Class slides for SOCI 122

1. Data & Infographics
Nicole Branch, Social Sciences Librarian
Santa Clara University Library
Image courtesy of Flickr user Niels Heidenreich.

2. Today we will…
• Find data about the topic of your brief
• Practice making data charts
• Create an infographic about your topic

3. Why Data?
• Can help understand social/community issues
• Can help explore your topic and prepare your
brief
• Can support understanding needs and concerns
related to your topic
• It’s important

4. Finding Data & Statistics
Think about WHO might collect the data you are
interested and WHO might publish the results.
Government agencies
Non-government organizations
Academic institutions
Private sector

5. Some Data Consideration
Think about if the data/statistics you are looking
for will be made readily available.
Controversial/harmful data
Not broadly applicable data
Lag time for data dissemination
Absence of data

6. Critiquing Data & Data Sources
Who is the source of the data?
Does the source of the data have a
bias/interest in the data and how might this
impact how the data was collected or
analyzed?
What is the sample size and how was the data
collected?
What is the larger context of the data?
Correlations are not causations.

7. Finding Data & Statistics
There are many different places to find data:
Recommended resources
Google (data/statistics + topic)
Your task is to find an interesting piece of data about
your topic.

8. Making Charts In Excel/Google Sheets

9. Infographics
• Visually represent data
• Quick and compelling way to engage others
with data

10. Infographics

11. Less is More
• Focus on one compelling thing you would like
your audience to feel/learn
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

12. Topic is Everything
• Pick a timely but not played out topic
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

13. Data is King
• Use credible/authoritative data
• Let the data drive the design
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

14. Color is Queen
• Think about a color palette
• Thoughtful, cohesive selection of colors
• Not too many
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

15. Simple Design
• Not too crowded
• Not too many elements
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

16. Begin with the end
• Determine the main take-away, and let that
guide your design and data selection
Adapted from Grasshopper Marketing, Infographics Best Practices,
http://grasshoppermarketing.com/infographics-best-practices/

17. Example
Infographic
courtesy of
Fast Company.

18. Example
Infographic
courtesy of
Joshua Chavers.

19. Begin with the end
• Take a minute to determine the main take-
away.
• Then we’ll share.

20. Create your Infographic
• Using one of the recommended design
software products, create an infographic for
your main-takeaway

21. Questions?
Nicole Branch
Sociology Librarian
X5436
nbranch@scu.edu