The #VisualAbstract: just a pretty picture?

The confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) has enormous potential in many biological fields. When tests are made to evaluate the performance of a CLSM, the usual subjective assessment is accomplished by using a histological test slide to create a “pretty picture.” Without the use of functional tests many of the machines may be working at sub-optimal performance levels, delivering sub optimum performance, and possibly misleading data. In order to replace the subjectivity in evaluating a confocal microscope, tests were derived or perfected that measure field illumination, lens clarity, laser power, laser stability, dkhroic functionality, spectral registration, axial resolution, scanning stability, PMT quality, overall machine stability, and system noise (1-3). It is anticipated by using this type of test data, performance standards for confocal microscopes will be obtained and the current subjectivity in evaluating CLSM performance will be eliminated.

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From African Survivals to the Fight for Survival

Making Gullah ◽

10.5149/northcarolina/9781469632681.003.0008 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Melissa L. Cooper

Keyword(s):

Pretty Picture

During the GGCHC meeting held on Sapelo in June 2009, when describing all of the roadblocks that the Islanders faced while trying to control, protect, and revitalize their community, Cornelia Bailey said, “I’m not here to paint a pretty picture. The picture is not pretty. It is ugly when it comes to us surviving in Hog Hammock. So we are surviving because we are survivors. We had the harshest thing called slavery and we still survived it.”...

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Not Just a Pretty Picture: Fashion as News

Getting the Picture ◽

10.4324/9781003103547-33 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 109-115

Author(s):

Justine De Young

Keyword(s):

Pretty Picture

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Not just a pretty picture: Scientific fact visualisation styles, preferences, confidence and recall

Information Visualization ◽

10.1177/14738716211027587 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 147387162110275

Author(s):

Erin I Walsh ◽

Ginny M Sargent ◽

Will J Grant

Keyword(s):

Scientific Literacy ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Short Term ◽

Presentation Style ◽

Immediate Recall ◽

Recent Emergence ◽

Significant Difference ◽

English Literacy ◽

Scientific Facts ◽

Pretty Picture

Visuals are often used to enhance learning of scientific information. The recent emergence and popularity of comic-style instruction books for adults, such as the ‘manga guide to …’, shows the possibility of comic style visualisations for the communication of science with adults. This study investigates whether the addition and style of visual accompaniment of scientific information, as used in comic books, influences immediate and short-term fact recall in an adult audience. Participants ( n = 310 aged 18–79, 52% identified as female) were presented 20 general science facts in one of five styles: (1) text alone, (2) photo with text caption, (3) cartoon with text caption, (4) photo with explanatory agent and a speech bubble, (5) cartoon with explanatory agent and a speech bubble. Immediate recall, and confidence in that recall, was tested following a brief distractor. Participants indicated their preferred presentation style, and short-term recall was tested by a final quiz of all 20 facts. Overall, the most preferred presentation style was cartoon with explanatory agent and text in a speech bubble (26% preferred). There was no single most effective presentation style; there was no significant difference in immediate recall, short term recall or confidence in answers depending on whether the fact was presented as text, photo or cartoon, or the presence or absence of an explanatory agent. However, immediate recall was significantly better when preference was met ( p < 0.02). We found that the style of visual accompaniment of scientific information in accordance with the ‘manga guide to…’ format influenced immediate, but not short-term, fact recall in an adult audience when written English literacy, scientific literacy and non-verbal intelligence were taken into account. Short term recall of scientific facts may best be served by presenting facts in multiple styles, or enquiring about and then meeting participant preference for visual accompaniment.

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