Graphics Are Important in Technical Communication Because They

Graphics Are Important in Technical Communication Because They Can: • Help you communicate information that is difficult to communicate with words • Help you clarify and emphasize information • Catch the reader's attention and interest • Help nonnative speakers of English understand the information • Help communicate information to multiple audiences with different interests, aptitudes, and reading habits Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Graphics Offer Benefits That Words Alone Cannot: • Graphics are almost indispensable in demonstrating logical and numerical relationships. • Graphics can communicate spatial information more effectively than words alone. • Graphics can communicate steps in a process more effectively than words alone. • Graphics can save space. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Characteristics of an Effective Graphic • A graphic should have a purpose. • A graphic should be honest. • A graphic should be simple and uncluttered. • A graphic should present a manageable amount of information. • A graphic should meet the reader's format expectations. • A graphic should be clearly labeled. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Integrating Graphics and Text • Place the graphic in an appropriate location. • Introduce the graphic in the text. • Explain the graphic in the text. • Make the graphic clearly visible. • Make the graphic accessible. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Four Aspects of the Document to Consider as You Plan Graphics • Audience • Purpose • The kind of information you want to communicate • Physical conditions Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Principles of Using Color in Graphics and Page Design • Use color to emphasize particular items. • Use color to create patterns. • Take advantage of any symbolic meanings colors may already have. • Use contrast effectively. • Don't overdo it. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Basic Kinds of Graphics Used to Display Numerical Values • Tables • Bar graphs • Pictographs • Line graphs • Pie charts Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Creating Effective Tables and Graphs • Indicate the units of measure. • List the items being compared. • Arrange the data clearly and logically. • Do the math. • If possible, begin the quantity scale at zero. • Use tick marks—marks along the axis— or grid lines to signal the amounts. • If you did not generate the information yourself, indicate your source. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Creating Effective Pie Charts • Restrict the number of slices to six or seven. • Begin with the largest slice at the top and work clockwise in decreasing-size order, unless you have a good reason to arrange them otherwise. • Include a miscellaneous slice for very small quantities that would make the chart unclear. • Label the slices (horizontally, not radially) inside the slice, if space permits. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Creating Effective Pie Charts (cont. ) • To emphasize one slice, use a bright, contrasting color or separate the slice from the pie. • Check to see that your software follows the appropriate guidelines for pie charts. • Don't overdo fill patterns. • Check that your percentages add up to 100. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Graphics Used to Illustrate Visual and Spatial Characteristics • Photographs • Screen shots • Line drawings • Maps Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Presenting Photographs Effectively • Eliminate extraneous background clutter that can distract your reader. • Do not electronically manipulate the photograph. • Help the reader understand the perspective. • If appropriate, include some common object, such as a coin or a ruler, in the photograph to give readers a sense of scale. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Three Advantages of Line Drawings over Photographs • Line drawings can focus the reader's attention on desired information better than a photograph can. • Line drawings can highlight information that might be obscured by bad lighting or a bad angle in a photograph. • Line drawings are sometimes easier for readers to understand than photographs are. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Creating Effective Graphics for Multicultural Readers • Be aware that reading patterns differ. • Be aware of varying cultural attitudes toward giving instruction. • Deemphasize trivial details. • Avoid culture-specific language, symbols, and references. • Portray people very carefully. • Be particularly careful in portraying hand gestures. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's

You Do Not Need to Cite Graphics in the Following Cases: • You created the graphic yourself. • Your organization owns the copyright to the graphic. • You are using the graphic in a document that is written for a course assignment and that will not be published. • The graphic is in the public domain and therefore is not covered by copyright laws. Chapter 14. Creating Graphics © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's