J464 is a foundational course that teaches information graphics, including their conception, research, writing and execution, focusing on the “main food groups” of charts, maps and diagrams. My goal is that you will leave this class with a solid understanding of what constitutes an effective information graphic as well as the ability to render a variety of different types of graphics, from serious news stories to light-hearted features, from the clear and direct to the complex and engrossing.
Students learn the history of graphics, their prominence in today’s media and their promise for the future. They develop and refine their visual skills, enhancing their ability to illustrate and design so that their graphics have maximum impact and help readers/users better comprehend important events, draw in the curious with essential and arresting visual information and lead them skillfully through complex data in a logical and appealing way.
J464 focuses on skills needed to report and write for graphics, using programs like Excel to create revealing data sets. Students isolate key information and focus on how best to convey that information in a visual way.
To read the full syllabus for this course, go to http://stevelayton.net/j464/f20/