PSYC 579
– Essays
An essay is due from 1-3 designated students at
the beginning of each class. The
purpose of these essays is to help familiarize students with integrating
knowledge of psychological mechanisms with visual design, as well as to practice
skills in analysis and communication.
To this end, each essay will also be the target of analysis by groups of
students in class.
Deadline: 12 hours before class (1 pdf file)
The essays received will be posted on the
website (on the topic webpage) before noon on the day of the class. Students are advised to download these
ahead of time; they will be the basis for analyses and discussions during
class.
The essay will discuss how perceptual
mechanism can connect with various issues in visual design.
o
In general, 3 examples are needed. For
weeks 1 & 2, only 2 examples are required.
o
Examples from the required readings for
that day cannot be used.
(Examples from the suggested readings or elsewhere are fine; in fact, this
is one of the reasons for these readings.)
For Section 1, one example from
the required readings can be used.
Each connection must make a difference—e.g., how
knowledge of a perceptual system can result in a visualization being easier to
use, or how a visualization design might be harnessed to investigate a
perceptual mechanism.
A. Tuesday: (Perception: influences on / suggestions for design):
The essay will propose and justify 3
(early on, 2) concrete examples of either how the perceptual mechanisms discussed
that day can either (i) support an existing design
feature of some kind, or (ii) suggest a new kind of design feature that might
work. One example is to be given
for each of 3 (early on, 2) design areas—e.g., HCI, maps, information
visualization.
o
In
Sections 1 and 2, design areas can be any described in the Schedule.
o
Each
example must involve a different design area.
o In Section
3, these must be design areas covered earlier, or in that class.
B. Thursday (Design: reliance on /
implications for perception)
The essay will propose and justify 3
(early on, 2) concrete examples of either (i) how a
perceptual mechanism can support a design of the type covered that day, or (ii)
how the ease/difficulty of using such a design can suggest new knowledge about
perceptual mechanisms. One
example is to be given for each of 3 (early on, 2) perceptual mechanisms—e.g.,
color perception, perceptual organization, attention.
o
In
Sections 1 and 2, perceptual mechanisms can be any described in the Schedule.
o
Each
example must involve a different perceptual mechanism.
o In
Section 3, these must be perceptual mechanisms covered earlier, or in that
class.
Each student will submit 5 essays, at least two of
each type (perception, design). If
the 3 essays / 2 presentations option is chosen, there should be at least one
essay of each type.
o Font: Times
New Roman, 12 point
o Margins: 1-1.5
inch, all sides
o Lines: Single-spaced;
numbered
o
Printing: N/A
– send in pdf file
o
Figures: Can
include up to 2; must be relevant.
o Each figure can
have two images, if these are for comparison.
o Copies: 1 pdf file (send to instructor)
o Your assigned code
name should be on the upper right hand corner of every page.
o Word
count at top right-hand side.
o Include title on
the top of the first page.
o Include line
numbers on your essay.
1. Brief opening paragraph – introduce question /
issue, definitions
2. Content paragraphs, 1-2 per example
3. Brief concluding paragraph
Note: Narrative
structure (ABT) should be present in essays for Sections 2 and 3.