Grab you textbooks 4 th period! Effectively Incorporating Visuals into Your Documents 1

How do we make sure our visuals are effective? To add effective visuals, we must consider many alternatives, from the type of visual we use, to the font and size of its label, to its position on our page. Strategies: 1. Think about your purpose and goals. 2. Evaluate your choices. 3. Pick an appropriate visual. 4. Establish a consistent format. 2

1. Think About Your Purpose and Goals… …For both your document and for your visuals Your purpose will give you clues for picking an appropriate visual. 3

Still Thinking About Your Purpose and Goals PurposeSome Possible Visuals Are you showing an example? Listing numerical results? Illustrating a complicated process? Categorizing items into groups? Show something changing over time? Or even to establish a certain tone? 4

2. Evaluate Your Choices Tables, charts, graphs, pictures, illustrations, boxed quotes, callouts, bulleted lists, and many others  Demonstration of MS Word visuals Try looking at similar documents for ideas. See what works and what doesn’t. 5

Still Evaluating Choices: Back to the Purpose PurposeSome Possible Visuals Are you showing an example?Photograph, Illustration Listing numerical results?Table, Bulleted List Illustrating a complicated process? Diagram, Flowchart, Photograph of parts Categorizing items into groups?Table, Pie Chart, Diagram Show something changing over time? Line graph, Bar graph Or even to establish a certain tone? Photograph, Clipart, Text Box with Quote 6

3. Pick an Appropriate Visual An appropriate visual is one that will best achieve your purposes and goals for the visual and for the document.  Does the visual provide information that helps my document achieve its purpose?  Does the visual help my reader understand what I’m talking about?  Is the visual easy to interpret and understand?  If it takes more than a minute to comprehend the visual, it is probably inappropriate in some way. 7

4. Establish a Format Text styles, colors, shapes, shadows, borders, shading, and organization in relation to the text all affect the appropriateness and effectiveness of your visual. Check for rules about formatting visuals, either from your teacher or from your field. Again, look at similar documents for ideas on formatting. 8

Some Rules for Formatting Formal documents, like academic and business documents, follow a standard format that aids your reader in using the visuals effectively. 1. Label your visuals consistently. 2. Always refer to your visual in your text. 3. Make sure your visuals fit well into the organization of your page (for any document). 9

Labeling: Tables vs. Figures What’s the difference between a table and a figure? Label Tables above Label Figures below Number them if you have more than one or two MOST IMPORTANTLY, make sure that your labels are consistently formatted. 10

Referring to Visuals in Text Note the visual and explain its significance within your text.  “Figure 5 illustrates the process of lead turning into gold. Note that Step 3 involves... This step is significant because….”  “The coordinates of the treasure point to a spot North of Hawaii (see Figure 4). This point looks easy to reach from the map, but in actuality…” 11

Achieving Organization Look at your page from far away. Does it seem well-balanced? Does it look intentionally organized? Is the visual as close as possible to the text that refers to it? Consider these questions, and organize your document so that it is clear, attractive, and easy to read. Simpler is often better. 12

Example of Poor Organization NOTE: Microsoft Word has a variety of visuals you can insert into documents. Click the Insert tab in Word 2007 and check out the Tables, Illustrations, and Text boxes. To format a visual you have already inserted, click the Format tab or right click on the visual. 13

Example of Better Organization NOTE: Microsoft Word has a variety of visuals you can insert into documents. 1. Click the Insert tab in Word 2007 and check out the Tables, Illustrations, and Text boxes. 1. To format a visual you have already inserted, click the Format tab or right click on the visual. Figure: Chart of Stuff 14

Conclusion 1. Think about your purpose and goals for both your document and for your visuals 1. Evaluate your choices 1. Pick an appropriate visual 1. Establish a Format A. Label consistently B. Refer to visuals in the text C. Make sure your organization is effective and easy to use 15