Information Graphics

- History of information graphics.
- Tabular and schematic representation of quantitative information.
- Combining qualitative and quantitative information.
- Diagrams and graphs (bar, line, area, pie, Isotype, scatter, histogram, etc.).
- Flowcharts.
- Navigational diagrams.
- How not to lie with statistics (lie factor).
- Cartography, topographical maps, thematic maps.
- Technical illustration.
- Data visualization, and ‘big data’ as a source for information graphics.
- Designing tables.
- Designing user friendly forms.

The course will give the students knowledge of the history of information graphics, characteristics of information graphics in a cognitive perspective, as well as the potential of information graphics as an alternative to text-based or image-based modes of graphic representation. The course will also give the students knowledge of a wide range of genres of information graphics and their advantages and limitations as well as potential for demagogic misuse.

The student will through (yet one more course with) process-oriented essay writing – based on formative evaluation – in an incremental manner have improved his/her analytical skills, his/her ability for critical reflection, his/her writing skills, his/her ability to locate, gather and synthesise information, his/her ability to critically assess sources and literature, his/her ability to cite and reference sources and literature appropriately, and his/her skills in editorial handling of text.

Lectures.

Writing of essay(s) and/or practical visualisation project(s). Formative-iterative assessment.

Two compulsory assignments.