The Right Graph: A Manual for Technical and Scientific Authors

Graphics made easy for technical and scientific authors

Gone are the days of relying on graphic artists to make your work clear and persuasive! This book arms you with all you need to know to conceptualize, create, and incorporate the type of quality graphs and graphics that will help get your scientific and technical papers published.

The authors, both senior staff members at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, provide straightforward guidance on all the steps to using graphs and graphics to make your case. Some of the useful things you'll learn include:

• What kind of graph to use to make what kind of case
• Whether or not it is appropriate to connect the dots in a graph
• Efficient ways to use a variety of PC software
• How to embed artwork in a layout-and what to do if the graphic won't fit
• Why file format conversions are sometimes problematic
• How to edit diagrams for different end-uses
• Tips on how to get the best results without spending excessive time

Real-world examples illustrate good (and bad) uses of graphs, and problem sets are included at the end of each chapter. If you're technically adept but not trained in document design, this book is an indispensable treasure trove of knowledge for making your papers publishable, your viewgraphs enjoyable, and your patents understandable.

Harold Kirkham, PhD, is an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and has published more than fifty peer-reviewed papers and reports.

Robin C. Dumas is an IT manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She has a background in computers as well as graphic design and has won several awards from the Society for Technical Communication.