The video below discuses the rise of visual information and the need for us to understand and to be able to create charts, graphs, and infographics. Visual literacy is increasingly an important part of information literacy skills. The use of visualized information (i.e. charts and graphs) is important in speeches, papers, and online writing.
If you need to brush up, you may want to look at:
The visual display of quantitative information by Edward R. Tufte
Elements of graphics : how to prepare charts and graphs for effective reports by Robert Lefferts
Here is the video:
Alex Lundry Chart Wars: The Political Power of Data Visualization
A funny thing happened during this summer’s health care debate: a chart that purported to show the organizational structure of the Democratic health care reform proposal took over the media cycle and triggered a partisan visualization volley. Since then, the original chart has frequently been used as a provocative protest sign and is now the subject of a congressional investigation. What was it that made this data visualization so powerful and politically potent? How can your organization or your cause harness data visualization as a messaging medium? With these health care chart wars as a backdrop, this presentation will show you how to be a smart consumer of data visualizations and infographics.