1. Visual Forms of Knowledge Production The message the authors of this article want to convey is that visuals do not only show us something, but also they are arguements in their own form, essentially the same as some textual arguements, only made of a different medium. The author introduces four terms, namely information graphics, graphical user interface, visual epistemology and languages of for visual, of which I am most interested in the graphical user interface. I think GUI is an intermediary to communicate information, the researcher conveys information to the public through the interface, and the public acquires knowledge through this single medium. However, it is a one-way communication process, where the recipient does not communicate his or her questions and feelings in real time, and it is difficult for the researcher to get feedback. Also interface needs to follow human related cognitive laws and habits, otherwise it will bring trouble to the user and thus affect the communication of information.

  2. W.E.B. Du Bois’s Data Portraits: Visualizing Black America Du Bois’s thought is about the politics of visibility, by using clean lines, bright color, and a sparse style to visually convey the American color line to a European audience.

a. [A series of statistical charts illustrating the condition of the descendants of former African slaves now in residence in the United States of America] Distribution of Negroes in the United States. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.33900/?co=anedub In this map, it used the America map as based with the states borders, and different colors to show the density of black people living every square mile. The usage of America map is a symbol of US government’s elitism as those who made the map in the first place. Then using the color black as the most dense, brown as the second, indicating the color of people by the color of darkness. The whiter on the map literally indicates the “whiter” the region is. b. [A series of statistical charts illustrating the condition of the descendants of former African slaves now in residence in the United States of America] Illiteracy of the American Negroes compared with that of other nations. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.33909/?co=anedub In this diagram, the population of the illiterate descendants of former African slaves now in residence in different countries are listed by descending. The US is in color red and others in color green, as the 4th on the list. It uses simple color contrast and thin border lines to emphasize the volume which represents the population. c. [The Georgia Negro] Negro teachers in Georgia public schools. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.33878/?co=anedub The diagram shows the number of African American teachers teaching in Georgia public schools in 1886,1889,1893 and 1897. By using different sizes and colors of circles, it represents different numbers of African American teachers. The larger the circle, the darker the circle, the more there were. Also, the number in each circle shows the exact number at that year in different contrast colors with the background.