Academic writing visualization techniques

The article highlights the role of visual tools in scientific discourse from two perspectives: from the point of view of the researcher (writer) and from the perspective of the recipient (reader). The target group are university teachers. Currently, due to big data phenomenon, intensive IT application and a wide spread of visual research methods, the impact of infographics in any field of human activity has grown immensely. Close interconnections of the visual sensory system with cognitive processes and language, the rapidity and integrity of visual perception, the potential of visual images in uncovering diverse links among ideas and concepts as well as its other characteristics make infographics an indispensable tool of both research and presentation of its outcomes in academic discourse. However, while writing or reading academic texts, there may be problem cases of visuals misinterpretation or their avoidance for a variety of reasons. Based on the analysis of relevant literature, the authors of the article reveal its impact from the two perspectives and conduct a practical study aimed at identifying the prevalence of infographics in academic articles on education and the university teachers` attitude both as writers and as readers to such tools. The study shows close links among the university teachers` experiences in using infographics as writers of academic texts and the peculiarities of its perception and comprehension as readers. Keeping these findings in mind, academic writing courses intended for different target groups should provide interconnected practices in decoding infographics (while reading) as well as in coding information by means of infographics (while writing academic texts).