The Visualization of Qualitative Data: Words

Writing in words is as creative an exercise as writing with creative or artistic illustrations. Excessive visual embellishments can distract rather than serve the author’s purpose; they could also undermine the significance of the conclusions and the means adopted to get to them. An illustration, a figure or a picture is a representation of the reality that is further removed from it than are simple persuasive arguments in prose. This short article argues therefore that there is no substitute for words in the actual presentation of any research.