How to Design Scientific Figures

A BIGS workshop offered by the Bonn Graduate Center

What is the first thing we scientists look at in scientific articles or on posters? The figures! But they are not only meant to be eye-catching. They also convey information with a density that words can never attain. Because figures are so powerful in communicating scientific data, extra care should be taken when designing them.

Online Workshop

Thursday, June 29, 2023
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Friday, June 30, 2023
9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Please register your interest in this workshop with your BIGS coordinator by March 1, 2023

Trainer

Dr. Susanne Berger

Language

English

Location

Online

Target Group

Doctoral students, especially from the natural and life sciences

Track(s)

Research

Certificate

12 units are applicable within the Doctorate plus certificate

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.

Description

In this workshop, you will learn basic design rules and how to apply those rules to your figures. These universal concepts can be transferred to all kinds of scientific figures — from maps, diagrams, or plots to schematic visualizations.

Requirements
Please bring one to three figures designed by you. We will work with these, giving you the opportunity to directly apply your new theoretical knowledge.

Content

You understand basic design rules and how to apply them in the design of scientific figures (presentation and group discussion).
You know how and why these design rules positively aid in understanding the message of a figure (comparison and discussion of figures).
You are able to spot how figures can be improved (trainer input and practical exercise).
You know about different color palettes, where to find them, and how to use them (practical exercise).
You can identify suitable diagram types / visualizations for your data (group discussion, practical exercise).