Whether intentional or not, many scientific figures are designed to support an argument. Often, aspects of the data are emphasized or de-emphasized in an attempt to guide the readers through the author's argument. Other times, there is simply too much information to absorb quickly, and it may be difficult for readers to absorb everything without serious effort. Usually, these effects are not serious, but in medicine, where life-and-death decisions are being made on a daily basis, clear, easily-interpretable, unbiased visualization is far more critical.
A recent blog post through Scientific American discusses the need for clear medical visualizations for use in educating patients on the risk associated with their treatment options. The principles discussed are applicable to any visualization effort, particularly those attempting to reach a broad audience.
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