Unit 4 �Interpreting Scientific Images: Part I

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Lesson 1 Introduction to Science Images

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Have you ever encountered pictures, graphs or diagrams when reading about science?

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Do you think these visuals help you learn science better than reading text alone?

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Or are they just there to make learning more fun and engaging?

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What do you think?

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Lots of studies have shown that students learn best when text is presented with images, or in multimedia formats.

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Why is that?

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

Food glorious food

Perhaps the best way to see how animals deal with food is to look at how we as humans do it. Although there are differences from animal to animal, the basic process is the same for all animals.

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Digestion

Digestion is all about taking in large complex molecules, by eating plants and other animals and breaking them down into smaller, soluble molecules

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These smaller molecules can be absorbed through the gut wall and into the blood stream

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It is only when these small molecules get into our blood stream, that we can use them for growth by the release of the energy that they contain.

Example

Large Intestine

Liver

Stomach

Gall Bladder

Small Intestine

Mouth

Esophagus

Pancreas

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Some possibilities:

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• People remember information better when it is presented in multiple formats (verbal + visual)

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• It promotes active learning and deeper understanding

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• Visuals are more vivid and engaging

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• Spatial and dynamic information are understood better visually (e.g., geography, mechanical diagrams)

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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You also might have heard that visuals are generally easy for people to understand.

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In some ways, that’s true – but only certain things are easy for people to grasp visually.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Most people can quickly see trends in data – for instance, an increasing line graph means that something (like population) gets bigger as something else (like time) gets bigger.

Example

1050 1150 1250 1350 1450 1550 1650 1750 1850 1950 2017

Example

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But we are generally limited in our ability to keep track of information, and this is true for visuals, too.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Here’s an example of an image that is visually challenging. According to the graph, which two flowers have similar growth patterns across levels of sun exposure?

Growth Rate

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90

80

70

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40

30

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Full Sun Partial Sun Partial Shade Dappled Sun Full Shade

Sun Exposure

Type of Flower

Geranium

Impatiens

Fuchsia

Trillium

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This image may be difficult for you to interpret, let’s discuss why:

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When images have a lot of parts or show relationships between many elements, we can’t expect to fully understand them in a quick glance.

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We also can’t be expected to read a passage of text and instantly understand how it relates to an image.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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This means we have to do a little more work to interpret and integrate science images.

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We have to break down both text and pictures into smaller chunks of information.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Figuring out what’s important in an image can be tricky, especially if the image isn’t well-organized, or there is a lot of irrelevant stuff in the picture (also called seductive details).

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To the right are examples of seductive and simple images that could accompany this sentence:

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Seductive

Simple

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

“If you go to the bottom of the ocean trench you will find a fish who collects treasures.”

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Watch out!

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Sometimes, you might see an image that is related to the topic you’re reading about but doesn’t show any additional information to help you understand the topic.

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This is another type of seductive detail. Textbooks often include redundant or irrelevant pictures because they are engaging. However, they can be distracting and actually make it harder to learn new material.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

Figure 2. Lightning is common during thunderstorms.

Duh!

Example

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We also have to figure out what each section of the image is showing by paying close attention to features (or conventions) like labels, captions, axis titles, keys, legends, and arrows.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Here are some examples of a few types of science image conventions:

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Color Key

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Color Key, Axes

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Labels

Example

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Diagram of an Atom

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Neutron

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Electron

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Nucleus

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Proton

North America South America

Africa Europe

Asia Australia

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What do the blue and red colors represent?

to heart

from heart

capillaries

vein

an organ

venule

arteriole

From rest of body

To rest of body

Relationship between the different types of blood vessel

artery

Example

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Next, we have to search for the relevant part of the picture that goes with each chunk of text.

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Once we have the relevant information from both the text and the image, then we can integrate them to understand their meaning.

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Here’s an example:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Example

Drilling mud (DM) is a suspension of clay particles in water. When a well is drilled, DM is injected into the hole to lubricate the drill. After this use, the DM is brought back up to the surface and then disposed of by spraying it on adjacent land areas.

A cover of DM on plants and soil can affect the albedo (proportion of the total incoming solar radiation that is reflected from a surface), which in turn can affect the soil temperature. The effect of a cover of DM on the albedo and the soil temperature of an unsloped, semiarid grassland area was studied from July 1 to August 9 of a particular year.

On June 30, 3 plots (Plots 1−3), each 10 m by 40 m, were established in the grassland area. For all the plots, the types of vegetation present were the same, as was the density of the vegetation cover. At the center of each plot, a soil temperature sensor was buried in the soil at a depth of 2.5 cm. An instrument that measures incoming and reflected solar radiation was suspended 60 cm above the center of each plot.

An amount of DM equivalent to 40 cubic meters per hectare (m3/ha) was then sprayed evenly on Plot 2. (One hectare equals 10,000 m2.) An amount equivalent to 80 m3/ha was sprayed evenly on Plot 3. No DM was sprayed on Plot 1.

For each plot, the albedo was calculated for each cloudless day during the study period using measurements of incoming and reflected solar radiation taken at noon on those days (see Figure 1).

June July July July July July July Aug. Aug.

30. 5. 10. 15. 20. 25. 30. 4. 9.

The Effect of Drilling Mud on Albedo

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So, in order to get the most out of multimedia formats for learning about science, we first have to know how to look at science images and also integrate words from the text with images.

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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When looking at an image, we need to know:

• Is the image a diagram, graph or table?
• What is the main idea being conveyed by the image?
• What part(s) of the image are most important?
• What are the image conventions showing?
• How should I interpret symbols in the image?

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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When integrating an image with text, we need to know:

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• Which part of the text is referring to which part of the image?
• What aspects of the image are most relevant according to the text?
• Is the picture showing you something that is not mentioned in the text?

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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In the next two units, you’ll learn..

• Strategies to help you interpret science images and diagrams.
• How to integrate these images and diagrams with the associated text.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Science Images

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Lesson 2 Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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What is typically included in a science diagram?

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• Captions

• Legends/Keys

• Labels

• Arrows

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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Captions are brief paragraphs that describe the diagram.

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Captions summarize the main idea of the diagram and provide details to help the reader interpret the diagram.

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Don’t ignore captions! You’ll want to look at the caption many times to help you interpret the diagram.

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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Here, the caption tells us that the diagram is showing Earth’s carbon cycle. More specifically, it tells us that the diagram shows flow of carbon atoms. It describes the different parts of the Earth that store carbon as ‘reservoirs.’ The caption also describes the units of carbon storage and flow per year.

Example

This diagram illustrates the Earth’s carbon cycle. It shows how carbon atoms “flow” between various “reservoirs” in the Earth system. The sizes of reservoirs are in units of gigatons of carbon (GtC). Flows between reservoirs are in units of gigatons of carbon per year (GtC/yr). The values for human influences such as fossil fuel use and cement production represent the state of the carbon cycle in the mid-1980s.

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Legends and Keys use symbols, text, colors or patterns to help you discriminate between different parts of a diagram. Use the legend to figure out what each symbol/color/pattern in the diagram stands for.

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The legend is usually in one corner of the diagram.

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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Here, the legend shows text in different colors. Text labeled in black shows “Storage in GtC”, or the amount of carbon storage in each reservoir. Text labeled in blue shows “Fluxes in GtC/yr”, or the amount of yearly carbon flow (flux) between reservoirs.

Example

Storage in GtC

Fluxes in GtC/yr

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Labels are words that directly tell you what something is in the diagram.

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You may not need to know everything that is labeled in a diagram, so just pay attention to labels as you work through interpreting the diagram.

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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There are many labels in this diagram. Some labels are words, some are numbers.

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What do you think the word labels are showing?

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What do you think the number labels are showing?

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What is the difference between the blue and black labels?

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Answer

The word labels are showing the different reservoirs that store carbon (sediment, fossil fuel/cement production, atmosphere, vegetation, and ocean).

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The black number labels are showing the amount of carbon storage in each reservoir.

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The blue number labels are showing the amount of carbon flux between reservoirs.

Example

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Arrows are useful for diagrams showing cycles, forces, flow, or other directional information

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The most important thing to pay attention to is the direction of the arrow or path.

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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This diagram of the carbon cycle has big and small arrows. Let’s focus on the big arrows first.

Example

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The arrows on the right show carbon flowing out to the atmosphere

Example

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The arrows on the left show carbon flowing from the atmosphere into various reservoirs.

Example

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Does fossil fuel production cause carbon to flow out to the atmosphere or into the sediment?

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Answer

The big right arrow shows that fossil fuels cause carbon to flow out to the atmosphere

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What are the small arrows in the diagram showing?

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Example

The legend can help us figure this out.

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Remember that blue numbers are showing the amount of flux between reservoirs?

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The meaning of the blue color applies to the small arrows too - they show direction of flux between reservoirs.

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Example

If we look closely, we can see that carbon flows only in one direction, either in or out, for some reservoirs.

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What’s another example of a reservoir that shows carbon flowing in one direction (in or out)?

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Other reservoirs have carbon flowing both in and out (like the ocean):

Example

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In summary, conventions of diagrams like captions, legends, labels and arrows are there to help the reader understand the diagram.

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Pay close attention to these conventions!

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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In this unit you have learned about strategies for interpreting diagrams and other science images.

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In the next unit, we will continue this discussion by learning how to interpret graphs and incorporate scientific images with text.

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

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Key Terms

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Lesson 2: Strategies for Interpreting Diagrams

Arrows: show cycles, forces, flow, or other directional information

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Captions: brief paragraphs that describe an image

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Conventions: common features of scientific images like labels, captions, axis titles, keys, legends, and arrows

Labels: words that directly tell you what something is in the diagram

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Legends and Keys: use symbols, text, colors or patterns to help you discriminate between different parts of a diagram

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Seductive Details: irrelevant details that make an image appear more interesting

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Aldebo text adapted from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/48/science_week_2_1.pdf

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Carbon cycle example adapted from: https://scied.ucar.edu/image/carbon-cycle-diagram-nasa

Sources

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