Analysis of progress in colorization of figures in a life science journal since the 1970s

Abstract

　This article examines how and why the colorization of figures in life science journals has progressed since the 1970s and considers the related issues to be addressed. Focusing on one international peer reviewed journal in life sciences, Cell, which was founded in 1974, we sampled 20 research articles of issues published every five years and analyzed when and how the colorization of graphics progressed.

　As a result of analyzing whether the figures were in color or grayscale, it was found that while most of the graphics in the 70s and 80s were grayscale, the number of color graphics began to increase from the 1990s and it exceeded that of grayscale graphics in the 2000s. Through the analysis of the graphics, it is suggested that digitization, changes in the experimental technologies and the production technologies of images, the increasing complexity of data, and internal factors of researchers have enhanced these changes.

　To promote the understanding and appropriate interpretation of images in academic journals, it is proposed to provide education on the visual design and literacy of academic images for researchers, establish standards on color usage, take measures to prevent malicious misleading by colors, and examine the cost for color figures.