Interpreting Tables and Graphs A B C Introduction

Interpreting Tables and Graphs A B C

Introduction �Interpreting visuals (graphs and tables) is exclusively a science and business-related skill. FALSE �It is widely used in Education, Social and Human Sciences. TRUE

VISUALS • Comes first to introduce the information TEXT • Are used to support and explain the text • Visualize the concepts for easy understanding of the text • Visual representation helps to establish and reveal the existing relationship (cause/effect, correlation, compare/contrast RELATIONSHIP

Why do we use visuals? make the concept clearer and visualize the idea. Graphs Visuals Tables provide explain what isadditional in the text in a different way. information to that provided in the text. provide more exact details than is desirable in the text.

Types of graphs Line graph Bar graph Shows trends for one or more variables at a time. performance of two or more groups in different conditions, Presents categorical data; highest and lowest Graphs Pie chart Shows proportions presented in percentages shows Histogram numerical distributions rather than change

Writing about visuals Interpretation Introduction Time expressions Measurement expressions

Writing the introduction

Introduction : steps Step 3 Step 1 • Identify the main idea of the graph/table in the first sentence. Step 2 • Consider all the demonstrated details; units of measurements, time range, etc. • Consider the language to use: introductory expressions, verb tenses, time and measurements expressions

Introductory expressions

Introduction: tips � Refer to the visual directly. This table shows the age distribution of 1 st year LMD students. � Refer to the main message conveyed by the visual. There is a significant increase in students’ scores in the posttest � Avoid using personal pronouns; use the passive or impersonal constructions We can see from the graph ……. . The graph shows. . . . OR it can be seen from the graph….

�Avoid using the phrase: according to the graph as if the information comes from another source or person, and not from our own knowledge. “As the graph/table shows” can be a good alternative. �The word presents is best avoided since it needs a sophisticated noun indicating the general idea of the visual. The table presents an overview of students’ scores in the pretest. N noun

Grammar: tense Past tens e • The study/experiment/observation/test was conducted in a given time in the past. • In the first two tests, there was a significant increase in students’ writing scores. • During the second period of observation, anxiety level was decreasing, while active engagement increased.

• Events in the study/research come up to the present. (since, recently) Present perfect • The video-based instruction has been recently implemented to improve students’ vocabulary learning. • Students’ motivation has increased since the corrective feedback sessions began.

Past perfect/ future perfect • Starting with “BY”, you will often need to use the past perfect or the future perfect tense • By the end of the experimental treatment, students’ scores in paragraph writing had increased.

Expressions of measurement �Graphs and tables display measurements �Expressions of quantity should be used correctly. Nouns used to describe measurements Verbs associated with measurements Typical quantity phrases describing visuals

Expressions of measurements

Usage Divorce Unemployment Birth Growth Learning Rate Measurements in relation to the rest of the population, or involving changes over time

Writing the report Comparison The report Correlation Contrast

Tips �Avoid informality �Avoid narrative style (a report is not a story!)

�Avoid redundancy Twenty percent of students show active participation in oral class, while the other eighty percent show passive participation.

�Make general statements followed by specific details �Do not include points of views (just report what is observed) �Use correctly trends and changes-related vocabulary �Use compact/focused style �Avoid colorful language full of adjectives, adverbs and empty words