Infographics: Ways of seeing and reading science in media

Abstract

This article aims to analyze an infographic of scientific popularization in media (from now on DCM, the acronym for the Portuguese phrase divulgação científica midiática. In this infographic we analyze scientific information optimized by means of plastic (eidetic, chromatic, topological) and verbal resources. We evidence that infographics' multisemiotic configuration uses descriptive-explanatory and argumentative procedures. The target-subject may be favorable or not to the truth syncretically built by means of words and images. We can conclude that the DCM infographic: (i) performs a demonstrative-argumentative action, when presenting evidences; (ii) diffuses facts and scientific phenomena in a mediatic way; (iii) integrates actions towards formal and informal scientific literacy.