This open textbook, made possible through a Textbook Creation Grant from the PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning program, introduces students to the principles of effective data visualization and how to use visualization techniques to effectively communicate information and insights. As a peer-reviewed, open educational resource—OER—it is entirely free to students and is ready for use in any classroom.
“Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Effectively” equips students with foundational skills for presenting data clearly and persuasively. It introduces core principles of data visualization and explores how thoughtful presentation can strengthen communication, minimize misinterpretation, and enhance decision-making.
The book offers guidance on selecting appropriate visual formats, applying effective scaling and labeling, and avoiding common errors and biases in data presentation. Through practical exercises, students will gain hands-on experience with tools such as Excel and Power BI, along with decision-support frameworks like Ishikawa diagrams, SWOT analysis, and decision trees.
“It is my hope that faculty and students will unlock the power of data with this free textbook,” says Mitchell. “This comprehensive guide empowers students to transform complex data into clear, impactful visual narratives, enhancing communication and decision-making through strategic design choices and practical experience. The book features detailed instructions for creating Excel dashboards and step-by-step guides for building robust Power BI reports and dashboards, giving students the skills to build dynamic visualizations and address communication gaps effectively.”
“I see ‘Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Effectively’ as a happy companion resource for professors, researchers, students, and professionals aiming to enhance the clarity and impact of their work," adds Deckard. “In today's fast-paced world, communicators have a plethora of tools at their disposal to convey crucial information. However, audiences are also bombarded with distractions that can hinder effective communication. This text acts as a trusted ally, helping users navigate through the noise and deliver their messages powerfully and persuasively.”
“I am thrilled with the announcement of the publication of Dr. Mitchell’s and Professor Deckard’s textbook,” says Rusty Tryon, Director of the Library and Associate Professor at SMWC and PALNI Board Director. “Dr. Mitchell has been a champion of all things open on our campus and has participated in virtually every PALSave initiative. She is a model of keeping affordability and student success at the center of her instructional work. I applaud Dr. Mitchell’s efforts to bring others alongside her in this important work, especially graduate students. She is training up a new generation of professors and instilling in them the value of open practices. Dr. Mitchell and Professor Deckard deserve and have my deep, heartfelt congratulations on this impressive achievement.”
Mitchell and Deckard received a PALSave Textbook Creation Grant for the project in 2023. Offered to faculty from PALNI-supported institutions, the grant allows educators to develop open textbooks that are freely available online, making them part of a nationwide effort to reduce the cost of course materials for college students. Each grant provides a maximum of $6,500 per project or $5,000 per author. Currently, there are 14 grant-funded titles published or in production through PALNI.
“These authors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in communicating data effectively to this project. Additionally, their commitment to open education aligns seamlessly with PALSave's goal of fostering the creation and adoption of affordable and accessible learning materials,” says Amanda Hurford, PALNI Scholarly Communications Director and PALSave program lead. “Thanks to their work, countless students will have access to critical material for understanding and applying skills in data visualization and interpretation. PALNI is grateful to them for making this free resource widely available.”
Project Manager Victoria Peters, Scholarly Communication and Resource Services Librarian at DePauw University, also supported the book’s creation.
“Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Effectively” by Jennie Mitchell and Trent Deckard is available for free through the PALNI Open Press.
Visit PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning online to learn more about Textbook Creation Grants and other OER opportunities offered through PALNI.
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PALNI's PALSave Textbook Creation Grant Program awards funding to faculty members from PALNI-supported institutions to create open textbooks.
Faculty are periodically invited to submit creation grant proposals for the courses they teach. Textbooks may cover any discipline at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. PALNI seeks proposals for textbooks geared toward specific fields of study that meet the inclusion criteria for the Open Textbook Library. Projects are selected for funding based on proposal quality, clearly defined goals, need within the current open access body of work, and adoption potential within PALNI schools and beyond.
PALNI coordinates peer review, copyediting, layout, and hosting services to assist grant recipients in their textbook creation. Each textbook is also supported by a local project manager to monitor progress and answer questions throughout development. The open textbooks are published on the PALNI Open Press-supported Pressbooks platform alongside other faculty-contributed works and are ultimately submitted to the Open Textbook Library and OER repositories. Visit the PALSave website to learn more: palni.org/palsave.
The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is a non-profit organization that supports collaboration for library and information services for 24 colleges, universities and seminaries throughout the state. From its inception in 1992, the PALNI collaboration has been a key avenue for its supported institutions to contain costs while providing more effective library services. More recently, PALNI has adopted a model of deep collaboration that pools resources and people as a tool to expand services while containing costs. Simultaneously, PALNI is expanding collaboration within its institutions and with external library partners to address challenges and build cost-effective services. Visit the PALNI website for more information. (www.palni.org)
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