The power of visual story telling
Emily Gray*, Stephen Farrall*, Will Jennings†
*University of Sheffield; †Southampton University
Academics write and publish things like this
Or like this
Or like this
That are read in places like this
Scene change
• ‘Impact’ – how well do we translate research
to the general public.
• Academic policy research needs to win ‘hearts
and minds’.
• Information age – volume, content, various
media platforms.
Less is more
• “The aim of the poet is to inform or delight, or to
combine together, in what he says, both pleasure
and applicability to life. In instructing, be brief in
what you say in order that your readers may grasp it
quickly and retain it faithfully. Superfluous words
simply spill out when the mind is already full..”
Horace, (Epistolas Ad Pisones De Ars Poetica)
Effective visual communication
1) Aesthetic appeal – engage a voluntary
audience
2) Comprehension – provide a clear
understanding of the information
3) Retention – impart memorable knowledge.
Lankow, Richie and Crooks, 2012
Aesthetic
Aesthetic
Comprehension
Comprehension
Retention
Examples
Contact details
• emily.gray@sheffield.ac.uk
• @thatchers_legacy
• http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/law/research/p
rojects/crimetrajectories