The cartoon and ethics: Their role in technical information

The author provides an overview of the application of cartoons in technical information. The theory of cartoons is tied to a rhetorical view of communication in that cartoons are deliberate deformations of realities. In addition to this rhetorical basis, the cartoon also depends on cultural biases and the recognition of certain iconic types to be useful communication elements. Based on a discussion of this theoretical and historical background, several guidelines for the use of cartoons in technical information are offered.