Diversity & Inclusion in Images

Field: Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)

Table of ContentsReference WidgetRETURN TO TOCPREV6.1.7NEXT6.1.7 Diversity & Inclusion in ImagesACS Inclusivity Style GuideDiversity & Inclusion in ImagesSabrina J. AshwellSabrina J. AshwellSenior CopyeditorChemical & Engineering NewsEmail: [email protected]More by Sabrina J. Ashwellhttps://doi.org/10.1021/acsguide.60107 This publication is free to access through this site. Learn More Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society. Request reuse permissions Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail Note to the Reader: Alt text functionality in the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication is forthcoming. Until then, we have provided alt text under images. We apologize for the inconvenience.How to Choose ImagesBackground: Images convey an organization's values and its intended or desired audience. Because the chemistry community is and should be diverse, images that reflect that diversity are more accurate and will connect more with a chemistry audience. When people don't see themselves in images, they feel invisible and may even perform worse on tasks (1).Although it is important to consider various aspects of diversity in images, trying to represent all races, gender identities, ethnicities, etc. in every image is impossible and could seem unnatural. A more thoughtful approach will depict more authentic and realistic images.Recommendation: When choosing images, look for ones that reflect the diversity of the audience you have or want to have. The images should also match your content. Characteristics to think about varying in images include race and ethnicity, skin tone, gender identity and expression, age, disability status, body size and shape, and hair texture. When searching for stock images, use specific terms and descriptions so that you can find appropriate images. For example, instead of just "scientist", "lab worker", and "teacher", try "scientist in wheelchair", "Hispanic lab worker", and "Black female teacher smiling".Do not attempt to show every aspect of diversity in every image (see Performative Diversity in Images). Instead, be thoughtful about what makes sense for your content, its purpose, and your audience. For example, in an image of multiple people, consider whether you can include at least some varied characteristics (e.g., race, gender, age), and make sure that when you choose an image of a single person, you're not always depicting the same attributes in the same combinations. Seek guidance and feedback from others to evaluate whether your images are depicting diversity and are inclusive. In addition, involve a diverse group of people in the process of choosing, creating, and editing images for your content (see Involve a Diverse Group of People in the Creative Process).Examples of websites that focus on increasing the representation of marginalized groups in photos and illustrations include the following: General Humaaans: A mix-and-match tool for creating images with different skin tones, hair, clothes, and disabilities (free) Thenounproject.com: Icon and stock photos that celebrate diversity (free)Age Centre for Ageing Better's photo library: Images of people over 50 (free)Changing the Narrative and NextFifty Initiative's image bank: Images of people over 50 (free) Getty Images' Disrupt Aging Collection: Photos intended to combat age stereotypesUnsplash's Reframing Aging Collection: Images of older adults (free)Body size AllGo's plus-size stock photos: Stock photos of plus-size people (free) Body Liberation Stock: Stock images of larger-bodied peopleDisability Disabled and Here: Photos and illustrations celebrating people of color with disabilities (free) Getty Images' Disability Collection: Images of people with disabilities PUSHLiving: Stock images of people with disabilities SocietyPix's disability collection: Photos of people with disabilities (free for editorial purposes)Gender Gender Spectrum Collection: Stock photo library featuring images of trans and nonbinary models (free) Getty Images' Project #ShowUs: Stock images of women and nonbinary peopleRace and ethnicity Blackillustrations.com: Photo library of illustrations of Black people CreateHER: Stock images featuring Black women Despora: Images of South Asian people (free) Diversify.photo: Photographers of color Jopwell Collection: Stock photography featuring Black, Latino, and Native American professionals (free) Nappy.co: High-resolution photos of Black and Brown people (free) Pocstock: Stock images of people of color TONL: Culturally diverse stock photosExampleUse:FIGURE 6.1.1Illustration for an article on graduate school in the sciences (2).Alt text: A collage of various scenes from a Black student's experience, including publishing, researching, and teaching.Download MS PowerPoint SlideCredit: Ryan InzanaPerformative Diversity in ImagesBackground: Superficial displays of diversity and inclusion in images imply a lack of commitment to these ideals and can indicate a desire to deceive the audience or to pursue diversity for only personal or business gain rather than fair representation and true change. For example, having an image of people of color on the cover of a textbook but not inside is a form of bias (3). And choosing an image showing diversity that does not match the topic or trying to show every type of race in a single image may seem as if diversity and inclusion efforts are just a box-checking activity and not a thoughtful, intentional process. For example, if an article is about Black scientists, an image that shows many different races might not be appropriate. Instead, an image that shows the diversity of Black people would be a better choice.Recommendation: Before choosing an image for content, think carefully about what the image should accomplish, the topic covered, and the intended audience. Fully commit to making diversity and inclusion considerations part of the art process rather than thinking of diversity as a stand-alone factor that is taken into consideration only toward the end of content creation. For example, consider reorganizing the art process to think about diversity and inclusion at the beginning of every project, and recruit a diverse team of people to help create and choose images.ExamplesUse: In a video aiming to recruit new employees, having the president or CEO acknowledge the current lack of diversity and explain what they are doing to make the environment more welcoming to all employeesAvoid: Hiring a diverse cast to act as employees because the company doesn't have a diverse workforceUse: Consistently showing Black people in images on all platforms throughout the yearAvoid: Including images of Black people on social media only during Black History MonthStereotypes in ImagesBackground: Just because an image shows diversity or a person from an underrepresented group does not mean that it is respectful or inclusive. Some images perpetuate stereotypes through the subjects' actions, dress, environment, or positioning. For example, in a science textbook, depicting Black people only as athletes and not as scientists perpetuates stereotypes (3). Other examples of stereotypes in images include showing photos of transgender people before and after they transition and showing stereotypically gendered imagery of trans people. Publishing these kinds of images reinforces biases and disrespects people. Learning about your audience is one way to recognize and avoid harmful stereotypes in images.Recommendation: Examine how people are shown in images and evaluate whether the images reinforce harmful stereotypes. Some aspects to think about when reviewing images include people's positioning, such as who is above or supported by others; people's actions, including whether people are portrayed as actors or bystanders; and people's clothing. Do not choose images that perpetuate stereotypes or that have potentially demeaning portrayals of specific groups.Have a range of people review images for signs of bias, especially if the image is related to a cultural group outside your own (see Involve a Diverse Group of People in the Creative Process). When searching for images that are inclusive and respectful, look for databases by organizations committed to respectful portrayals of people. For example, several organizations have image banks that avoid stigma around body size.ExampleUse: In an article on body size, an image that shows a full person (not just their stomach) doing an everyday activityAvoid: An image that shows just a stomach or a person eating messilyAccuracy in ImagesBackground: Images send powerful messages. Images that contain inaccuracies can do harm, especially when the images are of people or related to people marginalized because of an aspect of their identity. Beyond the content in an image, an image's placement in relation to text may create an error if it incorrectly connects text to an image.Recommendation: Ensure images are accurate in terms of their content and placement in relation to other images and text. For example, if depicting a specific culture, consider whether the image is culturally accurate.ExampleUse: Pairing an image of an individual with a quote by that personAvoid: Pairing a quote from someone with a stock image of a different personEditing PhotosBackground: How photographs are edited can greatly affect how the audience perceives them. In addition, editors that have to crop photos may decide who gets to be seen by a wide audience. Photo illustrations—images that include altered photos or photos combined with illustrations—are also prone to bias and can perpetuate stereotypes, especially if a photo's manipulation is not readily perceivable or disclosed to the audience. Editing photos to artificially show more diversity (such as by using Photoshop to include more people of color in a photo) can also be inauthentic and treat diversity like a marketing tactic instead of a true value and is not condoned by the American Chemical Society.An additional consideration is using color and brightness correction for people with different skin tones. Sarah Lewis explains in a 2019 New York Times article, "Light skin became the chemical baseline for film technology". Properly adjusting images for different skin tones conveys respect for people and ensures fair and accurate representation in images.Recommendation: Follow your organization's ethical principles on editing photographs. ACS does not manipulate images in a way that will mislead or misrepresent people. Carefully consider how to crop images—who is being made visible, and who remains invisible? And when making photo illustrations, ensure that the way photos are edited does not perpetuate stereotypes (see Stereotypes in Images) or commodify diversity by exploiting marginalized identities for gain. In addition, editors should take special care to accurately depict darker skin tones in photographs.Skin Tones in IllustrationsBackground: All In, a toolkit by Google, says, "Across the board, people find illustrations with orange or yellow skin tones to represent white users." For example, Lego has gotten pushback for saying yellow is a skin color that could represent anyone. "LEGO figurines reflect the norms of a dominant culture under the guise of neutrality", Samantha Allen writes in the Daily Beast.Recommendation: When possible, choose human skin tones for human figures in illustrations. If it is important to use nonhuman skin tones, show a variety of shades of color to simulate the variety of skin tones in real life.Captions for ImagesBackground: Captions tell the audience who and what is happening in an image. Failing to mention someone or incorrectly identifying someone may be an honest mistake, but it may also be the result of unconscious bias and can contribute to people's feelings of exclusion. Consider the common experience among Asians of being mistaken for someone else of the same race. Misidentifying people in a photo can imply that you don't truly see or care about them.In addition, using different words to describe the same action by different people can show bias (e.g., using "looting" to describe a Black person but "finding" for White people in photos after Hurricane Katrina).Recommendation: Carefully consider who you name in a caption and how you do it. Generally, everyone should get equal treatment—for example, full names for everyone. If you do not know everyone's name or their name is not important to the audience's understanding, still acknowledge that other people are in the image (e.g., "team members", "lab mates"). If you give the job title or another piece of information for one person but not another, there should be a good reason.ExampleUse:FIGURE 6.1.2An image caption acknowledges the role of everyone in the photo (4).Caption: Several 2019 CAS Future Leaders pose with Sir Martyn Poliakoff (front) of the University of Nottingham, who is known for his periodic table videos. Alt text: Sir Martyn Poliakoff seated with eight young people behind him.Download MS PowerPoint SlideCredit: Linda Wang/C&EN References1Good, J1Good, J. J. The Effects of Gender Stereotypic and Counter-Stereotypic Textbook Images on Science Performance. J. Soc. Psychol. 2010, 150 (2), 132–147. DOI: 10.1080/00224540903366552 There is no corresponding record for this reference.2Wang, L2Wang, L. The Chemistry Graduate School Experience. C&EN, September 9, 2018, 96 (36). https://cen.acs.org/education/graduate-education/chemistry-graduate-school-experience/96/i36 (accessed 2021-10-08). There is no corresponding record for this reference.3King, D3King, D.; Domin, D. S. The Representation of People of Color in Undergraduate General Chemistry Textbooks. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84 (2), 342. DOI: 10.1021/ed084p342 There is no corresponding record for this reference.4Scenes from the ACS National Meeting in San Diego4 Scenes from the ACS National Meeting in San Diego. C&EN, September 14, 2019, 97 (36). https://cen.acs.org/acs-news/meetings/Scenes-from-the-ACS-national-meeting-in-San-Diego/97/i36 (accessed 2021-10-08). There is no corresponding record for this reference. PREVNEXT close the sidebar.Table of ContentsReference Widget Table of ContentsPART 1: Scientific Communication1.1Different Ways Scientists Communicate1.1.1Qualities of Effective Scholarly Communication1.1.2Communicating Science to Your Peers1.1.3Communicating Science to Decision-Makers1.1.4Communicating Science to the Public1.1.5Communicating via Social Media1.1.6Communicating via Video1.2Ethics in Scientific Publication1.2.1The Need for Ethics in Scholarly Communication1.2.2A Brief Overview of the Publication Process1.2.3Ethical Responsibilities of Authors1.2.4Ethical Responsibilities of Editors1.2.5Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers1.2.6Ethical Responsibilities after Publication1.2.7Additional Resources1.3Communicating Safety Information1.3.1Introduction1.3.2Safety Guidelines in Scientific Publications1.3.3Safety Summaries − Overview1.3.4Recognizing Hazards of Significant Concern1.3.5Formulating Safety Summary Statements1.3.6Example Safety Statements1.3.7Acronyms and Abbreviations of Safety Organizations & Concepts1.4Intellectual Property: Copyright, Permissions, & Beyond1.4.1Types of Intellectual Property1.4.2Managing Rights1.4.3Additional Resources & References1.5Open Access1.5.1Introduction1.5.2Benefits & Challenges of Open Access1.5.3What Are Your Open Access Options?1.5.4What Are Your Rights & Licensing Options?1.5.5How Can You Evaluate Your Options?1.5.6Common Misconceptions about Open Access1.5.7Looking Ahead1.6Chemistry Preprints1.6.1Introduction1.6.2What Is a Preprint?1.6.3How Do Preprints Work?1.6.4Concerns about Preprints1.6.5When to Submit to a Preprint Server1.6.6Citing Preprints in Scholarly Writing1.6.7Special Considerations & Use Cases1.6.8Conclusion1.7Poster Presentations1.7.1Poster Basics1.7.2Poster Design Principles1.7.3Tools for Creating & Printing Your Poster1.7.4Presenting Your Poster1.7.5Additional Resources1.8Effective Slide Presentations1.8.1Effective Slide Presentations1.8.2Design Principles for Slide Presentations1.8.3Preparing for Your Presentation1.8.4Delivering Your Presentation1.8.5Additional Resources1.9Creating Effective Patents1.9.1Introduction1.9.2Types of Patents1.9.3Filing a Utility Patent Application1.9.4Contents of a Patent Application1.9.5Patent Searching1.9.6Examination of the Patent Application1.9.7Legal Requirements to Obtain Utility Patents1.9.8Information Disclosure Statement1.9.9ConclusionPART 2: Scientific Journals2.1Writing about Your Research: Best Practices2.1.1Research & Publication2.1.2Becoming a Successful Author2.1.3What Makes an Effective Article: Checklist2.1.4When & How to Get Started2.1.5Finalizing Your Draft2.1.6Tools That Can Make Writing Easier2.1.7Collaborative Writing2.1.8Additional Resources & References2.2Selecting a Scientific Journal2.2.1Introduction2.2.2Journal Scope & Readership2.2.3Journal Quality2.2.4Time & Cost Issues2.2.5Types of Journal Content2.2.6Additional Resources2.3Organization of Your Research Article2.3.1Introduction2.3.2Title2.3.3Author List & Institutional Affiliations2.3.4Abstract & Table of Contents Abstract Graphic2.3.5Keywords & Introduction2.3.6Results & Discussion2.3.7Graphics, Tables, Chemical Structures, & Chemical Equations2.3.8Conclusions, Methods, & Safety Information2.3.9Citations, References, & Footnotes2.3.10Supporting Information & Web-Enhanced Objects2.3.11Author Information (Notes), Conflict of Interest Disclosure, & Acknowledgments2.3.12Additional Resources2.4Submission Procedures2.4.1Introduction2.4.2Publishing Policy & Ethics2.4.3Assembling Your Work2.4.4Submitting Your Manuscript2.4.5Associated Content: Supporting Information & Data Files2.4.6The Next Steps2.4.7Additional Resources2.5Peer Review2.5.1Introduction2.5.2The Peer Review Process2.5.3Responsibilities of Reviewers2.5.4Develop Your Skills as a Peer Reviewer2.5.5Responsibilities of Authors2.5.6Correspondence, Timeline, & Encouragement2.5.7Additional Resources2.6Postsubmission Procedures2.6.1Types of Decisions for Manuscripts2.6.2Accepted Publications Workflow & Policies2.6.3Postpublication DecisionsPART 3: Data in the Google Era3.0Data in the Google Era: An Introduction3.0.1Humans vs Machines3.0.2What Is Data?3.0.3From Dead Trees to Dead Bytes3.0.4And Then Came Google…3.0.5Outsmarting the Machines3.1Data Sharing3.1.1Why Share Data?3.1.2Reporting Data in the Digital Environment3.1.3FAIR Data Principles3.1.4Research Data Reporting in Chemistry3.1.5Preparing Your Data for Publication3.1.6Data Management3.1.7The Future of Data Sharing3.2Chemical Structures in the Google Era3.2.1Human vs Machine Interpretation3.2.2Traditions for Drawing Chemical Structures3.2.3Disconnect in Human & Machine Interpretations3.2.4Additional Machine Interpretation Problems3.2.5Improving Machine Readability of Chemical Structures: Checklist3.2.6The Future of Machine Interpretation of Chemical Structures3.3Digital Chemical Data3.3.1Chemical Data3.3.2Chemical Identifiers for Computers3.3.3Text-Based File Formats for Storing Chemical Data3.3.4Standards for Representation of Chemical Data3.3.5Community Approaches to Data Standards Development3.3.6Online Sources of Chemical Data3.3.7Looking to the FuturePART 4: Scientific Style Conventions4.1Graphics & Multimedia4.1.1Introduction4.1.2Effective Use of Graphics4.1.3Designing Graphics4.1.4Numbering, Citing, & Describing Graphics in the Manuscript4.1.5Table of Contents Graphics4.1.6Multimedia4.1.7The Use of Previously Published Graphics & Data4.1.8Additional Resources4.2Tables4.2.1When to Use Tables4.2.2Table Style Guidelines4.2.3Parts of a Table4.2.4Designing Tables4.2.5Additional Resources4.3References4.3.0References4.3.1Why Cite?4.3.2Creating References4.3.3ACS Style Quick Guide4.3.4Citation Elements4.3.5Reference Formatting & Examples by Source Types4.3.6Deriving a Citation for a New Content Type4.3.7Additional Resources4.4Chemical Conventions4.4.1Introduction4.4.2Subatomic Particles & Quanta4.4.3Electronic Configurations4.4.4Chemical Elements, Compounds, & Formulas4.4.5References to the Periodic Table4.4.6Atoms & Molecules4.4.7Isotopes4.4.8Radicals4.4.9Bonds4.4.10Crystallography4.4.11Chirality, Stereochemical Configuration, & Optical Activity4.4.12Concentration4.4.13Reactions4.4.14Reporting Analytical Results4.4.15Citing ASTM, ANSI, & ISO Standards4.4.16Symbols for Commonly Used Physical Quantities4.4.17Additional Resources4.5Chemical Structures4.5.1When to Use Structures4.5.2How to Cite Structures4.5.3Creating Chemical Structure Graphics: Checklist4.5.4Software to Create Chemical Structures4.5.5How to Submit Chemical Structure Images4.5.6How to Submit Chemical Structure Supporting Information Files4.6 Chemical Compound Nomenclature4.6.1Introduction4.6.2Where Do Chemical Names Come From?4.6.3General Chemical Guidelines4.6.4Polymers4.6.5Specialized Chemical Guidelines4.6.6Appendix 1: Brief Guide to the Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry4.6.7Appendix 2: Brief Guide to the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry4.6.8Appendix 3: A Brief Guide to Polymer Nomenclature, Version 1.0 (2012)PART 5: Editorial Style Conventions5.1Effective Writing & Word Usage5.1.1Effective Writing5.1.2Five Common Word Usage Pitfalls5.1.3Word Usage5.1.4Phrases to Avoid & Suggested Alternatives5.1.5Additional Resources5.2Grammar, Punctuation, & Spelling5.2.1Introduction5.2.2Grammar5.2.3Punctuation5.2.4Spelling5.2.5Spelling Recommendations5.2.6Additional Resources5.3General Style Conventions5.3.1Introduction5.3.2Bold, Italics, & Special Characters5.3.3Capitalization5.3.4Hyphenation5.3.5Digital Terms & Conventions5.3.6Names5.3.7Abbreviations5.3.8Abbreviations List5.3.9Symbols List5.3.10Additional Resources5.4Numbers, Mathematics, & Units of Measure5.4.1Numerals5.4.2Mathematics5.4.3Specialized Notation5.4.4Units of Measure5.4.5The International System of Units (SI)5.4.6Additional ResourcesPART 6: Inclusivity6.1ACS Inclusivity Style Guide6.1.1Introduction6.1.2General Guidelines6.1.3Age6.1.4Disabilities, Disorders, & Other Health Conditions6.1.5Gender & Sexuality6.1.6Race, & & Inclusion in of or & Resources to and Quick Guide to ACS Style & & or & Preprints Data & & Publications & International and Images & Journal Just or Preprints & Publications Sources to & from C&EN, & & Safety Data & General in Standards & & & General In This of ContentsReference Widget