Using Visuals Effectively

• Use visual elements for a specific purpose in your text—to illustrate something, to help prove a point, or to guide readers, for example.
• Tell the audience explicitly what the visual demonstrates, especially if it presents complex information. Do not assume readers will “read” the visual the way you do; your commentary on it is important.
• Number and title all visuals. Number and label tables and figures separately.
• Refer to each visual before it appears.
• Follow established conventions for documenting visual sources, and ask permission for use if your work will become available to the public. (18c and e)
• Get responses to your visuals in an early draft. If readers can’t follow them or are distracted by them, revise accordingly.
• If you crop, brighten, or otherwise alter visuals to include them in your writing, be sure to do so ethically. (9d)