1. Understanding Key Features of Data Vocabulary you can use data feature period changes trend pattern You will be asked to describe a chart, diagram, table or graph. Look to see if the data changes over time or is only about one fixed time

2. Writing an Introductory Statement The opening statement about the data should contain general information, but should not simply repeat the words in the diagram, chart, graph, or table. Here is a sample of an opening sentence: The graph shows how many students were studying five different subjects at the university level between 1996 and 2000. You can start talking about the data with: The graph shows _________ The bar chart shows _______ The table shows __________ It is a good idea to say what time period the data covers. You can say: The (graph/bar chart/table) shows _______________ between the years ______ and ________.

3. Country of Residence 19911993199519971999 United States 259267288310393 Canada5148556175 United Kingdom 258302335388509 Germany75102120125140 Other Europe 172200259319389 The data below show how many tourists from five countries visited Australia from 1991-1999. Write a report describing the information. Which of the following statements would be the best general description for the data? Note: The figures are in the thousands ( 000s)

4. Country of Residence 1991199 3 199 5 19971999 United States259267288310393 Canada5148556175 United Kingdom258302335388509 Germany75102120125140 Other Europe172200259319389 The table shows the rise in the number of visitors to Australia from a number of other countries worldwide over the 1990's. Looking at the data on the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries in Europe, we can see that the number of visitors to Australia from all these countries (1) increased significantly over time. (2) The biggest increase was in visitors from other countries in Europe, which (3) more than doubled over the period. (4) The largest number of visitors in total came from United Kingdom, (5) which rose from 258 thousand to 509 thousand. Visitors from the United States also (6) increased over the decade. (7) There were considerably fewer visitors from Canada, although the figure (8) rose over the same period from 51,000 to 75,000, with most of the increase occurring in the second half of the decade. (9) There were almost as many visitors from the United Kingdom as from all of the other European countries, including Germany. However, by 1999, (10) there were nearly as many tourists from the other European countries as from the United States. Here is a model answer to the question

5. The table shows the rise in the number of visitors to Australia from a number of other countries worldwide over the 1990's. Looking at the data on the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries in Europe, we can see that the number of visitors to Australia from all these countries (1) increased significantly over time. (2) The biggest increase was in visitors from other countries in Europe, which (3) more than doubled over the period. (4) The largest number of visitors in total came from United Kingdom, (5) which rose from 258 thousand to 509 thousand. Visitors from the United States also (6) increased over the decade. (7) There were considerably fewer visitors from Canada, although the figure (8) rose over the same period from 51,000 to 75,000, with most of the increase occurring in the second half of the decade. (9) There were almost as many visitors from the United Kingdom as from all of the other European countries, including Germany. However, by 1999, (10) there were nearly as many tourists from the other European countries as from the United States. Look at the text and group the phrases in bold into one of the two categories: Describing TrendsComparing Data (1) increased significantly over time (2) The biggest increase was in When you write about graphs, bar charts and tables you will want to describe trends and compare data.

6. Describing Trends Useful language for describing trends: The number The average number rose increased decreased fell dropped doubled tripled slightly gradually steadily sharply significantly dramatically over the decade over the year between 1990 and 2000 from 1990 to 1997 in the same period in the same year 1991 259267 19911993 The number of visitors from the USA increased slightly between 1991 and 1993. For these examples, write a sentence describing the trend shown in the data using the useful language. USA UK 19911993 19911993 CANADA GERMANY

7. Useful Language for Comparing Data Simple Comparatives Australia is bigger than German y is more expensi ve than the UK. German y is (not) as cold as the UK. Comparing Figures There were significantly considerably far slightly fewer less more (noun)than There were (not) nearly as many much (noun)as There were almost/more then twice/thre e times as many much (noun) as

8. Simple Superlatives Canadaisthebiggestcountry Germanyisthemost expensive country Using superlatives to describe figures Thebiggestincreasewas in largestnumber ofwas from smallest most significant Write sentences comparing the data in each section. Ca nad a Germ any 48102 1993 In 1993 there were more than twice as many visitors from Germany as from Canada. UK Germany 509140 UKUS 258259 1999 1991 1999 UKGermanyCanada 50914075

9. Bar Charts