Maps, figures, and
photographs for e-theses
A short guide to communicating your
research using graphical media
Dr Alexander Kent
Creative Commons Licence: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20090211_thousand_words-01.jpg
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Aims of this session
• To provide initial guidance on handling various graphical
elements in preparation of the electronic copy of your thesis
• To provide some ideas and tips on how to make best use of
graphical elements in your thesis (e.g. maps, figures, photos)
• To provide an opportunity to ask questions concerning the
handling of graphical elements for your thesis
• To provide a contact for further help and assistance as
necessary
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The basics
Why use an image?
• High visual impact – ‘punch’
• Immediate, non-linear representation
• Visual support of your argument (different explanation)
• Alternative, complementary expression of ideas
• Powerful summary
• Efficient for communicating spatial relationships
• Lasting impression
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Minard (1869) – hence out of copyright
Graphic elements…
• A picture may be worth a thousand words but…
- does your image support your central argument?
- is your image relevant to the sub-chapter?
- can you verify and cite the source of your image?
- does your image already exist in digital format?
Aim to express your subject clearly
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Tools
• Understand differences between bitmap and vector formats
• Acquire image in several ways:
- Digital camera (ideally 3 megapixels or better)
- Scan of hand-drawn/book image (Moiré, RGB or CMYK?)
- Purchase/download from the Internet
- Create using University workstation (e.g. CorelDraw!)
- If you must perform a screengrab (72 dpi), make the image
as large as possible on the screen first.
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Image formats
File formats matter, e.g. GIF, JPEG, BMP, TIFF
- GIFs are good for diagrams (256 colours maximum)
- JPEGs are good for continuous tones (16 million colours)
- TIFFs are best for quality (lossless)
But…
- GIFs are not good for photos
- JPEGs are ‘lossy’ in their compression
- Internet browsers can’t handle TIFFs
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Understanding resolution
• Changing an image’s resolution after capture will not
improve its quality
• Aim for 300 dpi (dots per inch) at the required output size
• Determining the right image size and resolution:
- Find number of pixels (width x height)
- Divide by 300 to get size in inches at 300 dpi
- For example, an image of 2048 x 1536 pixels (3 MP) will
be 6.8” x 5.1” (17.3 cm x 12.9 cm) at 300 dpi
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Inserting figures in your thesis
• See video on inserting figures in Word
• Most graphics you use will ultimately be in the form of a
bitmap image
• Double-check figures list and page numbers (consider using
automatic compilation in Word – see video)
• When converting to PDF, don’t down-sample below 300
dpi
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Tips for creating maps,
figures, and photographs
Why use a map?
• Maps and associated graphics (such as Google Earth) can
be an authoritative way of expressing the spatial
dimensions of your research
• Maps can be thematic as well as topographic
• Keep an eye on text placement (lettering) to aid legibility
• Be sensible about colours and suppress or omit components
not related to your message
• Use a scale bar as this preserves relative scale if resized
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1000 Miles
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© Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. All rights reserved.
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©Transport for London.
Philip, G. (ed). (1992) Modern School Atlas
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after Robinson et al. (1995)
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Why use a figure?
• Figures (diagrams and illustrations) are a succinct way of
visually summarising your ideas
• A well-drawn figure is a powerful statement and creates a
lasting impression
• Tips:
- Use sans serif fonts for labels
- Make annotation lines radiate from the centre
- Aim for a clarity of expression – omit unnecessary detail
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Why use a photograph?
• Photographs connote authenticity
• Use the ‘documentary’ power of photographs in your thesis
• Keep your subject in focus
• Crop unnecessary marginal information
• The ‘rule of thirds’ can be useful for strengthening the point
• Ensure photographs are high resolution and the subject is
in focus (unless for creative effect)
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Compose images so that the subject is based along one of these lines
or centred on one of these points
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Overall, be clear…
• The subject or theme should be instantly recognizable
• Colours should be vivid not faded (unless for effect)
• The subject should be in focus (unless for effect)
• Think about the final image size – acquire images at a larger
size than will be reproduced in your thesis
• Ask two people unconnected with your thesis to look at your
images and get feedback on your visual choices
• Or ask the Cartographic Unit for advice (carto@soton.ac.uk)
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Contact details
a.j.kent@soton.ac.uk