General rules of effective visualization

In Chapter 2, Figure Aesthetics, we briefly introduced ways to fine-tune figure aesthetics, focusing more on the coding techniques. Before a deeper discussion of science-specific plotting skills, we would like to introduce some general guidelines for making effective visuals.

Planning your figure

I have my numbers. I have my plot recipes. Now what? Plo... Wait a minute. To plot or not to plot? That is the question. We are not switching to philosophy or literature. Scientific figures are not simply decorations to add colors to your manuscript or presentation, but should each bring out a unique message.

To achieve this, it is essential for us to consider the context when planning our figures. Just like writing essays, we can do so by thinking about the 6Ws--"Why", "What", "Who", "When", "Where", and "How".

Do we need the plot?

We set out plotting a graph by knowing its purpose: "why". In preparing manuscripts to submit to journals, slideshows, or poster...