Visual encoding
Definition: The mapping of data variables to position, length, color, shape, or other graphical channels.
Why it matters here: In Scientific Visualization and Figure Critique, Visual encoding is needed to reason about scales, colormaps, uncertainty displays, annotations, and captions rather than merely label the phenomenon.
Relationship: It is interpreted alongside Color map and the lecture relation below; identify which quantities are observed, calibrated, or model-derived.
Limitation or common confusion: A plot must disclose transformations, units, limits, and uncertainty encodings.
\(information density=encoded variables/visual channels\)
Color map
Definition: An ordered mapping from numerical values or categories to colors.
Why it matters here: In Scientific Visualization and Figure Critique, Color map is needed to reason about scales, colormaps, uncertainty displays, annotations, and captions rather than merely label the phenomenon.
Relationship: It is interpreted alongside Uncertainty display and the lecture relation below; identify which quantities are observed, calibrated, or model-derived.
Limitation or common confusion: A plot must disclose transformations, units, limits, and uncertainty encodings.
Uncertainty display
Definition: A graphical representation of measurement spread, interval estimates, covariance, or model variation.
Why it matters here: In Scientific Visualization and Figure Critique, Uncertainty display is needed to reason about scales, colormaps, uncertainty displays, annotations, and captions rather than merely label the phenomenon.
Relationship: It is interpreted alongside Axis transform and the lecture relation below; identify which quantities are observed, calibrated, or model-derived.
Limitation or common confusion: A plot must disclose transformations, units, limits, and uncertainty encodings.
Axis transform
Definition: A declared mapping such as logarithmic scaling applied between values and plotted coordinates.
Why it matters here: In Scientific Visualization and Figure Critique, Axis transform is needed to reason about scales, colormaps, uncertainty displays, annotations, and captions rather than merely label the phenomenon.
Relationship: It is interpreted alongside Scientific caption and the lecture relation below; identify which quantities are observed, calibrated, or model-derived.
Limitation or common confusion: A plot must disclose transformations, units, limits, and uncertainty encodings.
Scientific caption
Definition: Text that identifies data, transformation, uncertainty, and the claim supported by a figure.
Why it matters here: In Scientific Visualization and Figure Critique, Scientific caption is needed to reason about scales, colormaps, uncertainty displays, annotations, and captions rather than merely label the phenomenon.
Relationship: It is interpreted alongside Visual encoding and the lecture relation below; identify which quantities are observed, calibrated, or model-derived.
Limitation or common confusion: A plot must disclose transformations, units, limits, and uncertainty encodings.