Creating Effective Visualizations

Figure Checklist

Good figures are more than decoration, they are tools for thinking and communication. In physics, a well-designed figure can distill complex data into an immediately interpretable visual, allowing readers to see relationships, patterns, or scaling behaviors that are difficult to convey in tables or text. The goal is to make the underlying physics intuitive: how quantities relate, how different regimes behave, or how competing effects balance.

Effective figures depict actions, relations, or processes rather than lists or definitions. Every visual element — from axis choice and color scale to annotation and layout — should reinforce the physical insight. Even simple shapes or minimalist plots can be powerful when they clarify mechanisms, highlight contrasts, or reveal structure. Start rough, define the message, and refine until every component contributes to understanding.

Tip from EPaCO postdoc Adrien Soudais:

A good figure should stand on its own. Assume readers may encounter it out of context, reuse it in talks or papers, or examine it without you there to explain it. Make every element earn its place — remove anything that doesn’t clarify the core message. Aim for immediate intelligibility: at a glance, the viewer should understand what the figure shows, why it matters, and how to read it, ensuring your intended message survives wherever the figure travels.

Clarity & Readability

• Label all axis clearly, show legends for all graph elements if combining multiple styles/colors.
• Always note the units and normalization factors.
• Use fonts in the presentation's (slides, paper, etc.) style, with roughly the same size as the surrounding text.
• Make sure the color scale actually matches the range of your data so that important contrast and structure are easy to see.
• Check that your figure is still readable in grayscale (e.g., when printed or by readers with color vision deficiencies).

Communication

• Always include a clear legend that explains colors, lines, and symbols.
• Keep your target audience in mind. Use plain language in labels or captions if it helps people understand what they are looking at.
• Consider using multiple panels if one plot is getting too busy or if you want to walk the viewer through a process or phenomenon step by step.

Accuracy

• Don’t hide or suppress data just to make the plot look nicer — it undermines clarity and scientific integrity.
• Avoid using a log scale purely to reduce apparent variability or mask small-scale structure — use it only when it clarifies the relevant physics.
• Make sure axis ranges, normalization, and color scales are consistent when comparing multiple datasets or simulation runs.
• In movies, visual properties should remain fixed throughout the animation so the viewer can track real changes, not shifting scales. (There are rare exceptions, but treat consistency as the default.)
• Verify that any smoothing, filtering, or averaging procedure is documented and scientifically justified — don’t apply visual filters that alter the apparent signal or compromise the integrity of the data.

Interpretation & Storytelling

• Try adding lines, arrows, or other simple indicators to highlight key features or regions of interest.
• Be mindful of how much detail you include. Avoid cramming so much into one plot that it becomes overwhelming or confusing. Aim for a layout that is visually appealing as well as informative.
• If possible, explore interactive versions, either as an animation or stepwise on aligned (consecutive) slides. For example, create storylines where things like electric and magnetic field vectors are added.
• Don’t be afraid to mix simple and more advanced tools in order to help your audience understand the physics most clearly. For example, you can use slides to compose figures!

Two more tips from EPaCO postdoc Adrien Soudais:

• Reuse visual elements from earlier figures to maintain continuity and help readers connect ideas across your work. Consistency strengthens comprehension.
• If presenting your figures at a workshop or conference, test them on a projector in advance: colors, contrast, and legibility can differ significantly from your screen. An image is only “worth a thousand words” if the audience can actually see it.

by Elise Little, Dartmouth '26