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Arrows

Nature Methods volume 8, page 701 (2011)Cite this article

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Arrows are one of the most commonly used graphical devices in scientific figures. In the July 2011 issue of Nature Methods alone I counted nearly 300 instances of arrows; more than half of the figures contain them. Given the widespread use of arrows, it is worthwhile to take a closer look at this privileged class of diagrammatic form and how we might benefit from its use.

In his thorough survey of diagrams Robert E. Horn documented hundreds of meanings for arrows, including metaphorical uses such as increases and decreases1. An arrow's geometric shape can tell us something about its purpose (Fig. 1b), but its meaning is refined and interpreted in context. Arrows are a special class of symbols that can have multiple meanings even when used in the same figure. A recently published figure has many arrows that are used to label parts, convey mechanical motion and show reagent flow (Fig. 1c).

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Figure 1: Arrows in scientific diagrams.
Figure 2: Functional qualities of arrows.

References

  1. Horn, R.E. Visual language: global communication for the 21st century (MacroVU, Inc., Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA, 1998).

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  2. Hesier, J. & Tversky, B. Cogn. Sci. 30, 581–592 (2006).

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  3. Sims, P. et al. Nat. Methods 7, 575–580 (2011).

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  1. Bang Wong is the creative director of the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology & Harvard and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.,

    Bang Wong

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Wong, B. Arrows. Nat Methods 8, 701 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1676

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