Visuals metrics (calculate your score for each visual) - Visuals: the voice of your paper - Paper structure and purpose

Scientific writing 3.0: A reader and writer's guide - Jean-Luc Lebrun, Justin Lebrun 2021

Visuals metrics (calculate your score for each visual)
Visuals: the voice of your paper
Paper structure and purpose

✓(+) The visual is self-contained.

✓(+) The visual has no acronyms (in caption, title, or inside visual)

✓(+) The visual is essential to support the contribution and add to its value.

✓(+) The point made by the visual is seen by the reader within 20 seconds.

✓(+) The visual easily fits on one column.

✓(+) The visual’s title, table headings, axis legends are clear and informative.

✓(+) The type of visual used corresponds to what the reader expects, or is better than what the reader expects. It fully supports the point made in the text or in the title/caption.

✓(+) The visual does not raise more questions than the writer is willing to answer.

✓(+) The caption provides context to help understand the visual.

✓(−) The visual’s understanding depends on external support other than caption/title.

✓(−) The visual has acronyms.

✓(−) The visual is not essential and makes a secondary point.

✓(−) The point made by the visual is missed, or unseen, or slow to see.

✓(−) The visual requires much space and could be far from its reference in the text.

✓(−) The visual’s title, table headings, axis legends are cryptic or too abbreviated.

✓(−) The type of visual used does not correspond to what is required to make the point made in the caption.

✓(−) The visual raises more questions than the writer is willing to answer.

✓(−) The caption is silent on the context.

AND NOW FOR THE BONUS POINTS:

✓(+ + +) Reader and writer, or two independent readers agree on which single visual represents the core of the contribution.

© Jean-Luc Lebrun 2011