Document Type

Article

Abstract

Many nurses are not familiar with the highly technical language of research and the types of graphics that researchers use to communicate findings, creating a major barrier to research utilization in nursing. In an effort to find alternative approaches to displaying research results, W.G. Cole introduced "metaphor graphics" a decade ago as a way of graphically representing knowledge. He proposed that data be summarized using visual metaphors - i.e., abstract signs and symbols - to show patterns and convey meaning. Viewing human beings as imperfect processors of information who tend to reason using pattern recognition and mental models, Cole hypothesized that visual metaphors would improve the uptake of scientific information. The author explores an effort to incorporate and evaluate metaphor graphics in the communication of sleep-promotion research.

Disciplines

Health Services Research | Library and Information Science | Nursing

Comments

This is the publisher's pdf version as referenced in the recommended citation, and archived by explicit permission.

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