Visualizations can be an incredibly powerful tool for communicating data. Data visualizations can summarize large data sets into one view, allow for easy comparisons between variables, and show trends or relationships in data that cannot be seen by looking at the raw data. Empirical information and by extension data visualizations are often seen as objective and honest. Unfortunately, data visualizations are susceptible to errors that may make them misleading. When visualizations are made for public audiences that do not have the statistical training or subject matter expertise to identify misleading or misrepresented data, these errors can have very negative effects. There is a good deal of research on how best to create guidelines for creating or systems for evaluating data visualizations. Many of the existing guidelines have contradicting approaches to designing visuals or they stress that best practices depend on the context. The goal of this work is to define the guidelines for making visualizations in the context of a public audience and show how context-specific guidelines can be used to effectively evaluate and critique visualizations. The guidelines created here are a starting point to show that there is a need for best practices that are specific to public media. Data visualization for the public lies at the intersection of statistics, graphic design, journalism, cognitive science, and rhetoric. Because of this, future conversations to create guidelines should include representatives of all these fields.

Pilot suicide has been a topic that has seen increased discussion in the past decade, Aviation regulating bodies have introduced antidepressant programs to aid in reducing the harm depression and other mental illnesses cause pilots. These programs are varied in their structure however they all revolve around SSRI medications. The FAA HIMS SSRI program for American pilots issues a pathway that is long in duration and can place undue stress on pilots that choose to participate. This has led to high rates of under-reporting and non-treatment of mental illnesses in pilots.

Understanding major historical events often provides novel insights into current conflicts. More specifically, analyzing international disputes through the lens of identity, memory, and narrative systems creates a basis for comprehending the power of collective thought in large political systems. The Bosnian and Ukrainian Wars are unique case studies that show the interrelated nature of memory and identity politics. This thesis seeks to identify disinformation systems within these conflicts that contribute to a pan-Slavic identity. Additionally, it will show the connection between the Bosnian and Ukrainian Wars in its programming, narrative-building techniques, and use of identity as a basis for strength. Understanding how identity is formed under certain political atmospheres is essential because it strengthens our ideas of individual thought within community identities. Throughout this thesis a literature review will show the array of identity, memory, and misinformation studies, thus pointing to future research areas.