EDIT 9990: Week 3

1. Types of Visuals
EDIT 9990: Information Design Spring 2012

2. Levin’s
Categories • Decorative
Levin (1981)
categorized graphics
based on their • Representative
instructional function
• Organizational
• Interpretive
• Transformative
EDIT 9990: Information Design 2 Spring 2012

3. Alesandrini’s
Categories
Representational
Alesandrini (1984)
proposed three
graphic categories
based on their
content
Analogical
Arbitrary
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4. • Symbols
Saunders’
Categories • Maps
Saunders (1994)
proposed categories
• Graphs
based on content,
composition, and • Diagrams
medium
• Illustrations
• Photos
• Three-dimensional models
• Graphic devices and elements
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5. Braden’s • Semiotics and video conventions
Categories
Braden (1996) • Signs, symbols, and icons
introduced five
graphical categories
based on existing
areas of educational • Images and illustrations
research
• Multi-images
• Graphic representations
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6. Representational Graphics
Rieber’s
• Share a physical resemblance with
Categories the object they are supposed to
Rieber (1994) represent
provided specific
explanation for three
categories Analogical Graphics
• Provide learners with a comparison
between a familiar and unfamiliar
artifact or concept
Arbitrary Graphics
• Clues, but do not share any physical
resemblances to the concept being
explained
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7. Clark, Lyons, & Surface features
Hoover’s
Categories • Static art, dynamic art, and true virtual
reality
Clark, Lyons, and
Hoover (2004)
categorized
Communication functions
instructional graphics • Decorative, representational,
based on factors that
contribute to their mnemonic, organizational, relational,
effectiveness transformational, and interpretive
Psychological functions
• Supporting attention, activating or
building prior knowledge, minimizing
cognitive load, building mental
models, supporting transfer of learning,
and supporting motivation
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8. Four Categories
Decorative
Representational
Analogical
Organizational
EDIT 9990: Information Design 8 Spring 2012

9. Decorative Graphics
Pros Cons
 Add interest to the  Often overused
appearance  Potential to distract
 Improve the aesthetic from the content
appeal  May cause a split-
 Ornamental attention affect
 Used to gain a learner’s
attention
 Motivational
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10. Representational Graphics
 Physically depict someone or something
 Share a physical resemblance with the object
Farm Animals
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11. Analogical Graphics
 Depicts someone or something
 Explains a likeness, correspondence, or similarity
 Makes a comparison between two things
 Activates prior knowledge
 Bridges the gap between known to unknown
Both birds and airplanes have wings, aerodynamic bodies, and can fly.
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12. Cell Structure Analogical Video
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13. Organizational Graphics
 Provides structure to
information
 Arranges data spatially
 Visually defines
relationships
 Illustrates connections
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/
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14. Types of Graphs
Favorite Types of Music Favorite Types of Music
Jazz 15
Rock 33
15 Country
25
Rap Classical 5
Classical
11 Rock Rap 11
33
5 Jazz
Country 25
0 20 40
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15.  Branch, R. (2000). A taxonomy of
visual literacy. In A. W. Pailliotet, &
P. B. Mosenthal (Eds.), Advances in
Readings reading/language research Volume
Explore visual 7: Reconceptualizing literacy in the
literacy, types of media age (pp. 377-402). New
visuals, and the use of
visuals further with Jersey: JAI/Ablex Publishers.
these readings.  Krause, J. (2004). Design Basics
Index. Cincinnati, OH: How Design
Books. [Pages 62-77]
 Wainer, H. (1997). Visual revelations:
Graphic tales of fate and deception
from Napoleon Bonaparte to Ross
Perot. Mahwah, New Jersey:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[Chapters 8-13]
EDIT 9990: Information Design 15 Spring 2012