More to Explore

Building Science Graphics is rooted in my experiences, and therefore leans heavily on what I’ve learned from collaborating with scientists and artists while creating science graphics for magazines and textbooks for over 25 years. Footnotes throughout the book nod to the work of others that informed the text directly. Not all of those footnotes and citations are included below. Rather, this “More to Explore” collection is composed of lists from the end of key chapters. It includes readings and resources for folks looking for additional information on broad thematic topics that are addressed in Building Science Graphics. Items in bold were pulled directly from lists published in the book (and a few footnotes I couldn’t resist including). Bonus resources—not in bold—were added to this list after publication, and may not have been included in the book itself due to space constraints or timing. Web links are in magenta. Although many of the resources below are multi-faceted—and could span categories—I [mostly] refrain from repeating items here.

From chapter 2 • What are Science Graphics?

The Functional Art: An Introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization, by Alberto Cairo (New Riders, 2013)

History of Information Graphics, by Sandra Rendgen (Taschen, 2019)

Design for Information: An Introduction to the Histories, Theories, and Best Practices behind Effective Information Visualizations, by Isabel Meirelles (Rockport Publishers, 2013)

Envisioning Information, by Edward R. Tufte (Graphics Press, 1990)

The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration, 2nd Edition, edited by Elaine R.S. Hodges (Wiley, 2003)

Information Design Unbound, by Sheila Pontis and Michael Babwahsingh (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023)

From chapter 3 • Science Communication Fundamentals

Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement, by Faith Kearns (Island Press, 2021)

Routledge Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology, Third Edition, edited by Massimiano Bucchi and Brian Trench (Routledge, 2021)

Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda, by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (The National Academies Press, 2017)

Equity, Exclusion and Everyday Science Learning: The Experiences of Minoritised Groups, by Emily Dawson (Routledge, 2020)

The Open Notebook: The story behind the best science stories • “A non-profit organization that provides tools and resources to help science, environmental, and health journalists at all experience levels sharpen their skills.”

Lifeology University SciComm Program: Free series of online flashcard courses.

A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism: Lessons From the Front Lines, edited by Deborah Blum, Ashley Smart, and Tom Zeller Jr., (Oxford University Press, 2022)

Race and Sociocultural Inclusion in Science Communication: Innovation, Decolonisation, and Transformation, edited by Elizabeth Rasekoala (Bristol University Press, 2023)

From chapter 4 • Graphic Design Fundamentals

Graphesis: Visual Forms of Knowledge Production, by Johanna Drucker (Harvard University Press, 2014)

Design Studies: Theory and Research in Graphic Design, edited by Audrey Bennett (Princeton Architectural Press, 2006)

Graphic Design: The New Basics, 2nd edition, by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips (Princeton Architectural Press, 2015)

Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need, by Sasha Costanza-Chock (MIT Press, 2020)

Data Feminism, by Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein (MIT Press, 2020)

Scratching the Surface, episode 183: Dori Tunstall, dean of design at Ontario College of Art and Design, talks with podcast host Jarrett Fuller about anthropology, design, sharing knowledge, and the work of decolonizing design programs (released April 14, 2021).

Decolonizing Design Reader (initiated by Ramon Tejada) • There are a few versions of this organic collection of resources. The living, collaborative project is currently online as a Google Document. A pdf version of the list captured at a moment in time also exists, accessible through Tejada’s website. For more context, and a direct link to the open document, see “Disrupting Design with Capital ‘D,’” an interview with Ramon Tejada by Luana de Almeida in Futuress (February 24, 2021).

Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers, by Ellen Lupton, Farah Kafei, Jennifer Tobias, Josh A. Hallstead, Kaleena Sales, Leslie Xia, and Valentina Vergara (Princeton Architectural Press, 2021)

BIPOC Design History: A series of BIPOC-centered design courses—with classes including queer Blackness, the rise of hip hop’s graphic language, urgent protest graphics of Black Lives Matter movement, and the 21st century data activism of the collective Data for Black Lives—facilitated by Polymode East. (A related book—Black Design in America—is expected to be published by Princeton University Press in 2023).

Researcher’s Toolkit for Visual Design and Critique (includes The Little Book of Visual Design Principles for Scientists, The Little Book of Color Theory for Scientists, and The Little Book of Design Critique for Scientists) by Vassilissa Semouchkina

Graphic Design Theory, by Meredith Davis (Thames & Hudson, 2012)

DESIGN = ART ≠ DESIGN, contributions 7-7.6 in The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression, & Reflection by Anne H. Berry, Kareem Collie, Penina Acayo Laker, Lesley-Ann Noel, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Walters (Allworth, 2022)

Stuck? Diagrams Help, by Abby Covert (Day Moon Sky, 2022)

From chapter 5 • Perception Science

For more information about the basics of how we see and perceive things, as well as a window into the latest research:

Cognitive Psychology: A Student’s Handbook, 8th edition, edited by Michael W. Eysenck and Mark T. Keane (Psychology Press, 2020) • This textbook folds in many of the newer findings that older texts don’t cover, citing papers copiously, but maintaining readability.

Information Visualization: Perception for Design, 4th edition, by Colin Ware (Morgan Kaufmann, Elsevier, 2019) • A super and comprehensive reference about “what the science of perception can tell us about visualization.”

For more on the topic, with an emphasis on data visualization:

“The Science of Visual Data Communication: What Works,” by Steven L. Franconeri, Lace M. Padilla, Priti Shah, Jeffrey M. Zacks, and Jessica Hullman, Psychological Science in the Public Interest (December 15, 2021) • A comprehensive report that “presents research-backed guidelines for creating powerful and intuitive visualizations oriented toward communicating data to students, coworkers, and the general public.”

“39 Studies about Human Perception in 30 Minutes,” by Kennedy Elliott • A written version of talk presented at OpenVisConf in April 2016 (Medium blog post published May 2, 2016)

Multiple Views, “A blog about visualization research, for anyone, by the people who do it,” edited by Jessica Hullman, Danielle Szafir, Robert Kosara, and Enrico Bertini

Interviews with perception researchers on the Data Stories podcast, hosted by practitioner Moritz Stefaner and researcher Enrico Bertini, and the PolicyViz Podcast, hosted by Jonathan Schwabish

Selected conferences that include sessions that aim to bridge the practitioner-researcher gap:

IEEE VIS conference: The Premier Forum for Advances in Visualization and Visual Analytics

Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science and Education

Information+: Interdisciplinary Practices in Information Design & Visualization

From chapter 8 • Color

What Is Color?: 50 Questions and Answers on the Science of Color by Arielle Eckstut and Joann Eckstut (Abrams, 2020) • A breezy and reader-friendly book that addresses the full gamut, from physics to biology.

“Visualizing Science: How Color Determines What We See” by S. Zeller and D. Rogers (Eos, May 21, 2020) • This article provides a great overview of recent color perception science research as it relates to the changing needs of scientists.

“Elegant Figures—Subtleties of Color” by Robert Simmon (NASA Earth Observatory, August 5, 2013) • This six-part series on color is both comprehensive and concise.

Data Stories, episode 119 (April 27, 2018) • Perception researcher Karen Schloss talks with podcast hosts Enrico Bertini and Moritz Stefaner about everything from rainbow colormaps to the association between colors and meaning.

Color in Data Vis blog series by Lisa Charlotte Muth for Datawrapper • A companion book is in progress!

From chapter 9 • Typography

Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students, by Ellen Lupton (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010)

The Non-Designer’s Design Book, 4th edition, by Robin Williams (Peachpit Press, 2014) • The section on designing with type is particularly helpful for novices.

Butterick’s Practical Typography, by Matthew Butterick

“Readable, Serious, Traditional: Investigating Scholarly Perceptions of the Visual Design and Reading Experiences of Academic Journals,” by Jessica Barness and Amy Papaelias, She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, Vol. 7 (December 1, 2021)

From chapter 11 • Storytelling Strategies

Some artists and graphical forms (including comics) have been telling stories with imagery for a very long time. And there’s a whole field of study—visual narrative theory—dedicated to understanding it. For a much deeper dive, including historical context, research findings, and practical applications, I recommend these resources:

The Visual Narrative Reader, edited by Neil Cohn (Bloomsbury, 2016) • This book provides a broad look at the topic—from structure and cognition to culture and social contexts—in a selection of articles by academics.

Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud (William Morrow Paperbacks, 1994); and Making Comics, by Scott McCloud (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006) • These two long-form comics by Scott McCloud are classics on the topic of sequential art.

Data-Driven Storytelling, edited by Nathalie Henry Riche, Christophe Hurter, Nicholas Diakopoulos, and Sheelagh Carpendale (A K Peters/CRC Press, 2018) • This compilation includes contributions from both researchers and practitioners. It explores how and why data-visualization-centric storytelling can make data understandable to the general public.

“The Potential of Comics in Science Communication,” by Matteo Farinella, Journal of Science Communication, Vol. 17 (January 23, 2018) • This is a relatively short, but mighty, academic paper. Although Farinella concludes that many questions remain unanswered in the field, he cites a large number of key studies and references on the topic of comics, and visual narratives in the service of science communication.

From chapter 12 • Practicalities

Useful guides and tools that encourage the practice of thinking through, and honoring, the context of your graphic, at the all-important concept stage:

Five Design-Sheets: Creative Design and Sketching for Computing and Visualisation, by Jonathan Roberts, Chris Headleand, and Panagiotis Ritsos

MapCI Cards, by Sheila Pontis • MapCI is short for “Mapping Complex Information.” This deck of cards includes a series of 40 questions in five different categories; problem, audience, content, boundaries and layout. Each question is a prompt for thinking through solutions during the concept-stage of any information design project.

Critical Alphabet, by Lesley-Ann Noel • These cards introduce critical theories and concepts, from A to Z. A question on each card prompts people to make a connection between the critical theory on the card and their design practice.

Accessibility resources for helping to identify areas for improvement, along with guidelines and suggestions for doing better:

“Writing Alt Text for Data Visualization,” by Amy Cesal, Nightingale: Journal of the Data Visualization Society (July 23, 2020)

AccessAbility 2: A Practical Handbook on Accessible Graphic Design • This document, presented by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, is a concise guide for both print and digital design.

Chartability is a methodology created by Frank Elavsky (and staged online) for improving accessibility for data visualizations in a way that honors enjoyment (not just compliance)

The 18F Accessibility Guide and W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative • Although these online guides are more broadly focused on websites in general, they include a wide range of resource links and tips related to imagery in particular.

Poet Training Tool • This site, presented by the DIAGRAM Center, provides guidelines—and prompts for practicing—writing alt text for complex and information-rich images. Lots of science graphics are included as examples, and there are discrete sections addressing chemistry and math.

Do No Harm Guide: Centering Accessibility in Data Visualization, edited by Jonathan Schwabish, Sue Popkin, and Alice Feng (Urban Institute, December 2022)

Correction: Page 167 of Building Science Graphics includes this line on the topic of alt text: "keep in mind that some screen readers cut things off at 125 characters." That is apparently no longer true. Nonetheless, it's good to keep descriptions as succinct as possible, as folks can’t pause or partially “rewind” alt text passages.

From chapter 13 • Special Considerations for Science Graphics

The KSJ Science Editing Handbook, This is a super—and free—resource that includes sections on how to read science papers and press releases, fact checking basics, covering controversial science, and more. From the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2020). Full disclosure: I wrote the “Illustrating Complex Science Stories” chapter.

The Craft of Science Writing: Selections from The Open Notebook, edited by Siri Carpenter (The Open Notebook, 2020) • This collection is centered on writing, but the lessons and guides within are relevant to designers of science graphics as well.

“Advocating for Your Reader” • A presentation by Lucy Reading-Ikkanda for SciVizNYC 2018, in which she discusses developing science graphics for a lay audience.

Style.org • A collection of posts and talks by Jonathan Corum, an information designer and science-graphics editor at The New York Times. Start with “Design for an Audience,” (April 25, 2018)

Data Stories, episode 59: Behind the Scenes of “What’s Really Warming The World?” with the Bloomberg Team • Hosts Moritz Stefaner and Enrico Bertini chat with journalists Blacki Migliozzi and Eric Roston about how they developed the climate explainer, including interactions with the scientists behind the model, and the challenge of translating complex information into something accessible to a broad audience (August 21, 2015).

Data visualization: A view of every Points of View column • This page includes links to 35 of the 38 “Points of View” columns published in Nature Methods through 2013, providing practical advice on effective strategies for visualizing biological data to researchers in the biological sciences. This resource is listed in on page 195 of Building Science Graphics as the e-book Nature Collections: Visual Strategies for Biological Data, which is no longer readily accessible online. Separate links to most of the columns in the collection are available at the link above.

“Uncertainty Visualization” by Lace Padilla, Matthew Kay, and Jessica Hullman, in Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2021). Also see Hullman’s article “Confronting Unknowns,” Scientific American (September, 2019)

"To Fight Misinformation, We Need to Teach That Science Is Dynamic," by Carl T. Bergstrom, Daniel R. Pimentel, and Jonathan Osborne, Scientific American (October 26, 2022)

From chapter 14 • Types of Science Graphics

Visual Strategies: A Practical Guide to Graphics for Scientists and Engineers, by Felice C. Frankel and Angela H. DePace (Yale University Press, 2012)

The Scientific Image: From Cave to Computer, by Harry Robin (Harry N Abrams Inc, 1992)

Visual Cultures of Science: Rethinking Representational Practices in Knowledge Building and Science Communication, edited by Luc Pauwels (Dartmouth College Press, 2006)

The Technical Image: A History of Styles in Scientific Imagery, edited by Horst Bredekamp, Vera Dünkel, and Birgit Schneider (The University of Chicago Press, 2015)

Data visualization is a bit out of the scope of the book, but I can’t help but recommend a few further readings on the topic. There are numerous visualization taxonomies, chart choosers, and resources that describe them, and a range of opinions on their usefulness.

“Pros and Cons of Chart Taxonomies” by Amanda Makulec, Nightingale (September 17, 2019)

“Data Visualization Has a Taxonomy Problem,” Elijah Meeks, Notable (September 27, 2021)

Effective Data Visualization: The Right Chart for the Right Data, by Stephanie D. H. Evergreen (SAGE Publications, 2016)

Better Data Visualizations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks, by Jonathan Schwabish (Columbia University Press, 2021), as well as the companion video series “One Chart at a Time.”

Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design, by Andy Kirk (SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019)

Visual Vocabulary, from the Financial Times, by Alan Smith, Chris Campbell, Ian Bott, Liz Faunce, Graham Parrish, Billy Ehrenberg-Shannon, Paul McCallum, and Martin Stabe (accessed December 8, 2021)

The Graphic Continuum by Jonathan Schwabish and Severino Ribecca (2014)

From chapter 15 • The Process of Building Graphics

“How to Read a Scientific Paper,” by Alexandra Witze, The Open Notebook (November 6, 2018)

“How to Read and Understand a Scientific Paper: A Guide for Non-Scientists,” by Jennifer Raff, LSE Impact Blog (May 9, 2016)

“Ten Simple Rules for Reading a Scientific Paper,” by Maureen A. Carey, Kevin L. Steiner, and William A. Petri Jr, PLOS Computational Biology, Vol. 16 (July 30, 2020)

Navigating Digital Information video series hosted by John Green on Crash Course, in partnership with MediaWise, The Poynter Institute, and The Stanford History Education Group

Making Sense of Field Research: A Practical Guide for Information Designers, by Sheila Pontis (Routledge, 2018)

S.P.A.R.K. | 5 strategies for the visual communication of science • Picture as Portal online course by Betsy Palay and Tami Tolpa

Visual Strategies: A Practical Guide to Graphics for Scientists and Engineers, by Felice C. Frankel and Angela H. DePace (Yale University Press, 2012)

Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design, by Andy Kirk (SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019) • Although this book is dataviz-centric, sections on workflow and process are applicable across the full information design continuum.

Raw Data: Infographic Designers’ Sketchbooks, by Rick Landers and Steven Heller (Thames Hudson, 2014)

Data Sketches: A Journey of Imagination, Exploration, and Beautiful Data Visualizations, by Nadieh Bremer and Shirley Wu (A K Peters/CRC Press, 2021)

The KSJ Fact-Checking Project is focused on editorial fact-checking processes and tools. It includes links to workshops, templates, further readings, and more.

Stuck? Diagrams Help, by Abby Covert (Day Moon Sky, 2022)

Information Design Unbound, by Sheila Pontis and Michael Babwahsingh (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023)

Chart Spark: Harness your creativity in data communication to stand out and innovate, by Alli Torban (Data Literacy Press, 2023)

From chapter 18 • Collaboration

Finding a designer or artist:

The Association of Medical Illustrators maintains a searchable directory of artists

Science-art.com is a portfolio website dedicated to science illustration.

The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators has a member directory that can be searched by area of expertise and technique, although you’ll need to click through to view portfolios.

Lifeology supports a community of artists and scientists looking to connect for projects.

Additional collaboration resources:

Discussing Design: Improving Communication and Collaboration through Critique, by Adam Connor and Aaron Irizarry (O’Reilly Media, 2015)

The Little Book of Design Critique for Scientists, by Vassilissa Semouchkina

“Client Guide to Working with a Medical Illustrator,” by the Association of Medical Illustrators

“How to Shape a Productive Scientist–Artist Collaboration,” by Virginia Gewin, Nature (February 17, 2021) • This article emphasizes fine art collaborations, but its recurring theme of mutual respect is spot-on for science graphics as well.

“Science Illustration: Picture Perfect,” by Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Nature, Vol. 534 (June 8, 2016) • Article includes interviews with scientists and artists about working together on research papers and outreach projects.

“Getting the Most out of Working with an Illustrator for Your Science Communication Project (Using Images-A Best Practices Primer, Part 4),” by Bethann Garramon Merkle, MFA, COMMNATURAL blog (May 11, 2017) • I recommend the whole six-part series on using or producing images.

The Denizen Designer Project had a resource page that included a link to the The Denizen Designer Zine, which is a concise reference on co-design and participatory design. “Design” in this case is definitely not limited to information design or science communication. But the principles also apply to creating static graphics in a collaborative manner. (Originally accessed April 21, 2022. The link was disabled at the time of this posting. I’m hoping that the page is revived.) For a longer-form discussion of the broader realm of co-design see Beyond Sticky Notes: Co-Design for Real: Mindsets, Methods and Movements, by Kelly Ann McKercher (Sydney, Australia: Beyond Sticky Notes, 2020); Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need, by Sasha Costanza-Chock (The MIT Press, 2020); and the Design Justice Network.

Events and science communication groups that emphasize community, connections between artists and scientists, and collaborative practices include the SciCommCollective, ART+BIO Collaborative, SciArt Initiative, Science Finds Art, Art the Science, Eyeo Festival (sadly the 2022 edition was the last formal gathering, but the event lives on in the form of an inspiring series of presentation recordings), SciVizNYC (The SciVizNYC conference website is not currently active. Videos of past talks are available on the Icahn School of Medicine YouTube channel) and Information+.