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6.2: Activity

  • Page ID
    15092
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    For the remainder of the lab period we will work on creating your own infographic focused on a specific subject or facet of soil science. In this exercise you will start by taking your 4-5 prepared facts and organizing them into an aesthetically pleasing and informative infographic created specifically for a target audience (identified before creating your infographic). 4-5 facts is just your base, and students are welcome to use up to 10 facts. We highly encourage students to incorporate graphs, brief statistics, figures, and images within the infographic. The overall goal of this exercise is to practice translating your knowledge of soil science into a brief, impactful, and accurate deliverable used to communicate your science!

    Instructions for creating your infographic in-class:

    a. To begin, go to canva.com

    b. Students can sign up for this FREE graphic design site

    c. After you are signed up type “infographic” into the search bar to bring up the infographic template

    d. Once you have brought up the editable template, follow the basic steps of the program and explore what the different tools available can do.

    e. It is time to create!

    f. Note: not all graphics are free to use, and you won’t be able to download your infographic without paying. To avoid this, find graphics that are open source.

    OUTCOMES: At the end of the lab period you are required to submit a PDF of your infographic to your laboratory instructor. The TOP 3 infographics from each lab section will move on to a class-wide competition for TOP INFOGRAPHIC selected by your professor. Top infographics will be rewarded for their work!

    A few tips on infographics before we get to creating: (adapted from: nielpatel.com)

    a. Create your infographic for your target audience

    b. Keep it simple- you only have so much space

    c. Keep it focused- you don’t need to say all the things!

    d. Show things visually

    e. Make it easy to view – picture quality/clarity, font size, font type, color combinations

    f. Make it a manageable length and size – Bigger isn’t always better, and vice versa.

    g. Add white space – people’s eyes need a break too.

    h. Create a killer headline – catchy, witty, short, and to the point… and accurate!

    i. Focus on the flow – transition smoothly between facts and images to create a story

    j. Check your facts and figures- you only have so many, so you want to make sure they are right, otherwise there will be blaring errors and that’s what will catch folks’ eyes.

    k. Cite your sources

    Please read through and complete the following activity and questions. All questions should be answered and completed labs are due at the end of the laboratory period. No late work will be accepted.

    1. Describe in your own words what science communication is and how it can enhance scientific research efforts
    2. How have you ever implemented the practice of science communication into any of your previous work or studies?
    3. How did you find this exercise useful for communicating science?
    4. Who is your target audience for this infographic?
    5. What did you like about this exercise?
    6. What didn’t you like about this exercise?
    7. If any, what other skills or outcomes would you have preferred to develop regarding the practice of science communication

    This page titled 6.2: Activity is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Anna R. Schwyter & Karen L. Vaughan (UW Open Education Resources (OER)) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.