1. Interpreting Tables and GraphsC

2. 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

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

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

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

6. Measurement expressions
Writing about visuals
Interpretation
Introduction
Time expressions
Measurement expressions

7. Writing the introduction

8. Introduction : steps 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.
Step 3
Consider the language to use: introductory expressions, verb tenses, time and measurements expressions

9. Introductory expressions

10. Introduction: tips Refer to the visual directly.
This table shows the age distribution of 1st 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….

11. 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

12. Grammar: tense Past tense
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.
Past tense

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

14. 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.
Past perfect/ future perfect

15. 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

16. Expressions of measurements

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

19. Writing the report
The report
Comparison
Contrast
Correlation

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

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

22. 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