Readers always remember about 15% of what they hear and about 50% of what they see. Visual aids increases the amount of information retained by a reader therefore the use of visual aids is encourage in your thesis writing.
The following are suggestions from Pickett and Laster:
- Study the use of visuals by analyzing their use in books and periodicals
- Choose the most appropriate types of visuals as to their purpose, the needs of the audience and the specific idea to be presented
- Prepare the visuals carefully by proper and careful organization of information. Include all necessary labels, symbols, titles and headings. Make the visual pleasing to its by not overcrowding it
- Decide whether to make the visual “run-on” in the text or to separate it from the text
- Establish a proper relationship between the visual and the text
- Refer to tables as tables; all other visuals are called figure
- Give the source of a borrowed or copied visual
- Mount the visual if necessary
Visual aids are an effective way to help your reader to retain a better understanding of information because it holds attention, help concentration and aid retention. It also adds interest and variety and break up information into smaller section. In addition, using graphs, tables and charts is an easiest way to display a lot of data or information.