Abstract:

The majority of today’s post-secondary students belong to Generation Z. Generation Z students grew up in a digital world and do not know a world without digital technology. This generation loves to use technology and research has shown students of this generation prefer to learn from YouTube videos rather than from a traditional lecture. Research also shows that they are visual learners. With this in mind, it may be time to revise the written research paper for the current generation of students in our classrooms.

Traditional research papers are assigned to students along with specific guidelines. For instance the paper should be at least three full pages, be double-spaced and include at least five quality references. Papers such as this have been the backbone of written research in classrooms for generations, but they may not be the best way for today’s students to present researched information.

Today’s students enjoy using technology and are visual learners. This combination lends itself into making a research paper into a visual representation of the information. These graphical interpretations can be referred to as infographics and can be easily created using online tools, or software already on a student’s computer at school. Well crafted infographics can provide clear and concise information in a visual manner. Students still need to complete the research, and follow specific guidelines, but are able to take that information and create a visualization of the research rather than a written paper describing the research.

This paper will explore the transformation of the traditional research paper into a visual representation of the research gathered. Real world classroom examples will be shared and suggestions for software and websites to create the infographics will also be explored.

Keywords:

Research Paper, Infographic, Generation Z.