The Visual Elements—Abstraction
A Handbook for Communicating Science and Engineering
$29.63
- Paperback
208 pages
- Release Date
23 October 2026
Summary
For anyone interested in visual communication, a training guide for evaluating and developing visual metaphors for the big ideas in science and technology, an essential skill for journal submissions, grant applications, and public understanding.
As a scientist, engineer, or other researcher, you may have written an abstract. In a paragraph, you explain the purpose of your research, your approach, the questions you have asked and answered, and your work’s impact. The a…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780226848280 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0226848280 |
| Author: | Felice C. Frankel |
| Publisher: | The University of Chicago Press |
| Imprint: | University of Chicago Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 208 |
| Release Date: | 23 October 2026 |
| Weight: | 399g |
| Dimensions: | 13mm x 140mm x 216mm |
| Series: | The Visual Elements |
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Critics Review
“Frankel is a pioneer in her field who has helped many scientists visualize their work in interesting and effective ways. This latest book in her series highlights a region of unexplored territory. It is not so much a ‘how-to’ for accomplishing certain effects (or avoiding common blunders) but rather an invitation to think more broadly about what the visual abstract should convey and how to do it in simple terms. An exciting addition.”
– Sidney R. Nagel, Stein-Freiler Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Physics, University of Chicago“Frankel has made a name for herself by helping scientists augment their work with pictures that capture, represent, and communicate science, including many journals’ cover photos… . ‘It’s not about pretty pictures,’ she says. ‘It’s really about communication. And pushing the researcher to think beyond the good enough.’”
* Science, on The Visual Elements series *“Should be on the desks of all researchers, engineers, and science communicators.”
* The Well-read Naturalist, on The Visual Elements series *“An accessible guide for scientists and engineers to learn how to create graphics to illustrate their work. [Frankel] delves into the importance of thinking visually and what that really means, as well as provides case studies and advice.”
* American Scientist, on “The Visual Elements—Design” *“This book makes you think more deeply about how you present your research and how you communicate with your audience… . [Recommended] to all scientists and illustrators of science.”
* The Marine Biologist, on “The Visual Elements—Design” *“Eminently sensible… . A valuable addition to the aspiring scientist’s bookshelf.”
* Metascience, on “The Visual Elements—Design” *“Compelling… . Loaded with stunning visuals… . A useful and accessible guide that gives a holistic view.”
* Visual Resources Association Bulletin, on “The Visual Elements—Photography” *“It is rare that a book inspires creativity and is at the same time so useful and instructive.”
* American Journal of Physics, on “The Visual Elements—Photography” *“An outstanding resource with thoughtful analysis of the best practices intended for anyone interested in improving their communication through information visualization.”
* Technical Communication, on “The Visual Elements—Photography” *Felice C. Frankel
Felice C. Frankel is an award-winning science photographer and research scientist in the Department of Chemical Engineering, with support from Mechanical Engineering, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Working in collaboration with scientists and engineers, Frankel has had images appear in Nature, Science, Cell, The New York Times, National Geographic, PNAS, Newsweek, Scientific American, Discover, Popular Science, and New Scientist, among others.
She is the coauthor of Visual Strategies and author of Picturing Science and Engineering; The Visual Elements—Photography and The Visual Elements—Design, both also published by the University of Chicago Press; and most recently, Phenomenal Moments: Revealing the Hidden Science Around Us.
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