DAESAThe Writing ProgramUndergraduate Writing CenterWriting GuidesUsing Visuals in Writing

Using Visuals in Writing

Why are visuals useful for readers?

  • They help readers process information quickly
    • The inter-relation of text and visuals creates emphasis for important information
    • Visuals can help readers locate priority information
  • Visuals can also provide context
    • Visuals help readers to visualize tasks, objects, or settings
    • Visuals allow readers to make sense of what they are reading and connect words to the real world
    • Visuals can also help reduce error and confusion and allow readers to visualize hazards
  • Visual design helps to streamline information
  • Visuals can make our content engaging

Types of visuals

  • Data viz, charts, tables
  • Photos/images
  • Diagrams/line drawings
  • Symbols and graphics
  • Markup

Uses of visuals in writing

  • Cross-referencing
  • Help describe information in the text more clearly
  • Illustrate technical info or details
  • Demonstrate processes or a breakdown of complex information
  • Chunk information and convey it more concisely
  • Provide an example or evidence
  • Emphasize important points or take-aways
  • Illustrate relationships between concepts

When might you use visuals?

  • To represent objects
    • Example: illustrating the tools in an instructional manual
  • To display numbers, data, or information
    • Example: organizing your data in a table to make it easier to read
  • To aid in identification and description
    • Example: inserting a picture of the site of a future project to help your reader visualize the scene
  • To illustrate concepts or processes
    • Example: Inserting a decision tree to help a reader act
  • To supplement text
    • Example: Using arrows to show direction

Integrating visuals

When integrating visuals in your writing, make sure you include these elements:

  • Introduce the visual in the text. Don’t let it “speak for itself.”
  • Use a caption or label, depending on your style guide.
  • Use alt text to make sure important information is accessible to all reader.

Example:

Renewable energy adoption has grown rapidly over the past decade. As shown in Figure 1, large-scale solar installations now cover wide rural areas, directly contributing to local grid capacity.

Figure 1: Solar panels cover wide areas in the rural U.S. Photo by Roy Bury. Photo made available under the license Creative Commons Zero.

Fair Use

Just because you’ve cited the picture doesn’t mean it’s OK to use. When using visuals in your writing, a good rule is to only use visuals you’ve created yourself. When using visuals created by others, make sure they are licensed under a creative commons license. Check the license for rules about using the visual and how to attribute authorship.