What language should J STEP

O il
I use to interpret tables ■ 3
and graphs? ■ A
!E xperts often possess more data than judgment. ’
Colin Powell

Reflection
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Analyze this graph and write three sentences which highlight the main results.
Value of company (in millions of US$) Example: There was a slight
increase in the value of the company
between 2 0 0 6 and 20 0 7 .
1.

2.

3.

Contextual ization
Match the words in bold with their definitions in the column on the right.
• All sentences are taken from an academic o n l in e c o r p u s .

The loss of status as many nations reserve currency may have the same value
cause the dollar to plummet even further. (negative connotation)
The White Army reached a peak of 100,000, compared fall quickly
with the Red Army, which had over three and a half million
members in 1920.
As shown in table 3, in the distribution sector as a whole, gradual increase over a period
output stagnated in the interwar period. of time
After exercise, the pulse rate shot up to 110 but the S p02 significant (possibly
level remained constant at 98. exponential) rise
Not only has the population increased, but so has China’s high point, maximum value
economy, which has seen a steady rise between 1978
and 2006.
The strain within the gel increased dramatically have the same value
t o -40,000% . (neutral positive connotation)
 Q Analysis
What information should I analyze in a table or graph?
Tables and graphs are a core component of many essays, especially those in the sciences or
social sciences. These tables and graphs may either be cited from books and articles, or they
may have emerged from your own e m p ir ic a l r e s e a r c h .
When interpreting tables and graphs, it is important to identify the main results and relate these
to the reader. Poor essays will often describe everything, even minor, unimportant points.
Detailed description of a table or graph may, at times, be necessary; however, good academic
writing will tend to analyze tables and graphs to focus on either meaningful issues or overall
patterns and trends.
Meaningful issues (e.g., high point, low point, significant differences, surprising similarities)
• The company’s value was highest in 2004.
• There was a sharp drop in the company’s value between 2004 and 2005.
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Overall patterns and trends (e.g., trends over time, long-term analysis)
• The value of the company fluctuated significantly between 2002 and 2006.
• The company price has stabilized somewhat since 2006.

Ten top tips for using tables and graphs successfully

• Ensure that you use the appropriate type of graph, i.e., the graph which will most clearly
show the main points you will focus on. Graphs used frequently in academic writing are line
graphs, pie charts, bar graphs and histograms.
• Label your graphs clearly and appropriately (especially the axes and the legend), otherwise the
information will mean nothing to the reader.
• Give an appropriate title to the table or graph. It should be brief and concise, and does not
necessarily have to be grammatically ‘perfect’ (e.g., often no verb will be included).
• Provide a caption/label for the graph so that it can be easily referenced in the text (e.g., ‘graph 1’
or ‘table 2’).
• Include raw data in an appendix if you feel that it might be useful or interesting to the reader.
• Compare two or more graphs/tables for effective analysis.
• Use a range of appropriate reporting verbs to interpret the graphs/tables.
• Scan in tables and graphs from original sources carefully. Poor-quality images will not be clear to
the reader. If the original source is poor quality, it may be necessary to create the table or graph
yourself electronically.
• Learn more about this topic by assessing the way in which professional writers interpret tables
and graphs.
• Remember that the connotations of the language you use are very important (see below).

What language can be used to interpret tables and graphs?

The idea of c o n n o t a t io n is very important when interpreting tables and graphs. For example,
while stagnate and remain constant may be synonyms, the former has a negative connotation
whereas the latter has a neutral one. It is therefore important to check the specific meaning
of these words in a dictionary or, better still, an o n l i n e c o r p u s .
Step
35
 Value of company (in millions of US$)
Interpretation of graph
1. The company’s value rose
sharply/markedly/dramatically/
suddenly/considerably between
2002 and 2003.
2. The company’s value increased
slightly between 2003 and 2004.
3. The company’s value reached
its zenith/summit/highest
point/apex/peak in 2004.
4. There was a sharp/significant fall
in the company’s value between
2004 and 2005. Its price
tumbled/collapsed/plummeted.
Language notes 5. The company’s nadir/lowest
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Words which discuss extremes cannot generally be intensified point/all-time low was in 2005.
(e.g., you cannot say complete apex or absolute nadir). These 6. The company experienced
would be TAUTOLOGIES. gradual/steady/moderate growth
Choose adjectives and adverbs carefully. While they can add between 2006 and 2007.
detail, accuracy and analysis to your writing, they can also be 7. The company’s value
unnecessary. stagnated/flatlined between
2008 and 2009.
C o llocation is a particularly im portant issue in this field.

What grammar can be used \™

to interpret tables and graphs?
The following aspects of grammar are commonly used when
interpreting tables and graphs: Prepositions which
are commonly used

Using functional language in your writing

• the p a s s iv e v o ic e (see Step 41), especially with expressions
using as (e.g., as can be seen/as is shown) Since time is one of the key
components of tables and graphs,
• c o m p a r a t iv e and s u p e r l a t iv e forms (see Step 34)
prepositions of time are important:
• impersonal expressions (see Step 22) 1. Between 1999 and 2001/from
• the present perfect and past simple verb forms (see 1999 to 2001: gap between two
Step 41) points in time
2. In 2008: months/years/long
period of time
3. At 20:00: specific time
4. After/before: time following/
preceding
5. Since 2004: from a point in time
6. For 12 years: for a length of time
UNIT G
 □ Activation
Write five sentences to describe the data in the following table.

Number of undergraduate students in England, analyzed by place of origin

Year UK Other EU countries Non-EU countries

2008-9 1,403,755 56,340 96,430
2007-8 1,360,015 53,915 91,090
2006-7 1,636,200 64,235 102,990
2005-6 1,349,865 45,290 86,830
2004-5 1,320,440 41,650 86,290
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

1. ____________________________
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2.

3.

4.

5.

o Personalization
W Consider how important this topic is in your subject area. For different subjects
it will have a higher or lower importance.
( i f Check using an online corpus to see how the language noted above is used in
your subject area.
f it Evaluate your previous use of language in this area against the model presented
in part C.

E3 Extension
Ifil Step 23 examines cautious or tentative language, while Step 42 looks at modal verbs.
There may be occasions where you are not 100% certain how a table or graph should be
explained. In such circumstances, this language may be useful.
f i t Step 31 discusses different ways in which other people’s ideas can be reported - a skill
which is often used when analyzing data presented in tables and graphs.
0 1 Step 34 focuses on different strategies for comparing or contrasting. The language
presented in this step is useful for analyzing two or more graphs.
im\ Step 38 analyzes collocations, which are particularly relevant in this topic area.