Infographic Design Research & Evidence-Based Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'publication bias' and why does it matter when sourcing data for infographics?
- Bias toward visually appealing publications
- The tendency for positive results to be published more than negative ones (Correct answer)
- Preferring government publications over academic ones
- Citing only publications from the current year
Correct answer: The tendency for positive results to be published more than negative ones
Publication bias means the available literature skews toward positive findings, so a designer relying solely on published studies may overstate effects.
Question 2: A designer uses a peer-reviewed journal article from 2008 to support a claim about social media usage. What is the BIGGEST concern?
- The article may use jargon
- The data predates major platforms and is likely outdated (Correct answer)
- Peer-reviewed articles are too technical for infographics
- The citation format may be incorrect
Correct answer: The data predates major platforms and is likely outdated
Social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok did not exist in 2008, making usage statistics from that era irrelevant to current behavior.
Question 3: Which practice BEST demonstrates responsible use of statistics in an infographic?
- Selecting only statistics that support the intended message
- Rounding all numbers up for visual simplicity
- Presenting data in context with relevant comparisons and baselines (Correct answer)
- Avoiding percentages to reduce viewer confusion
Correct answer: Presenting data in context with relevant comparisons and baselines
Contextualizing statistics with baselines and comparisons prevents misleading interpretations and helps viewers accurately evaluate the information.
Question 4: What is a 'margin of error' and when must it be considered in infographic data?
- A design measurement for element spacing
- The range within which the true population value likely falls (Correct answer)
- The maximum acceptable data file size
- The percentage of colors allowed in a design
Correct answer: The range within which the true population value likely falls
Margin of error reflects sampling uncertainty, and ignoring it can make a statistically insignificant difference appear meaningful in visual comparisons.
Question 5: An infographic cites a study funded by a snack company showing their product is healthy. Which evaluation framework should a designer apply?
- CRAAP test — evaluating Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose (Correct answer)
- RGB model
- SWOT analysis
- AIDA model
Correct answer: CRAAP test — evaluating Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose
The CRAAP test prompts designers to assess funding source (Authority) and potential bias (Purpose), flagging industry-funded research as requiring additional scrutiny.
Question 6: What distinguishes a primary source from a secondary source in infographic research?
- Primary sources are more expensive to access
- Primary sources present original data; secondary sources interpret or summarize others' data (Correct answer)
- Secondary sources are always more reliable
- Primary sources are only available in print
Correct answer: Primary sources present original data; secondary sources interpret or summarize others' data
Primary sources include original research, surveys, and datasets, while secondary sources analyze or report on those originals, potentially introducing interpretation errors.
Question 7: A designer finds two credible studies with conflicting statistics on the same topic. What is the BEST course of action?
- Use the statistic that best supports the infographic's narrative
- Discard both studies and find a third
- Acknowledge the discrepancy and investigate methodological differences (Correct answer)
- Average the two statistics together
Correct answer: Acknowledge the discrepancy and investigate methodological differences
Investigating why credible sources disagree — different sample sizes, dates, or methodologies — leads to more accurate and honest data presentation.
Infographic Design Research & Evidence-Based Practice 3
What is 'publication bias' and why does it matter when sourcing data for infographics?