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Graphs, Tables, and Scientific Illustrations: Visualisation as the Science of Seeing Gerontology*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2017

Linda T. Caissie ,
Claire Goggin  and
Lisa A. Best
Linda T. Caissie
Affiliation:
Department of Gerontology, St. Thomas University
Claire Goggin
Affiliation:
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, St. Thomas University
Lisa A. Best*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick
*
†Correspondence and requests for reprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés à part doivent être adressées à: Lisa A. Best, Ph.D. Department of Psychology University of New Brunswick P.O. Box 5050 100 Tucker Park Road Saint John, NB E2L 4L5 <lbest@unb.ca>
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Abstract

Visual inscriptions (e.g., graphs, illustrations) are a defining feature of scientific discovery to aid in data analysis, interpretation, and communication (e.g., Latour, 1990; Lynch, 1985). Our purpose was to examine how visual inscriptions are used to present data in gerontology journals. We compared 357 articles sampled from 24 peer-reviewed gerontology journals published between 1995 and 2009. Approximately 11 per cent of page space was dedicated to data presentation with more page space occupied by tables (9.13%) than graphs (2.32%). Graph use in gerontology was lower than in psychology (6.6% of page space) and higher than in criminology and criminal justice (1.7% of page space). Following Latour (1990), we argue that visualisations provide an understandable summary of complex data by effectively presenting multifaceted results. When inscriptions are used in dissemination, researchers become less reliant on complex statistical jargon and can communicate easily with a diverse audience (researchers, health care practitioners, clients).

Résumé

Une caractéristique essentielle de la découverte scientifique est l’utilisation d’inscriptions visuelles (p. ex. graphiques, illustrations) facilitant l’analyse des données, leur interprétation et leur communication (p. ex. Latour, 1990 ; Lynch, 1985). L’objectif de cette recherche était d’examiner les types d’inscriptions visuelles utilisés pour la présentation de données dans les revues scientifiques en gérontologie. Nous avons comparé 357 articles publiés entre 1995 et 2009 qui ont été échantillonnés à partir de 24 revues de gérontologie avec comités de pairs. Approximativement 11 pour cent de l’espace d’impression était consacré à la présentation de données ; les tableaux occupaient comparativement plus d’espace (9,13 %) que les graphiques (2,32 %). L’utilisation des graphiques dans les articles en gérontologie était inférieure à celle observée pour les articles en psychologie (6,6 % de l’espace d’impression), mais supérieure à celle retrouvée en criminologie ou en justice criminelle (1,7 % de l’espace d’impression). À l’instar de Latour (1990), nous soutenons que les figures représentent un résumé accessible de données complexes, permettant ainsi une présentation efficace de résultats multidimensionnels. Lorsque les inscriptions visuelles sont utilisées dans la dissémination des résultats, les chercheurs deviennent moins dépendants du jargon statistique et peuvent communiquer plus aisément avec divers publics (chercheurs, professionnels de la santé, clients).

Keywords

aginggerontologyvisualization in sciencegraphstablesillustrationsenhancing communicationknowledge cumulationknowledge transfervieillissmentgérontologievisualisation en sciencegraphiquestableauxillustrationsamélioration de la communicationcumul des connaissancestransfert de connaissances
Type
Research Notes / Notes de recherché
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 36 , Issue 4 , December 2017 , pp. 536 - 548
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Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2017 

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Footnotes

*

We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Taka Yamashita in providing us with some of the reference material used in the preparation of this article. Parts of this research were presented at the 42nd Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 17-19, 2013.

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