporters use the charting
sample size is large enough to accurately reflect the larger popula-
functions in Macromedia
tion. Finally, it’s also a good idea to label each wedge with the pop- FreeHand or Adobe
ulation and the actual percentage figure it represents. Don’t leave Illustrator to construct
the audience guessing. the base chart for their
information graphics.
Both programs allow a
USE PROPER TERMINOLOGY & VISUAL METAPHORS: A pie chart repre- reporter to enter data
sents a “breakdown.” When introducing the information you are and choose the type of
presenting in a pie chart, refrain from calling it a “comparison” or a graph most appropriate
for its presentation. When
“trend,” as these aren’t the primary goals of a pie chart. Likewise, cir-
all of the information has
cles work best to demonstrate percentages of a whole at a glance. been entered, either pro-
On occasion, I have seen pie charts that make use of other shapes gram will actually provide
(such as a dollar bill divided into sections) to represent parts of a you with a pie, bar or
fever chart that is propor-
whole. However, in most cases, because of the more obvious sym- tionate and accurate
metry of a circle and because circles are naturally associated with a based on the data at
“whole,” these shapes are generally the most accurate and effective hand. Then, because
way of presenting a breakdown of data. most media organizations
have pre-established
design styles and typo-
PROPORTIONS & DESIGN MUST BE ACCURATE: If a wedge of your pie graphic palettes, the
chart is meant to represent 45 percent of the whole, then the wedge chart generated by the
itself should be exactly 45 percent of the circle. This relationship is illustration program is
altered to match. Micro-
really at the heart of the effectiveness of the visual metaphor. Also, soft Excel can also be an
when reporting several sets of data in pie form or stacking several effective and helpful pro-
pie charts representing similar data, make sure colors or shadings gram for setting up data-
bases for organizing large
are used consistently. For example, if you are presenting a package
chunks of data intended
of pie charts all focused on different facets of the same populations for use in tables or charts.
(types of dogs, for example), make sure that the colors or shades
used for each category remain the same across multiple pies.
Bar Charts
Also perfected by Playfair in the late 1700s, bar charts are used
to compare data using rectangular bars to represent amounts with-
in a data set. Because the bars are sized relative to the amounts they
Bar charts can be either CANCER-RELATED DEATHS

A study of 10,000 men in five countries shows that France has the highest number
horizontal or vertical. of cancer-related deaths. The chart below shows a comparison of percentages of male
When time is a factor, bar citizens in each country who die of cancer each year.
charts must be vertical. In
France 18.6%
all other cases, they
should be horizontal. Singapore 16%
Hungary 11.4%
Puerto 9.2%
Rico
BAR CHART TIPS Switzerland 8.9%
Best used to show com- Source: J345 Handout By: Lindsay Beach
parisons of amounts at a
glance. represent, these types of charts make comparisons between differ-
Vertical bar charts have ent variables very easy to see. Furthermore, they can potentially
time as their bases and are show trends in data by showing how one variable is affected as the
best used when intervals
other rises or falls.
are irregular.
Horizontal bar charts
HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL BARS HAVE DISTINCT PURPOSES: If bars are
compare amounts when
time is not a factor. presented vertically, the y-axis represents the kind of data (i.e., dol-
lars, amounts, etc.) presented, and the x-axis represents time.
It’s easy to perceive differ-
ences in length, especially Vertical bar charts are best used when the time intervals are not
when lengths are horizon- equal. If bars are presented horizontally, the x- and y-axes can rep-
tal. resent any two variables that share a quantitative relationship.
Lines are read left to right.
Horizontal bars should be A CLEAR COMPARISON MUST BE PRESENT: Whenever you stack similar
stacked logically (i.e., visual devices next to one another in a clear horizontal or vertical
longest to shortest). pattern, you are implying that there is some comparative relation-
A background grid is not ship among them. Thus, consistent labels for the x- and y-axes must
necessary, but the baseline be present, and there must be a clear comparative pattern in the data
must be common.
you are presenting. If a clear and logical comparison doesn’t exist,
Allow for a consistent you may be using the wrong type of graphic to present your data.
minus grid if necessary.
Each bar should have its PROPORTIONS & DESIGN MUST BE ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT: It is
total displayed.
generally not necessary to illustrate a background grid with your bar
Stacked bar charts provide chart because it is relatively easy to perceive differences in length,
comparisons among sets
of similar data. especially when lengths are horizontal. Like text, lines are generally
read left to right and should be sized proportionately to their

numerical partners and consistently from line to line. Bars that dif-
fer in width or are disproportionate to the numbers they represent –
even slightly – can distract the audience and interfere with the read-
ability of the chart.
EACH BAR SHOULD HAVE ITS TOTAL DISPLAYED: Even if you have a
clear and consistent interval displayed along the y-axis, you should
display the exact figure along with its bar, especially when the bars
fall somewhere in between the intervals. In other words, don’t make
your audience guess what the exact figure is. The bars make differ-
ences clear at a glance and the numbers reinforce the actual numer-
ical differences at hand. FEVER CHART TIPS
Initially, they are bar
charts, but each peak is
Fever Charts plotted, using space more
effectively.
Also called “line graphs,” these types of graphics compare two
Should demonstrate a
related variables. The concept of the fever chart originated in 1637
trend.
when René Descartes outlined the “Cartesian grid,” a system of plot-
The emphasis should be
ting points on a graph made of intersecting lines. Fever charts
on movement.
require that each variable is plotted along the x- or y-axis, and they
Little or no movement
are most commonly used to show change over time, necessitating
can be reported as text.
that the x-axis represents equal time intervals (i.e., days of the week,
Not suited well for show-
months of the year, consecutive years, etc.) and the y-axis repre-
ing huge increases or
sents related amounts. decreases.
Fever charts are great for showing specific values of data, espe-
Need background grids.
cially when the nature of one variable is directly related to another.
Data is plotted in logical
They show trends in data clearly by illustrating how one variable
intervals, consistently.
affects the other as it increases or decreases. They enable the audi-
Each axis should be clearly
ence to make educated predictions about the results of data not yet
labeled.
recorded, and they are extremely effective ways to quickly show
Scales must be evenly
rises and falls as well as changes in data over specific periods of
spaced.
time. However, like pie and bar charts, fever charts can also be very
Display the beginning
misleading if they are not developed and used correctly.
and/or ending totals if
change is the news.
INCONSISTENCIES IN SCALES ON THE AXES CAN SKEW THE APPEAR-
Projections should be
ANCE OF DATA: The values between the points along each axis must shown as dashed lines or
be the same. In other words, if time is the x-axis, then you must differently keyed colors.
maintain equal intervals between years

APPROVAL RATINGS (i.e., one year at a time, three years at a
The President’s approval ratings have varied since he took office. time, five years at a time, etc.). Likewise,
Here’s a look at how they have changed since January.
65
if you are comparing two different
62%
60% graphs, you must use identical scales for
60
55% 55% 55% each if you want the comparison to be
55
50
accurate and relevant.
50% 50%
45 43% 45%
40
45% IN MOST CASES, A BACKGROUND GRID IS
40%
NECESSARY: Without a background grid,
35
35% it becomes more difficult for the audi-
30
ence to easily discern where the points
0
actually fall in relation to the x- and y-
No
Ju
Jan
Ju
Oc
Ap
Au
Se
Ma
Ma
Fe
De
ne
ly
t.
v.
pt
ril
g.
b.
rch
c.
.
axes. On the other hand, the presence of

.
Source: J345 worksheet By Shawn Barkdull

a background grid makes it much easier
Fever (or line) charts for your reader to correlate the numerical data to the time frame to
are great for showing which it relates.
a trend. If the change is
not dramatic or varied – FEVER CHARTS SHOULD ALWAYS DEMONSTRATE A TREND: Because
in other words, if the line they are best used to illustrate change over time, fever charts pro-
is straight – the trend is vide journalists with an extremely effective way to show the degree
likely better reported in of change within a set of data taken over a period of time. The
text form. However, if the
emphasis should be on movement, and generally, little or no move-
change is varied, as is the
ment or extreme increases and decreases can be reported better as
case in the above example,
a fever chart is a clear plain text. Fever charts are most effective in reporting more sporadic
metaphor for showing changes in data.
change over time.
DISPLAY THE BEGINNING AND/OR ENDING TOTALS IF CHANGE IS THE
NEWS: Again, the data metaphor (a line) is very effective in report-
ing a single trend. However, by marking the beginning and ending
totals in a fever chart, you provide the audience with the context
they need to better define the numerical data. And, in some cases,
you may even find cause to accompany every point along the line
with its numerical partner.
Tips for All Types of Graphics

There are some basic concepts and general rules that you can
Text-based graphics, such
as a time line, often work
in conjunction with other
types of graphical
displays, such as maps,
charts or fact boxes.
When planning a graphics
package, think about ways
to combine different
types of graphics to
enhance storytelling and
create a richer reading or
viewing experience for the
audience.
Graphic by Jessica Fearnow.
The best graphics apply to all types of graphics in order to ensure that they are always
attempt to hang as clean, effective and easy to read. Overall, simple is almost always
much information from a better. Adding too much design “flair,” such as unnecessary color,
single visual element as expressive type displays or unstructured white space, is generally a
possible. In this example,
waste of time and space and draws attention away from the most
the graphics reporter
important part of the presentation: the data. Likewise, 3D effects
combined key events in
Enron’s troubled history often get in the way and can really distort and even render your
with the rapid decline of graphic inaccurate. Content values draw readers and facilitate the
stock prices. The graphic comprehension process. “Chartoons,” or graphics that complicate
is, at once, a time line and the data metaphor with cliché illustrations or cartoon-like decora-
a fever chart. tions, often complicate and overshadow the data as well. An infor-
Graphic by Josh Engleman. mation graphic should relate to the reader and be able to stand
Used with permission. alone. Thus, introductory chatter, numerical data, visual metaphors
and other explainers should all be self-explanatory and leave the

audience feeling as though they have engaged in a complete read-
ing experience. Finally, remember to approach all types of informa-
tion graphics, whether they be simple charts or complex diagrams,
with a great deal of care. As always, you should fully understand the
data before attempting to display it to avoid choosing the wrong
chart, presenting incomplete data or comparing apples to oranges.
ANGELA SMITH
Graphics Reporter,
In the Eyes of an Expert The State Journal-Register
What types of stories are best served by adding charts and text-
based graphics?
Stories that contain information that can be compared or can
show trends. Maybe a business story is written about an air-
port’s boarding numbers being much higher in a particular year,
so you could make a chart that compares that year to other
years. Perhaps there is a story about how China stacks up to the Angela Smith is a graphics
United States, so you could do a text-based graphic that gives reporter for The State
basic info about the two countries side by side. Journal-Register in
Springfield, Ill. There, she
attends news meetings,
As a graphics reporter, how often are you asked to develop charts watches daily budgets for
and text-based graphics for your paper? graphics possibilities and
Almost daily. It’s true that work as a graphics reporter doesn’t executes both daily and
long-term graphics. She
mean that you constantly get to concentrate on rendering beau- joined the staff in January
tiful diagrams. Charts and text-based graphics are often needed 2002. Prior to working at
to make information easier to understand for the audience. You The State Journal-
don’t want to see a paragraph in a story riddled with numbers Register, she studied at
Ball State University in
and stats when you can put the numbers into some sort of chart Muncie, Ind., earning a
that quickly illustrates why the numbers are important. Bachelor of Science
degree in journalism
What are some common mistakes graphics reporters make when graphics in 2001. She has
received awards from the
displaying numerical data in chart form? Illinois Press Association,
You have to be really careful to not misrepresent the data by Copley Ring of Truth
stretching or skewing the chart. If you enter numbers into your Contest, Indiana
Collegiate Press Associa-
charting program and you aren’t getting dramatic lines or differ-
tion, Associated Collegiate
ences, realize that maybe there’s not as much there to show as Press and the Columbia
you thought, and scrap it. Don’t stretch the chart to make a dif- Scholastic Press
ference look like it exists when it really doesn’t. Association.
What are some common challenges graphics reporters encounter

when creating simple charts and text-based graphics?
Editing the data down to what is really important can be a challenge
when line after line of a huge spreadsheet is dropped on your desk.
Talk with the story’s reporter to make sure you know what is neces-
sary. Also, news editors will come to you with a lot of data and say,
“We have this list; can you make it look good?” Realize that there will
be times that you can’t just make something out of nothing.
Are there any significant design/stylistic considerations graphics

reporters should be aware of when creating charts, tables and
text-based graphics?
Make sure there are some style guidelines, and if there aren’t,
create some; then, stick with them! You don’t want a chart in
each day’s newspaper that looks significantly different from one
that ran the day before it. I even spend a small amount of my
time stylizing AP and other wire services’ graphics to match our
newspaper’s style.
List five tips for creating effective charts.

1. Put a headline and explainer text on each one, so that if the
graphic happens to be the only thing the readers see, they know
what the information means.
2. Double check the accuracy of your numbers. When making a pie
chart, make sure that the sum of the wedges equals 100 percent.
3. Take care to watch the ratio between the height and width of
bars in bar charts so the audience isn’t misled. Keep a zero base-
line with bar and line charts.
4. Follow your publication’s style guidelines.
5. Don’t forget to include the source of your data.
Chapter Seven Exercises

EXERCISE NO. ONE: TEXT-BASED GRAPHICS
Research, write and design a table that compares the key season
statistics of two professional athletes. For example, choose two NBA
forwards, and create a table that compares their field goal percentages,
rebounds, turnovers, free throw percentages, etc., for the current sea-
son. Or, choose two NFL quarterbacks and create a table that compares
their current season stats. You are encouraged to add photographs or
team logos to enhance the visual appeal of your table.
Next, create a time line that chronicles the history of the political con-
flict between the United States and Iraq. Conduct all necessary research,
edit it down, write 10 to 20 entries and create a design style for your time
line. You are encouraged to include photographs or other visual devices.
Each of these text-based graphics should include a headline, intro-
ductory chatter, a byline and a source line. Develop your own style,
typographic and color palettes for each as well.
EXERCISE NO. TWO: SIMPLE CHARTS

Evaluate the following sets of data to determine which type of
chart – pie, fever or bar – would best display the information at hand.
Then, create each chart using either Macromedia FreeHand or Adobe
Illustrator. Each of these charts should include a headline, introductory
chatter and byline. Develop your own style, typographic and color
palettes for each as well. (Note: The most appropriate chart may not
always be obvious. Analyze the data carefully.)
1. Air show attendance in U.S. soars, annual attendance in millions.

1987, 14.1; 1988, 18.3; 1989, 22; 1990, 23.1
2. While the number of federal employees has increased, per capita

federal employment has decreased.
1966, 111; 1971, 105; 1976, 102; 1981, 96; 1986, 92;
1991, 91; 1992, 89
3. In the past 20 years, the levels of federal and state aid to families with
dependent children have tripled.
1975 state, $4.7 million; 1975 federal, $3.9 million;
1995 state, $12.7 million; 1995 federal, $10.5 million
4. Where the federal government gets its money:

1.1%, estate tax; 1.5%, Federal Reserve deposits;
1.6%, Customs duties; 4.2%, excise taxes;
10.2%, corporation taxes; 37.1%, Social Security taxes;
44.2%, income taxes
5. Median age in United States at first marriage:

Women: 1930, 21.3; 1940, 21.5; 1950, 20.3; 1960, 20.3;
1970, 20.8; 1980, 24.1; 1990, 23.9
Men: 1930, 24.3; 1940, 24.3; 1950, 22.8; 1960, 22.8;
1970, 23.2; 1980, 24.7; 1990, 26.1
6. Top five states in seat belt use:

Arizona, 73%; Oregon, 72%; Virginia, 72%; California, 70%;
North Carolina, 68%
CHAPTER
EIGHT
Taking the “Numb” Out of
Numbers: Statistical Displays
Some of the most frequently published kinds of information graphics
attempt to simplify complicated information by presenting it in a form that the
average person will understand. Specifically, graphics reporters are often called
upon to decipher large and complex sets of numerical data related to stories
about the economy, census reports, financial statements, polls, surveys, scien-
tific research and other types of statistical findings. I once worked with a
reporter who responded to all questions related to numbers with the same state-
ment: “I am a journalist, not a mathematician, dammit!” However, if you really
want to be a graphics reporter you should shun this sentiment immediately and
learn to embrace your role as occasional mathematician in the newsroom.
Granted, no one will expect you to be a mathematical genius. However, it
will be important for you to understand and be capable of assessing the news
value in statistical data to report it in a way that your audience will find enlight-
ening and easy to understand. And, perhaps the most daunting fact of all is that
once the information is published, your audience will rarely question its validity
until a clear and obvious mistake has been made. In other words, if you have
added, subtracted or otherwise “figured” incorrectly, your audience may notice
the error. However, if your mistake lies in the presentation of the data, your audi-
ence is unlikely to notice, and you will be guilty of a great deal of negligence in
reporting.
This means you’ll need to have a basic understanding of some very specific
types of statistical data and some common mathematical equations, as well as
143
ANALYZING YOUR DATA how to best report that information in a graphic. Knowing the func-
tions of different types of charts, as outlined in the previous chapter,
When encountering a set
of statistical data, you may for example, is the first step in effectively assessing the information
want to keep the following at hand and determining the most accurate and effective way to
questions in mind to present it. Likewise, being able to decipher statistical data and make
make sure you are
sense of it yourself is essential to your ability to simplify the infor-
approaching it with a criti-
cal eye. The more you are mation accurately and sensibly for your audience. Being up to
able to assess the data for speed with some basic equations most common to the types of
its news value and accuracy, information you’ll likely encounter will also ensure that you are
the better you can serve
your audience. capable of making calculations that are relevant to your story.
Finally, knowing how to spot problems with the raw numbers you
Who is reporting/collecting
the data? Is bias present? have been given, as well as knowing some of the more common tac-
tics people may take when attempting to “massage” the numbers to
What is the size of the
sample group? fit their own agendas, will help you make sure your reporting is hon-
est, fair and accurate.
Are percentages backed
up with raw totals?
What is the time period
over which data was
Spotting Problems with Statistics
collected? Perhaps the most important concept you can take away from
this chapter is that an effective graphics reporter must lend a critical
Is the manner in which
the values are represented eye to every set of numbers she encounters. You should never take
appropriate? the data at face value, assume it is correct or fail to scrutinize the
Is time or place a factor? numbers to make sure they are relevant, accurate and realistically
reported within the context of a specific news story. Believe it or not,
Are there other external
variables that could skew it’s pretty easy to make numbers lie. In fact, depending on how the
the data? data is framed, anyone can easily create a context for a data set that
What methodology was serves a specific purpose or agenda without actually fabricating any
used to collect the data? of the real numbers. But, this doesn’t mean that trying to detect and
rectify these problems is a hopeless cause. Just being aware of some
ways in which data can be misrepresented can protect you from
exacerbating the problem.
MAKE SURE YOUR SOURCES ARE CREDIBLE: If a company wants to

hide the fact that it’s failing financially, it can create an annual
report that only reports some of the figures, compares incongruent
data or misrepresents the data by failing to explain how the figures
were actually realized. Thus, when reviewing this information for a
chart that will run with a news story about the company, the graph-
TA K I N G T H E “ N U M B ” O U T O F N U M B E R S : S TAT I S T I C A L D I S P L AY S 145
ics reporter must really scrutinize the data, looking for any suspi-
cious statements, comparisons or figures. It may even be a good
idea to do some additional reporting to make sure that the numbers
you have been given are, indeed, accurate. If you notice any ques-
tionable citations or missing numbers, for example, don’t be afraid
to call someone and ask why this is so. And, if the missing data can’t
be accounted for, then you generally have two options. The first is
that you can choose not to run a graphic because you can’t lay your
hands on a complete and therefore accurate set of numbers. The
second is to figure out the best way to present the numbers you do REFERENCE MATERIALS
have while making it clear to the audience that the data isn’t exactly It is strongly recommended
complete and why this is the case. The worst thing you can do is that students interested in
simply present the data as it was offered to you, without making an pursuing careers in graph-
ics reporting find a
attempt to remedy the problem.
Statistics 101 class to pro-
vide a strong foundation
MAKE SURE YOU’RE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES, ORANGES TO for understanding these
ORANGES: For example, if you want to make it seem as though the types of graphic displays.
Here are a few additional
price of a particular item has skyrocketed over a period of time, you
references for you to con-
can do so by failing to account for inflation. For example, have you sult that will help you col-
ever rolled your eyes when grandma and grandpa said things like, lect and evaluate statisti-
“When I was a child, a candy bar only cost a nickel!” Although this cal data:
statement is fundamentally true, the comparison that is so shock- Precision Journalism: A
ingly implied by your elders isn’t exactly accurate because it doesn’t Reporter’s Introduction to
Social Science Methods.
account for inflation. Inflation is an increase in the price of goods By Phillip Meyer. Fourth
and services that are representative of the economy as a whole. Edition, May 2002.
Depending on the state of the economy and the value of the dollar, Introduction to the
inflation can account for major increases and decreases in the value Practice of Statistics. By
of things over time. Houses cost more than they used to, minimum David S. Moore & George
wage increases every few years and the cost of all kinds of goods and McCabe. Fourth Edition,
August 2002.
services will continue to inflate over time, as long as the economy
continues to evolve. Thus, although a candy bar did cost mere pen- The Psychology of Survey
Response. By Roger
nies several decades ago, this raw value can’t be compared to the Tourangeau, Lance J. Rips
cost of a candy bar today. The only way to make an accurate com- and Kenneth Rasinski.
parison is to report the inflation-adjusted amounts. Do this by con- March 2000.
sulting the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s inflation calculator Improving Survey
(http://www.bls.gov) or by calculating adjusted prices using the Questions: Design and
Consumer Price Index divisors (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/home.htm) Evaluation. By Floyd J.
Fowler, Jr. July 1995.
for the specific years you are dealing with. Note that once prices
COMMON MATHEMATICAL have been adjusted for inflation, the rate of increase in price
EQUATIONS becomes much less dramatic.
Percentage: Divide small
number by large number; BE CAREFUL NOT TO MASK RAW NUMBERS BY CONVERTING THEM TO
multiply by 100. MORE AMBIGUOUS FIGURES: If a researcher wants to make his find-
Example: ings seem more impactful than they really are, he can turn raw
80 is 50% of 160; numbers into percentages or misrepresent the margin of error so
80/160 = .5 x 100 =50% that it’s not exactly apparent what the raw findings actually were.
Percentage increase: For example, 20 percent of 200 is 40, while 20 percent of 200,000 is
Subtract prior amount 4,000. Big difference, right? The larger the sample, the more accurate
from current amount; the survey. Yet, if I only report percentages, my audience may never
divide by prior amount,
and multiply by 100. know the raw totals, and the credibility and accuracy of my report
could be in question. Likewise, failing to identify projected figures
Example:
Original Amount = 50; versus real data or failing to use a consistent scale in charting data
New Amount = 85 may change the implications of the data you are presenting and mis-
85 - 50 = 15 lead the audience into believing them to be more or less dramatic
15/50 = .3 x 100 = 30% than they actually are.
Fraction to percent: Divide
denominator by CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE VARIABLES THAT COULD AFFECT THE DATA:
numerator; times 100.
Ask yourself: “Is time or place a factor?” If so, “What is the time period?
Example: Is it one day? One month? One year?” If a study attempts to report data
2/8 = 25%
2/8 = .25 x 100 = 25% gathered over a period of time, the span of time over which the data
was actually collected could dramatically affect the credibility of the
Average (Mean): Add all
numbers; divide sum by report. And when data is collected in a number of different places, a
total amount of numbers. graphics reporter must wonder, “Does location become a variable
Example: that could skew the data?” In fact, if data is gathered over many
4 + 8 + 12 + 16 years or places, a constant needs to be achieved. When necessary,
= 40/4 = 10 try to separate yourself from the data, and look for ways in which the
Median: List numbers report may be tainted by less obvious circumstances. Regardless of
numerically; select middle whether this has been done intentionally or unintentionally, your
number of the series. efforts in this regard can make a huge difference in terms of the
Example: accuracy of a set of data.
4, 4, 8, 12, 16 = 8
Establishing Validity in Polls & Surveys

Polls and surveys can be tricky and must be administered with
a well-planned methodology as well as a scientific approach to the
collection and reporting of data in order to be correct and credible.
Methodology refers to a body of practices, procedures and rules

used by those who work in a discipline or engage in inquiry. In other
words, your methodology is the system you employ to collect and
analyze data. This system must be consistent, eliminate as many
unnecessary variables as possible, be conducted using tried and
true methods for data collection and include an acceptable sample
size. In short, developing a sound method for data collection will
help you cover your bases and avoid poorly worded or loaded ques-
tions or exaggerated or incomplete data, to name a few.
As a graphics reporter, you will encounter poll and survey
results on two different levels. On one hand, you may be called upon
to help develop a survey and disseminate the results. Newspapers,
for example, often poll readers during elections to gauge readers’
opinions about the candidates. If this is the case, it is important that
you familiarize yourself with sound research methodology and
polling and survey techniques in order to ensure that you don’t
make mistakes that will affect the validity of the results. On the other
hand, you may also be given data that has been collected by an out-
side source and be asked to develop a graphics package to report it.
Companies and other types of organizations conduct all types of
COMMON MATHEMATICAL
surveys to gauge the general public’s feelings about any number of EQUATIONS
topics. If this is the case, it is extremely important that you obtain
Simple interest: Multiply
and report the actual survey questions so that you can provide the original balance by
appropriate context for the data you present. Likewise, be skeptical interest rate; multiply
as you examine the data. Questions that could be interpreted a that number as a decimal
by number of years.
number of ways or answers that are ambiguous or less specific
could be viewed as inconclusive or less meaningful. Regardless of Example:
$4,000 x .056 (5.6%
the way in which the data comes to you, it is important that you interest rate) = 224
understand some of the more complex ways poll or survey results 224 x 5 years = $1,120
can be improperly represented in the context of a news story. Probability: Divide one by
the number of equal pos-
EXAMINE HOW QUESTIONS ARE PHRASED IN A POLL: Tainted, skewed sibilities; move decimal
or loaded questions may elicit predicted or misguided responses. once to the right for
“chance in 10”; twice to
For example, if a poll is intended to gauge how people feel about right for “chance in 100.”
crime in their neighborhoods, even a seemingly simple question,
Example:
such as, “Do you feel safe?” may not really yield a valid result. In fact, Heads or Tails = 1/2 = .5
there are a number of extenuating variables, such as an individual’s Chance in Ten = 5
definition of “safe” or his or her past experiences with crime that Chance in 100 = 50
MARGIN OF ERROR may skew the response in a way that doesn’t truly reflect your inten-
tions for the question.
Depending on the survey
or poll you are dealing
with, the margin of error CONSIDER HOW THE SURVEY OR POLL WAS ADMINISTERED: How were
will differ depending on respondents chosen? Just going through a phone book, for example,
the relationship between
and randomly choosing names doesn’t make for a random sample.
the sample size and the
size of the greater popula- A random sample occurs when every element in the population has
tion. Thus, the formula for an equal chance to be selected for the survey or poll. It isn’t easy to
figuring the margin of draw a random sample because the only factor operating when a
error involves three basic
parts: the amount of vari- given item is selected must be chance.
ability within the sample, You must also ask when and where the questions were asked.
the degree of precision Was every respondent approached in the same way, in the same sur-
and the sample size. You roundings at the same time? While these questions may not always
can apply this formula for
figuring margin of error: be relevant, you should determine whether they affect the outcome
or responses. Finally, be aware that certain types of survey methods
(p)(1-p)
x 1.96 may actually affect who responds. For example, when conducting
n
phone surveys, you must contend with the notion that some
= Margin of Error
respondents may not be home or may automatically hang up the
p is an estimate of the per- moment you identify yourself as someone conducting a poll.
centage of respondents.
Likewise, surveys conducted via mail or e-mail often require that
A “standard” level of preci- the respondent take action by filling out the survey and mailing it
sion is a 95 percent confi-
dence level. This translates back in. Often, respondents in these types of surveys tend to lean
into 1.96 for this formula. toward extremes in their answers. One school of thought insists that
n is the number of only those who have strong feelings about the topic at hand will be
respondents. motivated enough to actually respond.
So, if an estimated 50
percent of the greater CONSIDER WHO WAS POLLED: Depending on the pool from which
population answered a potential participants for a poll or survey are chosen, it is possible
particular question in a
that whole categories of your greater population could be left out.
survey, and 90 out of 100
people surveyed actually For example, if you are conducting a phone survey, you are elimi-
completed the survey, a nating the possibility of contacting people who aren’t likely to be
10 percent margin of listed. College students are one whole category of individuals who
error is figured as such:
may not be represented there. Also, calling at certain times during
.50 the day may skew who or what types of people will be around to
x 1.96
90 actually answer the phone.
= Margin of Error
www.westgroupresearch.com/res
ESTABLISH OR KNOWTHE MARGIN OF ERROR: Understand that when-
earch/margin.html ever you break down data into subgroups – by race, gender, age, etc.
– the margin of error increases. Margin of error is simply a measure

of how precise the data are. The margin of error is necessary
because you’ll never see a survey that actually polls the entire pop-
ulation on a particular subject. Because random samples are used
to represent the general population, the margin of error reflects the
variation that may occur in multiple executions of the same survey.
For example, suppose a report reflects that 50 percent of the popu-
lation surveyed says they have visited the local art museum within
KRIS GOODFELLOW
the past three months, and a margin of error of plus or minus five ESRI
percent is recorded. This means that realistically, if the entire popu-
lation were actually polled, the percentage would fall somewhere
between 45 and 55 percent. Thus, the 50 percent finding is the aver-
age of the two, representing the most accurate way to report the
data. The smaller the margin of error, the more accurate the results
Kris Goodfellow is a
of the survey. media industry manager
and journalism liaison for
Obviously, determining whether a survey or poll is trustworthy ESRI, the world leader in
geographic information
is a tricky task. It really means weighing a number of different
system (GIS) software and
aspects of the survey, including the margin of error, the sample size, technology. She consults
the number of surveys actually completed, the methodology, the with news organizations
interviewing procedure and the size of the general population the across the country on
how to best use GIS tech-
survey or poll is meant to represent. The best polls are those con- nology and has spoken at
ducted by professional pollsters, such as Gallup or the American a number of workshops
Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), because these and conferences on the
agencies generally adhere to extremely high standards and tried- power of GIS software.
Prior to joining ESRI, she
and-true statistical methods for gathering their data. If, however, was the director of graph-
you obtain your data from another type of organization or business ics at The Associated
or on your own, just make sure you scrutinize every aspect of your Press, and before that,
research to ensure effective and credible results. the graphics editor at The
New York Times and a
graphics coordinator at
The Chicago Tribune. She
In the Eyes of an Expert founded and taught the
graphics class at Col-
What are the best methods for collecting/reporting statistical data?
umbia University’s gradu-
I’m not sure that there is one best method. The graphics ate school of journalism,
reporter needs to find and develop relationships with reliable and in 2002, she was a
sources. Questions about how the data was gathered, what is judge for the Society for
News Design’s World’s
the source’s reporting methodology, or how long has the source
Best Design competition.
been gathering this sort of data may be relevant to determining
WHAT IS A SCIENTIFIC if the source is reliable and unbiased. The reporting maxim,
SAMPLE? “when in doubt, check it out” applies not only to the source but
to the data provided.
The AAPOR Standards
Committee writes, “Polls
and surveys are an impor- How should a graphics reporter determine how a set of statistical
tant means for us to learn data is best displayed?
about people’s attitudes,
behaviors, and character- The best graphics grow out of an understanding of the story, the
istics…. But all surveys are data and the statistical charting options. If you don’t know how
not equal in quality. Polls or why to use a graphic form, you’ll fall back on the same old
and surveys conducted by
flawed methods are often thing again and again. Graphic journalists need to invest in their
described as ‘not scientific.’ own understanding of their profession, seeking to know its his-
A Scientific Sample tory as well as current inspiring work. This curiosity will serve
Survey or Poll will have
you well.
these characteristics:
It samples members of the
What are some of the greatest challenges or pitfalls graphic jour-
defined population in a
way such that each mem- nalists face when dealing with statistical data?
ber has a known nonzero The greatest challenge is when you don’t have all of the data
probability of selection…. because there is no complete source. While a reporter can write
It collects data from a around gaps in statistical data, a graphic journalist should not. It’s
sufficient number of far better to tell a reporter that the data does not exist or is unre-
sampled units in the pop-
ulation … (for example, + liable than to take suspect, incomplete or inaccurate numbers.
or - 5%) at a stated level
of confidence (e.g., 95%). What are some of the more common mistakes graphics reporters
It uses reasonable tested make when developing statistical data displays?
methods to reduce and Unnecessary complexity. Simplicity is a key to displaying statis-
account for unit and item
nonresponse error (differ- tical data. When a graphic looks simple and clear, it is usually
ences between character- because someone has done the hard work to understand and
istics of respondents and show something complex. When graphic journalists pass that
nonrespondents)…. complexity on to the reader, they have missed an opportunity to
It uses reasonable tested help aid in understanding.
methods to reduce and
account for errors of
measurement that may What are some ways to ensure that you’re not missing important
arise from question word- details in your statistical graphics?
ing, the order of questions Be careful and detail oriented. Show it to people in the newsroom
and categories, the behav-
ior of interviewers and of who have the time to pay attention, or run it by a statistician.
respondents, data entry
and the mode of adminis- What should an effective data display add to a story?
tration of the survey.”
Understanding and clarity.
What’s the most extensive research you have ever done for a statis-
tical graphic?
The most intensive gathering of statistical data project was
working with CBS News on the election mapping for 2003. We INFLATION
spent months gathering statistics for dozens of different data Report the adjusted or
maps. Many, many maps were thrown out because the data just constant figure, never the
didn’t make a strong, instantly understandable point to viewers current or nominal figure.
in a matter of seconds. Clarity was of the utmost importance in Create a multiplier for
this project, and that was a great challenge to someone used to each year’s data to inflate
to the present year using
working in print. In print, we assume that people will spend a the Consumer Price Index
couple of minutes with the graphic. But in the broadcast format, (CPI information comes
I was constantly reminded that in today’s world, people don’t from U.S. Bureau
spend much time with things that they don’t understand. of Labor Statistics;
http://stats.bls.gov).
Please list five tips for dealing with statistical data in journalistic Example:
Your town’s annual budget
research and reporting.
1. Compare data to some norm or average. For instance, when
charting a stock price, it is useful to see that stock charted against Unadjusted figures:
1985 = $32,504,333
an index of its peers so as to see how its performance relates.
1990 = $47,010,100
2. Use all of the tools of the graphic journalists to make the point
1985 CPI/all items
of the graphic clear. Color choice, layout, headline, labeling,
= 107.6
classification schema, data charted and, most importantly, the 1990 CPI/all items
choice of statistical chart should all contribute to making that = 130.7
point clear to readers. Divide the current year’s
3. Get more data and know that you don’t have to use it all. CPI by past year’s CPI.
Reporters may only need a couple of telling statistics to tell a Example: 130.7/107.6
good story. However, a good graphic usually needs far, far more = 1.214684
detail. Don’t be afraid to gather that information yourself or to Multiply the quotient (or
work with the reporter to get it. You might need to develop good multiplier) by past year’s
sources to do this. The reporter might rely on a press secretary dollar amount.
who will give a great quote, but the graphics reporter may be Example: 1.214684 x
able to get the data needed from a librarian in the back office. 32,504,333
= $39,482,493
4. Ask until you understand. When you assume, you can make a
big mistake, hurt your credibility and embarrass the newspaper.
It’s so much better to be humble to a source or a reporter and get Adjusted figures:
it right before it gets into the paper. 1985 = $39,482,493
5. Strive to make the complex, simple and clear.
1990 = $47,010,100
Chapter Eight Exercise

Find out how much a cup of coffee and a candy bar cost in 1950,
1960, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000. When you have obtained their
actual costs for those years, use the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation
calculator to determine the adjusted prices. Finally, using one graphic
for each item, plot fever charts for both the actual dollars and the con-
stant dollars. The line for actual dollars should be black. The line for con-
stant dollars should be red. Typeset a headline, chatter, callouts, a byline
and a credit line. Develop your own type and design styles for the charts.
CHAPTER
NINE
Diagrams &
Illustrative Graphics
Often the most complex and illustration-driven types of information graph-
ics, diagrammatical graphics combine substantial amounts of textual informa-
tion with detailed illustrations to dissect the important parts of objects or
chronicle a chain of events. Diagrams require strong textual and visual reference
materials, and graphics reporters may spend a good deal of time away from their
desks conducting research for these types of storytelling devices. And, because
they are generally illustration-driven, diagrams often require a bit more artistic
ability on the part of the graphics reporter than other types of graphics. All in all,
diagrams provide journalists with an opportunity to take the audience where
cameras or reporters can’t. They allow us to show how something happened, the
process by which something occurs or the inner workings of both animate and
inanimate objects.
Types of Diagrams
Diagrams can be divided into two basic categories, passive and active. In a
passive diagram, there is no implied action or movement beyond the rhythm
and natural eye flow that is created through the placement of elements within
the graphic design. Passive diagrams generally show an object with its “parts”
accurately labeled, are often considered to be “simple diagrams” and may
include cutaway, angled or multiple views of a particular object. Passive dia-
grams are used to dissect an object, providing the audience with simple labeling
153
Passive diagrams like

this one generally
label and explain dif-
ferent parts of an
object. Numbers,
letters or other types
of labeling devices
can be used to help
the audience navi-
gate the informa-
tion.
Graphic by Miranda Mulligan.

D I A G R A M S & I L L U S T R AT I V E G R A P H I C S 155
devices or detailed information about the functions of each part of

an object. Although a passive diagram may attempt to explain how
something works or happens in text form, it won’t attempt to actu-
ally illustrate that action.
On the other hand, active diagrams include implied or real
motion or movement, in addition to passive labeling to illustrate the
action of a process or event. Thus, an effective active diagram
should, at once, dissect an object or event, labeling its parts, and
attempt to illustrate actual or implied movement. So, while a pas-
sive diagram of the human heart would likely just label and perhaps
explain the chambers and arteries of the heart, an active diagram of
the heart might attempt to actually illustrate how blood flows
through the heart.
The media format selected for the graphic – print, online or
broadcast – will also determine the illustration method for the
action. For example, in print, the active heart diagram might use
arrows to illustrate the motion of blood flow. On the Web or in a
news broadcast, motion or action should be animated so the action
of the graphic could unfold in real time, more like a video.
Regardless, it is important to note that all diagrams have passive
qualities, because in every case there will be some need to label static
parts of the graphic. However, only active diagrams are capable of
reenacting an event or process.
Organizing the Content

Diagrams tend to be more complex, both illustratively and
informationally, than other types of graphics. Thus, the way ele-
ments are organized or designed in relation to one another in a dia-
grammatical display can make or break the final product. Consult
Chapter Five, “Designing Information Graphics,” for more detailed
organization and design techniques. But in a nutshell, information
must be arranged in a logical, easy-to-follow fashion. Consider nat-
ural eye flow (i.e., left to right, top to bottom), chronology and the
logical pattern your audience will attempt to follow when interact-
ing with the graphic to determine the best way to organize the infor-
mation in a graphic presentation. And, note that the very worst
thing you can do when creating a diagram or explanatory graphic is
Say What?
Active diagrams generally explain a process or event in conjunction with an illustra-

tion. Arrows, letters or numbers often help show the sequencing of an action
through the implication of a chronology or motion. Graphic by Jessica Fearnow. Used with permission.
Cutaways are an
effective method
for taking the
audience where a
photograph can-
not. In this case,
the audience is
able to see a cross
section of the
human eye.
to muddle the pieces in a way that causes the audience to become

confused or that makes the information difficult to follow.
Also, you can never remind yourself enough that as a graphics
reporter, your job is to simplify complicated information. Because
diagrams can often be the most complex types of graphics you will
develop, this concept is especially important to these types of dis-
plays. In an article in the Society for News Design’s Design magazine
titled, “Why Function Always Trumps Format,” explanation graph-
ics guru Nigel Holmes writes, “It seems to me that for editors, some-
times the point is to dress up the page with some color, to make a
splash (or) to give the graphics department their go in the paper.
None of these are good reasons. But they are hard to resist. Who
doesn’t want a nice big colorful graphic to put in their portfolio? …
But to my mind, in this business of information design, more often
simpler is better.” In other words, simple often ensures that the
point of your graphic won’t be lost among the bells and whistles
your artistic skills have unnecessarily added to the presentation. Let
the content speak for itself by avoiding the urge to dress it up.
Just as you should edit the “map fat” from your work when
developing maps for journalistic presentations, so should you edit
the less important visual information from illustrative portions of
your diagrams. Of course, you shouldn’t eliminate anything that
might jeopardize the accuracy of the visual information at hand.
However, don’t feel obligated to include so much detail in your illus-
Often, information graphics posess both active and passive qualities.

In this graphic, the dominant image displays the labels and defini-
tions relevent to the story, and the secondary images work together
to explain action related to the story.
Graphic by Erin Hein. Used with permission.
tration that the visual complexities outweigh the focus of the graph-
ics package.
Illustration Techniques
Obviously, the stronger your artistic skills, the better illustrator
you will be. Because diagrammatical graphics tend to be very illus-
tration-driven, these can often require more raw artistic talent than
others. Thus, I always encourage graphic journalists to consider tak-
ing drawing, painting or color theory courses to help beef up their
illustration skills. But don’t be fooled. Even the most detailed dia-
grams are generally based on solid visual reference material, and
graphics reporters often develop their own sketches based on these
materials to form the foundation for their own graphics. Thus, find-
ing strong reference material is often the first step in developing
effective, accurate illustrations. Reference materials for diagrams
and explanatory graphics could include diagrams or illustrations
that have already been developed by someone else, photographs
from the actual scene or maps. Then, after you have found a reli-
able, accurate visual reference, you can develop your own version.
As long as you cite the source in your source line, this method is a
perfectly acceptable form of reporting.
As you begin the tracing process, you’ll soon notice that even
the most complex objects are, in essence, a combination of a num-
ber of simple shapes. Break down the object you are illustrating into
the smallest squares, rectangles, circles, ovals and triangles that
comprise it, and you will soon have the outline for your illustration.
And, once the outline is complete, you can begin to add depth and
dimension by applying shading, color and texture.
LAYERING COLORS AND SHADES OF COLOR is one

of the more common ways illustrations come to
life. This technique adds depth and dimension to
your graphic by creating a sense of contrast and
detail much like that of an oil painting. Layering
often requires a great deal of patience, and is best
used when the goal is to illustrate a more complex
object with a greater degree of detail.
GRADIENTS are also

used to create a sense
of texture and detail in
an illustration. Soft-
ware programs, such as Macromedia
FreeHand and Adobe Illustrator, include
gradient tools that allow you to control the
intensity, angle and shape of a gradient so
that you can create as realistic a sense of
texture as possible. Gradients are often easier to apply, and can help
create a great deal of depth in a short period of time. Thus, gradient
tools can be a lifesaver to graphics reporters working on deadline.
TEXTURE TOOLS can also be helpful when

you are trying to develop a graphic quickly
or when you simply want to emulate a spe-
cific type of texture in your graphic.
Illustration software programs also
include texture tools that provide you with
a quick and easy way to apply common
textures, such as gravel, denim or sand.
These textures can be applied by simply filling the shape you have cre-
ated with a pre-illustrated swatch found in the texture or fill palette.
Finally, it is important to note that the illustration style you

choose for your diagram can often make or break the sense of cred-
ibility and accuracy that is attached to it. In other words, the style
really must fit the nature and tone of the content in order for your
graphic to seem appropriate and believable. Cartoons – simple out-
line that applies bold, bright colors – should be reserved for less
NIGEL HOLMES
serious topics or graphics that illustrate fake scenarios. Sketches
Explanation Graphics
(hand-drawn pictures) are often effectively used to illustrate fake
scenarios or more feature-oriented topics. Graphics that employ
layered colors, gradients and photographs (i.e., more texturally
detailed illustrations) are best used in news presentations because
they appear to be more visually realistic and thorough. And, while it
is true that many graphics reporters may eventually develop a style Holmes was graphics
they are either known for or tend to employ more often, you should director for Time maga-
never come to rely on a particular illustration style too often zine for 16 years before
because information graphics meant for use in journalistic presen- taking a sabbatical. For
ten years, he has run his
tations should always be content-driven, and always reflect the tone own business, Explanation
and storytelling mission of the news. Graphics, which explains
all manner of things to
and for a wide variety of
In the Eyes of an Expert clients including Apple,
The Smithsonian
How do diagrams/explanatory graphics enhance storytelling? Institution, United
By giving the reader/user a clear picture or an actual visualiza- Healthcare, U.S. Airways,
Discover, Harper’s, The
tion of the event or process.
New Yorker and The New
York Times. He’s written
What are some common challenges to creating effective four books on aspects of
diagrams/explanatory graphics? information design, and
also a series of small
1. Not having enough hard, credible, factually correct informa- books, The Smallest Ever
tion by deadline. Guides for Busy People,
2. An over-reliance on a particular graphic style or software, which explain difficult
even when it’s inappropriate (see below, 3D). concepts in layman’s
terms. The latest is for
3. Lack of cooperation or understanding within the publication GM called The Smallest
about the intent of the graphic. It’s hard to do a good explanation if Ever Guide to the
someone up the chain of command thinks of your work as making Hydrogen Economy. His
new book, Wordless
the page look good, but nothing else (such as informing the readers!).
Diagrams, was published in
April 2005. He’s lectured
What are your thoughts about the evolution of interactive graphics all over the world, and
and the affects of multimedia technology on graphics reporting? with his son, Rowland, he
produces short animated
On the Web, you can easily update and make corrections, so we films. They are currently
should be careful not to rush to publish without full considera- working on a film about a
tion of the facts, just because we can change things later. But new system of electronic
being able to add movement and sound is wonderful; they make health communication.
storytelling easier and richer.
Because of the transient nature of the Web, the relative perma-

nence of print journalism means that it should concentrate on
clarification, a precise alignment of words and pictures and on
leading the reader down a path of understanding that does not
veer off in irrelevant directions.
How has 3D software affected graphic storytelling?

On storytelling, badly!
On cutaways of buildings and things like that, better. The over-
use and inappropriate treatment of 3D has given it a bad name
in some graphic circles, but in time, it will become just another
tool to be used only when it’s really necessary, not as a default
stylistic tic.
Aside from the obvious changes in technology, in what significant

ways has graphics reporting evolved over the years?
As better work is done, editors and readers realize that graphics
can contribute to information on an equal footing with text.
Writers are realizing that graphics can explain some things bet-
ter than their verbal descriptions do, and they are more willing
to “give up” some of their valuable text in the interests of getting
the story across in the best way.
Who do you consult for inspiration? Who does it well?

The New York Times is currently doing the best information
graphics in the world. They are on the top of their form and con-
sistently do the right thing, whether it is for a small one-column
chart or a blockbuster spread. They are constantly inventing or
rediscovering ways to represent numbers and are not afraid to
experiment. They have won the trust of the editors who give
them lots of room to work in.
Apart from the Times, I’m always going back to Otto Neurath
and Gerd Arntz and their pioneering work in Europe in the
1920s and 1930s. They are the real forerunners of much of the
work we do today, so it’s always nice to check in and see that it’s
all been done before!
Please list five tips for creating effective diagrams/explanatory

graphics.
1. Research first, then write, then draw.
2. Clarify, don’t simplify.
3. Restrict color.
4. Put things in context.
5. Show your work to colleagues for comment.
Your graphics begin on paper. Can you explain how this traditional
approach fits into the world of computers and illustration programs?
Everything still starts on paper, and usually in a smallish note-
book/sketchbook. All my very first drawn ideas and written
notes are in these books, which I have kept carefully over many
years and often refer back to. There are many as yet uncompleted
projects in them as well as day-to-day sketches and roughs for
current jobs.
When I have a workable idea for a particular job, I’ll usually

draw it out again larger; probably go through two or three more
versions using tracing paper, until it’s pretty tight, and then scan
it. Then I use the computer to construct the drawing in exactly
the same way I used to use French curves and templates to cre-
ate lines when I did not have a computer. I never use the com-
puter’s auto tracing feature.
I started using FreeHand at Time and still do. I use no other

computer programs (except Word, for writing), and I’m proba-
bly only using about 10 percent of the potential of FreeHand,
but that’s all I need. It keeps the finished work simple. I’m not
against computers – they enabled me to leave the corporate
world and work by myself – but they are dreadfully misused, to
my mind, in information graphics today. I think the computer
should be used to take stuff out of an information graphic,
rather than loading it up with special effects.
You are widely respected for your work with pictograms. How
important is the pictogram in information graphics?
A couple of years ago I wrote a piece on pictograms for the
Information Design Journal, and it made me think about sym-
bols again. I had written a book (Designing Pictorial Symbols,
1985), but that was largely about icons I’d drawn for Time. Here
I realized that one way we make information graphics is by
using little pictograms as building blocks for entire illustrations.
We each create our own personal visual language – little bits
that we recycle again and again. And as long as it is our own lan-
guage, it’s fine to recycle; in fact it defines our style.
I’m on the fence about everyone adopting one universal visual

symbol language, because that suggests that we would all use
the same icons (like an alphabet), and while I want people all
over the world to understand what I have drawn, I’m not yet
ready to give up personal style for a committee-accepted set of
pictograms. I hope one day to do some work in the field of com-
pletely wordless diagrams, especially if it is for a cause such as
helping those in third-world countries who are unable to read.
What do you think are the most important fundamental rules for
our business?
I hate rules! They put straightjackets around freedom of expres-
sion. However, I guess I do have some personal rules of my own.
The first is that the best way to explain things is always the sim-
plest way.
Keeping things simple and clear does not mean dumbing down
information, nor does it mean making it look boring and aus-
tere. That is why art is important. I mean art in the service of
information, not art for art’s sake. Sometimes art might mean
just beautiful simplicity. At other times it might mean wit, or
humor, or fun. My fundamental mantra is enjoyable clarity.
One thing that often seems wrong with information graphics is

the use of too much color. These days, I like to start a job with
very little color and only add it when the information demands
it. Of course, many editors and art directors still think of infor-
mation graphics as a sort of colorful decoration for their pages.
While the arguments are obvious to me, nothing I say seems to
convince them. The rule is: Only use color when it’s needed (and
get your arguments lined up!).
What are questions every information graphics designer should ask?

What’s the point of the graphic I am doing?
What information does the reader/user need to know?
I think many graphics are too big. Perhaps we designers should
ask for less space when that’s all we need. So ask this question:
What is really the best size for this graphic?
NOTE: The last four questions and answers are excerpted from an interview by John Grimwade, Graphics Director
of Condé Nast Traveler, and first published with a retrospective look at Holmes’ work in the Malofiej Information
Graphics Summit Book, 2004. Used with permission.
Chapter Nine Exercises

EXERCISE NO. ONE: PASSIVE DIAGRAM
Research and illustrate a graphic that diagrams the human heart.
You’ll need to find good visual and textual reference material for your
graphic so that you can develop an accurate illustration of the heart, as
well as label its most significant parts and explain how they work.
Use Macromedia FreeHand or Adobe Illustrator to create your
graphic, and develop your own typographic, style and color palettes.
The graphic should be approximately five inches wide. The depth is up
to you. Your graphic should include a headline, chatter, labels, explain-
ers, a source line and byline.
EXERCISE NO. TWO: ACTIVE DIAGRAM

After your passive diagram is complete, modify it so that it also
shows how blood flows through the human heart. You can use arrows,
numbers or any other illustrative technique to imply movement. Use
the same typographic, style and color palettes as you did in the first
exercise. Your graphic should include a headline, chatter, labels,
explainers, a source line and byline.
EXERCISE NO. THREE: ANIMATED DIAGRAM

After you have completed the first two exercises, consider how the pas-
sive and active portions of the heart graphic might unfold if it were
developed for the Web or broadcast. Sketch storyboards for your ani-
mated diagram. Then, use Macromedia Flash to produce the anima-
tions. Use the same typographic, style and color palettes as you did in
the first two exercises. Your graphic should include a headline, chatter,
labels, explainers, a source line and byline.
169
APPENDIX A: FREEHAND WORKSHOP

INSTRUCTIONS BASED ON FREEHAND MX
The following exercise will teach you to create basic charts in Macromedia FreeHand. The appearance of
certain functions may differ depending upon whether you are using a MacIntosh or a PC. However, the
general operations of the program are the same regardless of the platform on which you are working.
To begin, create a folder on the desktop of your computer, and label it with your name.
Launch the FreeHand program. FILE a NEW document.
Command the PAGE RULERS from the VIEW menu. Reset your ruler measurements found at the bottom of
your document, from points to picas.
In the upper, left-hand corner of your document, find the zero guide.
Reset the zero guide to the top left-hand corner of the page by clicking and dragging the
crossbars to line up with the top and left-hand edges of the page on your document.
Go to WINDOWS and command the OBJECT

menu. Use the object palette to draw a box.
Make the box 15 picas wide and 21 picas deep.
Make the line .6 in width. Create a one-pica
margin for the box.
Save the document as “pie chart.”
Pull down WINDOW, TOOLBARS, and access

the XTRA TOOLS palette. Select the charting
tool, and click on the FreeHand document. A
spreadsheet window should appear.
Plot the following in a

spreadsheet. These
numbers represent the
course topics in a basic
design class.
Integrated Editing 4 (days)

Typography 5 (days)
Graphics 6 (days)
Command the COLOR MIXER and the SWATCHES panels from the WINDOW menu. Create these colors:
Jade: C 80 M 20 Y 90 K0
Mist: C 30 M 10 Y0 K 10
Salmon: C0 M 45 Y 55 K 10
Teal: C 90 M 20 Y 30 K0
Ungroup the pie from the text, then group only the wedges of the pie together. Make the lines of the pie .6
points, black. Color the respective wedges. Integrated Editing: Teal; Typography: Jade; Graphics: Salmon.
Move the pie to its position within the margins of the frame. Size
the grouped pie while holding down the shift key. Select the frame
for the graphic.
Fill the background of the graphic with a linear gradient

from 30% to 60% Mist.
Place the chart in its position inside the frame. Reduce and reset
the text boxes for the callouts of the chart.
Make the type 10 pt. Helvetica Bold centered. Place each callout on its respec-
tive wedge. Be sure to bring the callouts to the front
J245 midterm topics (Modify/Arrange/Bring to Front). Typeset the head-
For the first 15 days of the semester,
students in J245 Editorial Presentation have
studied three course topics. Below is a line for the graphic in 18 pt. Helvetica Bold. Typeset
breakdown of the amount of time devoted
to each subject: the explainer for the graphic in 8 pt. Helvetica plain,
flush left. Typeset the source line and byline in 8 pt.
Helvetica Plain. Place all text blocks in their respec-
Integrated
Editing tive positions.
Information ?%
Graphics
?%
Save and close this document. Export the document as
Typography
an eps file if you wish to place it into a design program.
?%
Create a new FreeHand document. Plot the following information for a horizontal bar chart that demon-
strates the leading men’s basketball scorers in Ball State history.
Bonzi Wells 2,485 (points)

Ray McCallum 2,109 (points)
Larry Bullington 1,747 (points)
NOTE: DO NOT USE COMMAS IN NUMBERS WHEN
Derrick Wesley 1,729 (points) TYPING THEM INTO THE SPREAD SHEET.
Jim Regenold 1,685 (points)
Choose the bar chart style from the chart gallery. Set column width for bars at 60. Click OK.
APPENDIX A 171
Click the chart gallery button. Click the pie chart button. Set these parameters for a pie chart:
Legend: None; Separation: 0; Data numbers in chart
Draw a box that is 25 picas wide and 17 picas deep. Create a one-pica margin for the box.
Ungroup the bar chart. Delete all lines, ticks and numerals from the graphic,
keeping only the bars and the names.
Command the COLOR MIXER and the SWATCHES from the WINDOW menu. Create these colors:
Almond: C0 M 10 Y 35 K 12
Midnight: C 70 M 10 Y0 K 20
Select the bars of the graph and specify no line. Color the bars with Midnight.
Group the bars together. Rotate the bar chart to make it horizontal.
Size down the bars, and place on the box.

Ungroup the bars and space them vertically in their respective
positions marked on the layout. Group each bar one at a time, and make each bar 1p5 picas high (thick).
Reposition the bars.
Group all four bars together. Stretch the bars to the right to
the 21.6 ruler without holding the shift key.
Select the frame for the graphic. Fill the background for the
box of the graphic with Almond. The outer box should have
no line.
Command the LAYERS from WINDOW. Move the Guides in

front of Foreground layer
Reduce and reset the text boxes for the names of each bar. Make the type 9 pt. Helvetica Bold flush left.
Move each name into its position. Be sure to bring the names to the front (Modify/Arrange/Bring to Front).
Typeset the point totals for each bar in 10 pt. Helvetica Bold. Typeset the headline for the graphic in 18 pt.
Helvetica Bold with -3 kerning. Typeset the explainer for the graphic in 9 pt. Helvetica Plain, flush left,
kerning -1, leading +0. Typeset the source line and byline in 8 pt. Helvetica Plain. Place each in its position.
Draw an 8-pica by 8-pica circle with no fill and .6 black lines.

Duplicate the circle two times. Deselect all circles.
Create the color Orange:

C 0 M 60 Y 100 K 0
Fill in one circle with Orange.
Using the TINTS area of the COLOR MIXER,

radial graduate the circle from Orange
Position the “hot spot” in the circle. Select no line for the colored circle.
Move the duplicate circles into position over

the orange circle. Select them both. Then select
EDIT, CUT and PASTE INSIDE.
Position the second duplicate circle.

Select EDIT, CUT and PASTE INSIDE.
Draw the black .6 diagonal lines, and position them to complete the ball.
Place the basketball artwork in its

position on the graphic.
Export the graphic to your folder

on the desktop.
Quit the FreeHand program.
NOTE: This tutorial was authored by Michael Price when he was the journalism graphics sequence coordinator at Ball State University.
175
GLOSSARY
ACTIONSCRIPT: An object-oriented programming language that can facilitate the creation of ani-
mated and interactive information graphics because it is an event-based language.
ACTIVE GRAPHICS: Maps or diagrams that contain real or implied motion through the use of ani-
mation or visual elements, i.e., arrows or numbers, that imply movement.
ACTIVE VOICE: Occurs when sentences are written using only active verbs, avoiding “verbs of
being,” such as is, was, am, are, were, etc.
ADDITIVE COLOR: Each hue of the color spectrum has a specific frequency. When combined,
additive colors create white light. Red, green and blue (RGB) are the additive colors in the color
spectrum and are used to create color on computer monitors and television screens.
ADJUSTED FIGURE: The price of an item adjusted for inflation.
ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE: An informal design composition in which the two vertical halves of a
graphic are unequal in balance.
AUDIENCE: Print media readers, television viewers or Web users are all potential audience mem-
bers for information graphics presentations.
AVERAGE/MEAN: A value computed by dividing the sum of a set of numbers by the number of
numbers.
BALANCE: A basic design principle, balance is achieved when the placement or relative proportion of
elements in a graphic play against one another to create a display that is not too heavy on either side,
top or bottom. There are two types of balance in graphic design, asymmetrical and symmetrical.
BAR CHART: A graphic that uses rectangular bars in varying lengths to represent comparisons of
amounts.
BASE MAP: A map used for reference in graphic design.
CALLOUTS: Detailed text blocks within a graphic that point to and explain a specific visual ele-
ment within the larger package.
CARTESIAN GRID: A system of plotting points on a graph made of intersecting lines, called “coor-
dinates” developed by René Descartes.
CARTOGRAPHY: The making of maps.
CHARTOON: A chart in which the data metaphor (i.e., bar, pie or line) in some way incorporates
a cartoonish illustration approach to decorate or embellish the body of the graphic.
CHATTER: Explanatory text used to introduce a graphic.
CHOROPLETH: A map that is divided into sections that correspond to different categories related
to the raw data. Each category is then colorized to represent a specific value set.
CMYK: The “process colors,” different values of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are mixed
together to create every possible color. Process color is used to create full color in print.
COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN: Graphic design for publications which, at the same time, attempt to main-
tain a high level of aesthetic value and convey information through the process of visual storytelling.
CONSTANT FIGURE: The numeric value that represents the price of a good or service adjusted
over time to account for inflation.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI): Published every month by the U.S. Department of Labor, the CPI
is a key measure of inflation that relates to the rise in prices over a period of time. Using the CPI,
one can calculate the change in cost of buying a fixed basket of goods and services.
CONTRAST: A basic design principle, contrast refers to the act of creating visual difference
between elements in graphic design. Contrast is most commonly achieved through shape, tone,
type and size.
CONVERGENCE: Partnerships between and among various types of media organizations, such as
newspapers, Web sites and broadcast news stations.
DATA-INK RATIO: The philosophy that effective graphics give the viewer the greatest number of
ideas in the shortest time with the least amount of ink in the smallest amount of space.
GLOSSARY 177
DATA METAPHOR: A visual element used to represent key information, such as numbers or val-
ues, in a graphic. Common data metaphors include circles to represent a breakdown of whole
amounts, bars to represent comparisons of figures and lines to represent change over time.
Colors and symbols can also be data metaphors.
DOMINANT ELEMENT: The largest element in a design. All graphics must have a dominant ele-
ment proportionate to the other elements in a graphic as well as the overall space allotted for
the graphic.
DOT DISTRIBUTION: A map that uses different sized dots to represent amounts. The dots are dis-
tributed over the map to correspond with locations.
DUAL CODING THEORY (DCT): Memory consists of two separate but interrelated codes for pro-
cessing information – one verbal and one visual. By integrating illustrations with text or elabo-
rating on illustrations with explanations, the brain will encode information in both verbal and
nonverbal forms, and memory is likely to be enhanced.
EDITORIAL CONTENT: All content in a news presentation that is related to news stories.
EXPLAINER: A block of text that points to and explains the significance of a specific portion of a
graphic.
EXPLORATIVE: A single online graphics package that includes multiple illustrations, audio and
video clips, photo slide shows, etc., that allow the audience a chance to explore the various parts
of a single topic.
EYE-TRAC: Research that examined how readers navigate a newspaper and what elements are
most salient. Readers tended to engage with more photos and artwork than text and headlines,
indicating that visual elements act as main points of entry onto a page.
FAIR USE: A doctrine where partial or limited reproduction of another’s work may be permitted
where the use advances public interests such as education or scholarship.
FEVER CHART: A graphic that makes use of a line to demonstrate change over time.
FOCAL POINT: Visual elements used in graphic design, such as photos, graphics, illustrations and
type, that draw the eye.
FOCUS: A basic design principle that refers to creating emphasis and visual interest within a graphic.
GEOLOGICAL MAPS: Maps that are used to show the Earth’s formations, such as fault lines, sur-
face characteristics of a land mass or mountains, valleys and bodies of water.
GRAPHICS REPORTER: A journalist who’s job is to report, write and illustrate information graphics
as storytelling devices.
GRID: Evenly spaced lines that are used to help graphics reporters ensure that elements are prop-
erly aligned and evenly spaced within a graphics package. These lines don’t print and can be
horizontal and vertical.
HARMONY: A basic design principle, harmony refers to how well the individual elements within a
graphic presentation work together.
HIERARCHY: A series of ordered groupings among elements in a graphic presentation.

Hierarchical groupings can be by size or shape.
HIEROGLYPHIC: A character in a system of picture writing.
INFLATION: An increase in the volume of money and credit resulting in a substantial and contin-
uing rise in the general price level of goods and services in a specific economic setting.
INFORMAL SOURCE: Observations about audiences, messages and the environment in which the
communicator operates, as well as networks of supervisors, colleagues, clients, neighbors, and
friends the communicator deals with every day.
INFORMATION GRAPHICS: Visual displays capable of illustrating a story or a portion of a story in a

visual manner. Diagrams, maps, charts and tables are all examples of information graphics.
INSET: Map or diagram elements that show either a zoomed-out or zoomed-in view of an area or
object to either provide greater context or more detail.
GLOSSARY 179
INSTITUTIONAL SOURCE: Social or cultural organizations with particular special interests, politi-
cal positions, professional goals or governmental roles.
INTERACTIVITY: A feature of online graphics, interactivity refers to the notion that the audience
can make choices about the pace and order in which he navigates a graphic presentation.
INVERTED PYRAMID: A traditional news writing style in which the writer orders the information
written into a story from most to least important and timely. The same concept can be applied
to the construction of information graphics.
ISOLENE: A mapping style that displays data in relation to land by correlating points of similar
value. This type of map shows similarities in bands or blocks of value.
JOURNALISTIC SOURCE: Newspapers, magazines, trade publications, television and news and
information Web sites.
KINETOSCOPE: The first motion picture camera, the kinetoscope is the foundation for the mod-
ern-day film industry.
LAND USE: Maps that show communities and individuals use land, as well as how chunks of land
are zoned.
LEGEND: A definition of the representational symbols used in a graphic; a key.
LINEAR: An organization of content that forces the audience to encounter it in a “beginning to

end” fashion.
LINOTYPE MACHINE: A typesetting machine that produces castings, each of which corresponds to
a line of separate types. By pressing down on keys like those of a typewriter, the matrices for one
line are properly arranged.
LOCATOR: A map that shows a place in relation to its surroundings in an “x-marks-the-spot” fashion.
MAP FAT: Information found in a base map that is unnecessary for the audience’s reasonable
understanding of the story at hand.
MEAN/AVERAGE: A value computed by dividing the sum of a set of numbers by the number of
numbers.
MEDIAN: The middlevalue in an ordered set of values for which there are an equal number of val-
ues.
METHODOLOGY: A body of rules followed in a science of discipline.
MULTIMEDIA: A display or story package that makes use of a variety of media formats, i.e., text,
video, audio, etc.
MULTIPLIER: A number by which another number is multiplied.
NARRATIVE: A graphic that explains by giving the audience a vicarious experience of the intent
through a story. A narrative involves very little interactivity and provides a relatively passive
viewing experience.
NATURAL EYE MOVEMENT: In Western culture, the natural path of the eye is left to right, top to
bottom.
NON-LINEAR: An organization of content that allows the audience to encounter it in no pre-

scribed order.
PASSIVE GRAPHICS: Maps or diagrams that contain no real or implied motion. Elements are sim-
ply explained and labeled.
PERCENTAGE: Part of a whole expressed in hundredths.
PERCENTAGE INCREASE/DECREASE: The amount of increase or decrease in a figure expressed in

percentages as opposed to real amounts.
PIE CHART: A graphic that makes use of a circle broken into sections to demonstrate parts of a whole.
POINTER BOX: A graphic element that contains explanatory text and points to a particular part of
a graphic display.
GLOSSARY 181
POLLSTER: Someone who collects data through polling.
PROPORTION: A basic design principle referring to size and shape relationships among graphic
elements.
RANDOM SAMPLE: A random sample occurs when every element in the population has an equal
chance of being selected for the survey or poll. The only factor operating when a given item is
selected must be chance.
RASTER: Digital images created or captured (for example, by scanning a photo) as a set of sam-
ples of a given space. A raster is a grid of x and y coordinates on a display space.
READABILITY: The ease with which something can be read based on the clarity of grammar or
clarity of illustration.
RELIEF: Also called a topographic map, relief maps show the physical features and surface char-
acteristics of a landmass, or the “lay of the land.”
RGB: Red, green and blue are known as the “additive colors.”
RHYTHM: A basic design principle, rhythm refers to the ability of a design to move the eye
through contrast, size and shape relationships, and placement of elements.
SANS SERIF: A type with little to no differentiation between thick and thin strokes and no design
embellishments. Sans serifs are best used in information graphics because they are clean and
easy to read when used with detailed illustrations.
SCALE: The size of a sample in relation to the size of the actual thing. Scales are always necessary
in maps and sometimes in diagrams.
SCHOLARLY SOURCE: Sources, such as academic institutions or medical and scientific research
centers, that exist to expand the body of knowledge about related topics.
SEARCH ENGINE: A Web site that helps users find other sites focused on specific topics.
SERIF: A type with curved or finishing strokes at the ends of each straight line in a letterform.
SIDEBAR: A secondary story or storytelling device that supports the main story topically.
SIMULATIVE: A highly immersive online graphic that enables the user to actually experience the
topic by representing some kind of real-word phenomena.
SOURCE LINE: An essential graphic component that cites the source(s) of information displayed
in a graphic.
STATISTICAL MAP: Maps that associate numerical data with specified areas of land.
STORYBOARDS: Preliminary sketches developed for online and broadcast graphics. Storyboards
show each frame of a graphic in an animated display.
SUBTRACTIVE COLOR: The color we see on paper is created using a subtractive model in which
the frequencies that are not absorbed by the object form the color we see.
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE: A formal design composition in which the two vertical halves of a
graphic are equal in balance.
TOPOGRAPHIC MAP: Also called a relief map, topographic maps show the physical features and
surface characteristics of a landmass, or the “lay of the land.”
UNITY: A basic design principle, unity refers to how well elements designed for an entire publica-
tion or palette work together.
VECTOR GRAPHICS: A sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and
shapes in a given two- or three-dimensional space.
VISUAL CENTER: A space slightly above and to the left of real center in a given space.
VOICE-OVER: An audio clip that serves an explanatory role when combined with video or graphic
animation.
185
INDEX
Academic Search Premier, 52 In Maps, 104, 106-108, Hansen, Kathleen A., 50, 68
Adam, Pegie Stark, 7 111, 113-114, 116-117 Herzog, David, 119, 124
Adobe Illustrator, 26, 31-32, Convergence, 24, 38-40 Huffman, J. Ford, 15-17
98, 118, 122, 133, 141, 160, Copyright, 69, 72-73 Holmes, Nigel, 9, 157,
165 Dahl, Robert A., 8 163-165
Adobe InDesign, 29 da Vinci, Leonardo, 4 Illustration Techniques,
Adobe Photoshop, 29, 31, Demo, Lori,5 159-161
79, 118 Descartes, René, 5, 135 Inflation, 33, 51, 65, 145-146, 151
Adobe Streamline, 118 Designing Graphics, 83-99 Interactivity, 3, 8, 31-42, 62,
Alternative Story Formats, Diagrams, 153-166 67, 128, 130, 161
61-62, 128-131 Types of, 153-155 Keeble, Richard, 69
Anaximander, 4 Dillman, Donna, 81 Lexis-Nexis, 52
Animation, 23, 28, 31-41, Dual Coding Theory, 7 Macromedia Director, 44
44-46, 103, 166 Eby, Lloyd, 6 Macromedia Flash, 23,31-32,44
Bacon, Roger, 4 Edelman, Murray, 81 Macronedua FreeHand, 26,
Bar Charts, 133-135 Edison, Thomas, 6 31-32, 98, 118, 122, 133, 141,
Basic Design Principles, 83-90 Ethics, 69-81 160, 163, 169-172
Broadcast Graphics, 7, Eye Movement, 27, 88-89 Maps, 101-124
23-24, 28, 36-41, 44-48, 58, Eye-Trac,7 Components of, 109-114
61-62, 68, 80, 92-93, 101, 103, Fever Charts, 135-136 Functions of, 102-103
114, 117-118, 151, 155, 165 Garcia, Mario, 7 In News, 118-120
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Geographic Information Kinds of, 103-109
51, 56, 65, 152 Systems (GIS), 118-119 Miami Herald, 38, 119
Cartesian Grid, 5, 135 Goertzen, Jeff, 75-80 Minard, Charles Joseph, 5
Chicago Daily News, 6 Goodfellow, Kris, 149-151 Monahan, John, 17
Chicago Tribune, 6, 27, 119 Graphics History, 4-7 MSNBC.com, 8, 34-35,
Code of Conduct, 70-72 Graphics Potential, 9-13, 21 37-38, 45-46
Color, 5, 87, 90, 92-94, 96-98 Graphics Studies, 7 Multimedia Graphics, 37-40,
In Charts, 132-133, Graphics Software, 3-4, 6, 44-46
135-136 13, 23-24, 26, 28-33, 37, 44, newspagedesigner.com, 81
In Illustration, 159-161, 79-80, 118-120, 133, 162 Newtek Lightwave, 23, 28
163-165 Grids, 90, 91-92, 97-98, 130, New York Daily Graphic, 6
134-136 New York Daily Herald, 6
New York Times, 6, 28-31, 40, Researching Graphics, Strata, 28

46, 67, 162 49-57, 63-67 Tables, 127-131
Nichani, Malsh, 35 Rorick, George, 120-122 Tampa Tribune, 38
Neuharth, Al, 121 San Diego Union-Tribune, 119 tbo.com, 38
News Illustrated, 42-43 September 11, 2001, 6, 28-31 Text-based Graphics, 128-131
Onsite Reporting, 50, 70-71, Smith, Angela, 139-140 The Birmingham News, 5
76-77 Society for News Design, 29, The Oregonian, 25
Paivio, Allan, 7 46, 157 The Times (London), 6
Paul, Nora, 50, 68 Sources, 8-9, 13, 49-57, 65, The Washington Post, 40, 119
Philadelphia Inquirer, 51, 70-78, 80, 113-114, 144, 149, Tufte, Edward, 8-9
65-66 151 Typography, 87-88, 90-96
Pie Charts, 131-133 South Florida Sun-Sentinel, USA Today, 5-6, 15, 46,
Playfair, William, 5, 125, 133 34, 40-44, 81 120-122
Polls/Surveys, 146-150 Spiegel Grove, 41-43 Visual Culture, 6-7
Poynter Institute for Media Statistical Data Displays, 5, Visual Editor, 13-14
Studies, 7 25-26, 36, 74, 125, 143-152 Visual Plagiarism, 72
Price, Michael, 63-67 Statistical Maps, 101, 103, Web Graphics, 23, 36
Print Graphics, 24-31, 39 106-108, 111, 114, 116, Kinds of, 34-37, 39
Ptolemy , 4 118-119 WFLA, 38
QuarkXPress, 29 Stone, Melville, 6 WFOR, 38, 41-42
Rajamanickam, Venkat, 35, 48 Storyboards, 32, 47, 65, 68, Wittekind, Don, 41, 44-47
Reason, Ron, 96-98 165 Writing for Graphics, 49-68

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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GRAPHICS REPORTING:

INFORMATION GRAPHICS FOR PRINT, WEB & BROADCAST

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

ISBN 13: 978-0-240-80707-2

For information on all Focal Press publications

Printed in the United States of America

About the Author viii

Maps in the News 118

JENNIFER GEORGE-PALILONIS became the journalism graphics

This book is, first and foremost, dedicated to my husband, Jim. No

I would also like to extend special thanks to all of my students, former,

Finally, I would like to acknowledge that many of the materials that

GRAPHICS HISTORY History

On Thursday June 15,

The Role of the Graphics Reporter likely to be enhanced. Put

paper tends to run on a daily basis. In some cases, a graphics editor

example, makes use of precise and descriptive language in regard to PIONEERS

concisely written and inherently relevant to readers’ lives.

in enhancing the story as opposed to an artist who is more con-

You can often determine

KNOW WHEN TO SAY “NO.” I have been involved in so many discus-

LEARN TO ARTICULATE YOUR IDEAS for graphics in a thoughtful and

The Visual Editor

GRAPHICS SHOULD BE PLANNED, WRITTEN AND DEVELOPED TO

UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION. There’s nothing worse than a

MAKE USE OF A SIMPLE DATA METAPHOR. Regardless of the concept

Hiring strong visual thinkers and visual editors has become a

In the Eyes of an Expert J. FORD HUFFMAN

What was it like to be one of the founding members of the USA

What’s the greatest challenge most often faced bygraphics reporters?

What are some of the most common mistakes made by graphics

How do you recommend training “word” people to be better visual

Could you offer five tips to all graphics reporters?

2. Graphics give context to content.

Chapter One Exercise

Public schools across the country face an ironic dilemma.

“But, schools everywhere have a hard time fighting it when they

“Some of them have gotten so far behind that they have to be

Graphics Potential Packaging Form

STORY NAME: _______________________________ PUBLICATION: _____________________________

What are some possible headlines for this story?

Bar chart: _____________________________________________________________________________

Fever/Line chart: ________________________________________________________________________

media convergence and cross-platform partnerships, it’s increasingly

Print Graphics & News Coverage

Perhaps the most

Graphic by Derrik Quenzer.

ing news coverage, information graphics can often take us where

ers, and then take care to develop the organization of information in

Sept. 11, 2001: A Case Study

ly represented a profound challenge for print publications around

Copyrighted, the New

Digital Media Formats: GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

India-Pakistan, Enron, Tornado graphics

tion presented in an online graphic is complicated and complex, the

STORY NAME: ___ PUBLICATION: _