What is an infographic and how do I create one?
Answer
Infographics provide visual representations of information; they are intended to make the information easier to understand and more quickly digested. They can be developed from scratch if the creator has an artistic flair and the proper software, but are more often created utilizing infographic creation tools/sites.
Infographic tools can be found online by searching for “infographic creator”, "infographic tool", or “infographic software”.
Some popular infographic tools/sites include:
*Note: Infographic tools and sites all have different options, and therefore all function a bit differently. Nearly all infographic sites have their own "Help" or "Support" area; seek instruction and support directly from the site.
To get a better idea of what an infographic is, please see the example below created for Rasmussen University by Column Five (2012) on the topic of Creating a Successful Online Study Environment.
Types of Infographics:
Within the infographic above, notice the abundance of information presented in a visual way, with helpful and eye-catching images, colors, charts, and data. This sample infographic is a great example of an informational and statistical infographic combined into one. It presents helpful information for the viewer, much of which is gathered from statistical data.
Other types of infographics include comparison, timeline, and process, an example of each is provided in this article. Comparison (Figure 9) infographics compare options or concepts. They are often divided into columns with different colors for easy comparison. Timeline infographics (Figure 4) display the history or passage of time related to an event. They typically have a center line with bolded dates. Carefully chosen icons or images are often used for each date to attract interest, and explanatory text is often included. Lastly, process infographics (Figure 6 visualize a process or set of actions to take. Often the steps are numbered and arrows may be used to clarify and draw attention to next steps.
Citing Sources:
If you use outside sources of information in your infographic, be sure to cite them in APA style. APA does not provide guidelines for citing sources within infographics, so talk with your instructor about their preferences or expectations for citing sources. When in doubt, cite in-text, perhaps in smaller font, beside the information provided by the source. Also, provide a references section near the bottom of the infographic (see the Sources area in the example above). Your reference entries should follow standard APA reference guidelines. Some instructors may prefer a separate References page, so be sure to ask.
Learn more about Infographics:
- Getting Graphic about Infographics: Design Lessons Learned from Popular Infographics
- Hashtags and Infographics and Videos: Oh My!
- Infographics Tips and Tools
- Revisiting a Genre: Teaching Infographics in Business and Professional Communication Courses
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