Wednesday, 5 October 2016

publications - Does careful selection of graph colors in a manuscript have any positive impact on reviewers?


I have just completed an article in which results are interpreted by means of 3D-plots; there are almost 15 plots in my article. Since plots could have a major impact on the reviewers’ decision, I am little worried about the colors used, which are actually very bright. Do the colors used in my plots really matter? If so, what type of colors should one should use in graphs?



Answer



Some people will tell you that colors shouldn't matter because only data should matter. Those people are wrong.


All human readers (including reviewers) find some graphical presentations easier to digest and comprehend than others, and the choices that matter include color. Of particular note, it is often important to consider color-blind readers, who are up to 10% of males, depending on population, (though many fewer females).


Color sets that work well for color-blind readers often work well for non-color-blind readers as well. You can find a number of good resources online to help you decide what colors to use, such as this "Color Universal Design" site, among many others.


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