Images and Captions
Any lazy student can cut and paste a picture or map into a Geography essay - so don't expect any reward for doing something so basic. To boost your grade, you need to do some work to have the right images and captions that will give your report that instant WOW! factor that will influence the person grading it.
Examiners are always swayed by the presentation of your work. So, play the game and improve your grade. You should be aware that you probably don't have the same level of visual literacy that the examiner has. An experienced geographer with a 'good eye' will notice immediately if your images are substandard. A terrible photo will be mocked by your reader, who will then have low expectations of what you have written.
Examiners are always swayed by the presentation of your work. So, play the game and improve your grade. You should be aware that you probably don't have the same level of visual literacy that the examiner has. An experienced geographer with a 'good eye' will notice immediately if your images are substandard. A terrible photo will be mocked by your reader, who will then have low expectations of what you have written.
Using the right image
- A fieldwork photograph taken by you is always more engaging than the one you have copied from somebodies website.
- Your chosen picture should meet basic standards of photography.
- Avoid photos that have text stamped over then. Eg Shutterstock or Getty Images.
- The image should support and integrate with the main body of text in your essay.
- Too many photographs can ruin your work.
Whether it is a photograph, map, satellite image, graph or diagram - your essay or fieldwork report will benefit from having a good selection of relevant and informative images with suitable captions to match.
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There are billions of photographs on the World Wide Web and you chose that one? |
Captions
If you can't think of a relevant caption, consider whether the image is useful to your essay.
Not all images need a caption - the photograph at the top of this page does not have a caption. However, a caption should not be a missed opportunity to get your message across. The sentence under your photograph, or map, is part of your essay and a good student will use it to boost her grade.
Captions stand out from the main body of text. Some speed-reading examiners will focus more on your captions than the other words in your report. Remember that the person grading your work is a human being who has his limitations.
Not all images need a caption - the photograph at the top of this page does not have a caption. However, a caption should not be a missed opportunity to get your message across. The sentence under your photograph, or map, is part of your essay and a good student will use it to boost her grade.
Captions stand out from the main body of text. Some speed-reading examiners will focus more on your captions than the other words in your report. Remember that the person grading your work is a human being who has his limitations.
Some examples ...
Figure 1:
Areas of urban development and vegetation are visible in this false-colour satellite image. Source NASA World Wind.
Figure 1 is an example of an image and a caption taken from a Wikipedia article about Hong Kong. The image is good quality and the caption is informative.
Although the caption is fit for purpose, it probably does not meet the needs of your essay title. You will need to write a new caption that helps the reader understand the geography of Hong Kong - as required by the title of your essay.
If you look again at the photograph at the top of this page, you might think that Hong Kong should be called Hong Kongcrete, yet the NASA image shows large areas of countryside in Hong Kong.
Although the caption is fit for purpose, it probably does not meet the needs of your essay title. You will need to write a new caption that helps the reader understand the geography of Hong Kong - as required by the title of your essay.
If you look again at the photograph at the top of this page, you might think that Hong Kong should be called Hong Kongcrete, yet the NASA image shows large areas of countryside in Hong Kong.
Figure 2: Over 66% of Hong Kong's land is used for woodland, scrubland, grassland or wetlands.
Figure 2 is the same NASA image that has been given some simple annotations and labels.
Although you won't get credit just for finding this image on the web, you can be awarded marks for adding your own 'layer' of information. Just make sure that you keep it simple and relevant.
In this case the caption contains an important statistic from the Hong Kong Planing Department that helps the reader interpret the image and shows the examiner that you have made your own specific analysis.
If you have not been to Hong Kong, have your perceptions of this former colony been changed by this information?
Although you won't get credit just for finding this image on the web, you can be awarded marks for adding your own 'layer' of information. Just make sure that you keep it simple and relevant.
In this case the caption contains an important statistic from the Hong Kong Planing Department that helps the reader interpret the image and shows the examiner that you have made your own specific analysis.
If you have not been to Hong Kong, have your perceptions of this former colony been changed by this information?
Figure 3: A map of Hong Kong showing large areas of green space.
Figure 3 - the caption is plain wrong.
It's not a map - unless you want to get über nerdy and argue that satellite images are a type of map.
Also, the reader is left wondering what the "green space" might be.
Finally, none of the captions make it clear that the areas coloured purple are urban.
It's not a map - unless you want to get über nerdy and argue that satellite images are a type of map.
Also, the reader is left wondering what the "green space" might be.
Finally, none of the captions make it clear that the areas coloured purple are urban.
The Numpty and the Nerdy
When you compare the two captions below, it is very easy to distinguish between the informative and the low scoring versions.
The caption on the left is 100% accurate. Yes, it is a photograph but why do you need to insult your reader by telling her that it's a photo? [Duh!] Only to be followed by - a graph showing ... a map showing ... [scream!!!] Also, since the Pacific is a rather large place, the caption is meaningless. Such a weak caption is a missed opportunity to hook the attention of the reader.
In contrast, the informative caption (right) has summarised, in just one sentence, the key idea found in a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). If you click on either photograph, you will see that all credit for the good caption goes to Sophie Yeo writing for the Guardian.
The caption on the left is 100% accurate. Yes, it is a photograph but why do you need to insult your reader by telling her that it's a photo? [Duh!] Only to be followed by - a graph showing ... a map showing ... [scream!!!] Also, since the Pacific is a rather large place, the caption is meaningless. Such a weak caption is a missed opportunity to hook the attention of the reader.
In contrast, the informative caption (right) has summarised, in just one sentence, the key idea found in a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). If you click on either photograph, you will see that all credit for the good caption goes to Sophie Yeo writing for the Guardian.
A photograph of a coral reef in the Pacific.
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Coral reefs worldwide are facing a mass bleaching event due to high ocean temperatures, says Noaa. Photograph: Alamy.
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Don't credit Google
You may have found the image using a search engine, but it is unlikely that the photograph is the property of that search engine.
If you download an image, you should give credit to the website where the image was originally posted - not Google.
Avoid saying, "I found it on Google" - you actually found it using Google.
If you download an image, you should give credit to the website where the image was originally posted - not Google.
Avoid saying, "I found it on Google" - you actually found it using Google.