Visual

CHAPTER

2.11
information

In many assignments it is essential to support your arguments

with statistics. Visual devices such as graphs and tables are a
convenient way of displaying large quantities of information in a
form that is easy to understand. This unit explains and practises
the language connected with these devices.

1 The language of change

(past tenses in brackets)

Verb Adverb Verb Adjective + noun

grow (grew) slightly drop (dropped) a slight drop

rise (rose) gradually fall (fell) a gradual fall

increase (increased) steadily decrease (decreased) a sharp decrease

climb (climbed) sharply decline (declined) a steady decline

also: a peak, to peak, a plateau, to level off, a trough

 159 2.11 Visual information

1EEE Average temperatures rose steadily until 2006 and then

2 dropped slightly.
3
4 There was a sharp decrease in sales during the summer and
5 then a gradual rise.
6
7 I Study the graph below and complete the description with phrases from
8 the table opposite.
9
10 6
1
5
2
EEE3 4
Inflation %

4
5 3
62222 2
7
82 1
9 0
20 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
1
Inflation January–September
2
3
4 The graph shows that inflation (a) ________________ slightly
5EEE
between January and February and then (b) ________________
6
7 until April. It subsequently climbed (c) ________________ to
8 July, when it (d) ________________ at just over 5 per cent.
9 From July to September inflation (e) ________________ steeply.
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1
2 2 Types of visuals
3 I On pp. 160–161 are examples of some of the main types of visuals
4 used in academic texts. Complete the table to show the use (a–f) and
5 the example (A–F) of each type.
6
7 Uses: (a) location
8 (b) comparison
9 (c) proportion
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(d) function
1
2 (e) changes in time
36222 (f) statistical display
160 Part 2 Elements of writing

TYPES USES EXAMPLE

1 diagram

2 table

3 map

4 pie chart

5 bar chart

6 line graph

(A) Cinema ticket

500
sales
400

300

200

100

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Cinema ticket sales ($m) 2000–2009

(B) Average life Japan 81.6

expectancy
(in years) France 79.0

United States 77.1

South Korea 75.5

Ghana 57.9

South Africa 47.7

Kenya 44.6

Zimbabwe 33.1
 161 2.11 Visual information

1EEE (C) Electricity output 90

2 from coal 80
3 70
60
4 50
5 40
6 30
20
7 10
8 0
9 China Australia India United States Germany

10 Electricity output % from coal

1
2 (D) Origins of international
EEE3 students
4
5 Far East

62222 N. America

7
Europe

82
Other

9
Africa

20
1
2
3 (E) Structure of the
4 research unit Director
5EEE
6
7
8 Manager Deputy Director

9
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1 Technical Staff Secretarial Staff Research Staff
2
3
4 (F) Position of the main
5 library
Sports centre
6
7 Science road
8
9 Entrance
40
1 Main library
2
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162 Part 2 Elements of writing

3 Describing visuals
Although visuals do largely speak for themselves, it is common to help the
reader interpret them by briefly commenting on their main features.

The graph shows the changes in the price of oil since 1990
map illustrates the main sources of copper in Africa
diagram displays the organisation of both companies

I (a) Read the following descriptions of the chart below. Which is better,
and why?

(i) The chart shows the quantity of tea consumed by the world’s
leading tea consuming nations. India and China together
consume more than half the world’s tea production, with India
alone consuming about one third. Other significant tea
consumers are Turkey, Russia and Britain. ‘Others’ includes the
United States, Iran and Egypt.
(ii) The chart shows that 31 per cent of the world’s tea is
consumed by India, 23 per cent by China, and 8 per cent by
Turkey. The fourth largest consumers are Russia, Japan and
Britain, with 7 per cent each, while Pakistan consumes 5 per
cent. Other countries account for the remaining 12 per cent.

Others
12%

Pakistan
5%
India
31%

Japan
7%

Britain
7%

Russia
7%
China
Turkey 23% (Source:
8%
The Tea Council)
Figure 1 World tea consumption
 163 2.11 Visual information

1EEE I (b) Complete the description of the chart below.

2
The bar chart shows population (a) ________________ in a
3
variety of countries around the world. It (b) ________________
4
the extreme contrast (c) ________________ crowded nations
5
such as South Korea (475 people per sq. km.) and much
6
(d) ________________ countries such as Canada (3 people
7
per sq. km.). Clearly, climate plays a major (e) ________________
8
in determining population density, (f) ________________ the
9
least crowded nations (g) ________________ to have extreme
10
climates (e.g. cold in Russia or dry in Algeria).
1
2
EEE3 Canada
4
5 Russia
62222 Algeria
7
82 Brazil
9
China
20
1 Britain
2
Japan
3
4 S. Korea
5EEE
6 0 100 200 300 400 500
7
8 Figure 2 Population density (people per square kilometre)
9 (Source: OECD)
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1
2 4 Labelling
3
4 • When referring to visual information in the text, the word ‘figure’ is
5 used for almost everything (such as maps, charts and graphs) except
6 tables (see examples above).
7 • Figures and tables should be numbered and given a title. Titles of
8 tables are written above, while titles of figures are written below the
9 data.
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• As with other data, sources must be given for all visual information.
1
2 • If you are writing a lengthy work such as a dissertation you will need
36222 to provide lists of tables and figures, showing numbers, titles and page
numbers after the contents page.
164 Part 2 Elements of writing

5 Practice A
I Complete the following description of the table below (one word per
gap).

Projected population changes in various European countries

2010–2050 (millions).

Country Population 2010 Projected Change

population 2050
France 62 67 +5

Germany 82 71 – 11

Italy 60 57 –3

Poland 38 32 –6

Portugal 10.7 10 – 0.7

Russia 140 116 – 24

Spain 45 51 +6

UK 61 72 + 10

(Source: UN)

The table (a) ________________ the projected population

changes in (b) ________________ European countries

(c) ________________ 2010 and 2050. It can be seen that in a

(d) ________________ the population is expected to fall, in some

cases (i.e. Germany and Russia) quite (e) ________________.

However, the population of France, (f) ________________ and

the UK is predicted to increase, in the case of the last two by

more (g) ________________ 5 per cent.

 165 2.11 Visual information

1EEE 6 Practice B
2
3 I Write a paragraph commenting on the data in the table below.
4
5
6 Student survey of library facilities: percentage of students rating
7 facilities as good.
8
9 Library facilities Undergraduates Postgraduates
10
1 Opening hours 72 63
2
Staff helpfulness 94 81
EEE3
4 Ease of using electronic 65 87
5 catalogue
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7 Availability of working 80 76
82 space
9
Café area 91 95
20
1 Availability of short loan 43 35
2 stock
3
4 Quality of main book 69 54
5EEE stock
6
7 (Source: Author)
8
9
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
40
1
2
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