VISUAL AID

AND
GRAPHICS
 INTRODUCTION
• A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS is true enough, but
in Business Writing a picture is only as valuable as its supporting
text.
• In any oral presentation or in report visual aids and presentation
graphics play an important role.
• Business Communicators commonly use graphics to break up text
blocks, add interest, and present data.

• It is always a good thing for business writers to

draw on their creativity to enhance the interest and
impact of their writing.
• Technical and financial communications contain more facts
and figures than general business communications, this must
include a chart or table.
• Before data can be communicated usefully, it must be
 Classified
 Organized
 Condensed
 Summarized

• With a good graphics package, a writer can easily add dazzle with a
full array of colors, fonts, charts, and tables.

•As a communication tool, a graph adds clarity to a report by

presenting complex information in a visual, attractive, easy-
to-understand and easily remembered format
VISUAL AID
AND
GRAPHICS
• Visual aids help a reader picture what you’re trying to say.
• The two types of visual aids..
 GRAPHS
 TABLES
• These allow you to indicate things that might be difficult or
tedious to describe with words alone.
• Visual aids are eye-catchers.
• They need to be used appropriately and moderately to be
effective.
• They must always be titled, clearly labeled, and explained.

• Different types of visual aids emphasize different

data relationships, so choosing the right type is very
important.
What does an effective visual
aid do?
• Emphasizes important results or relationships

• Compresses large volumes of data

• Illuminates the focal point of your report

• Encourages analysis and discussion

• Represents truthfully and accurately.

 REVISING
• Revise it for clarity, simplicity and style.
• Make sure it is not cluttered, disorganized or unclearly marked.
• Placed randomly or awkwardly on the page.
• Trying to express too many ideas at one time.
• The best visual aid is as simple as it can be.
• Visual aids are important in facilitating thought, but they are
just meant to supplement a text, not take its place.

• Let the visual aid act as enrichment and a

complete evidence record, and refer to it where
necessary.
 TABLES
• Tables use rows and columns to give data or descriptions.

• They are useful when you want to compare many data points
or represent a large amount of information.

• Dependent variables (what you want to compare) are usually

placed as column headings.

• Independent variables (categories that do not

change) are then listed as the rows.
 GRAPHS
• Figures are graphs, charts, or illustrations that emphasizes
data trends or specific technical aspects of an object or
process.
• graphs reveal information that might not be obvious in a table.
• There are several types of graphs that are commonly used

 LINE GRAPHS = are great for emphasizing relationships or trends of

graph

 BAR GRAPHS = are best for comparing amounts.

 PIE CHARTS = allow you to compare parts (often percentages) of

a whole.
 FORMATTING
TITLES
• For example: Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2 and so on. If you only
have one or two illustrations.
LABELS
• All illustrations that describe something should contain labels. That is,
words and phrases with pointers that name the parts of the things being
described.
KEYS
• Some illustrations, like bar or pie charts, have certain
shadings, colors, or line styles, that have a special
meaning, these should be indicated in a key.
 TYPES OF VISUAL AID
• PowerPoint Slides

• Flip Charts

• Reports (printed materials)

• Overhead Transparencies
TABLES
 USES OF TABLES
The biggest use of tables is for numerical data.

TABLE FORMAT
There are rows and columns of data.
It can also be very complex.
 2007 Sales

Fruit Flavor Apple Cherry Blueberry Lemon

Total 5400 2300 1400 900

Percentage 54 23 14 9
CHARTS
AND
GRAPHS
• Charts and graphs are another way of presenting the
same data that is presented in tables.

• They are a more dramatic and interesting way.

• One thing to remember, though, is that graphs and

charts are less accurate than tables.

TYPES OF GRAPHS

 Bar graph
 Line graph
 Pie chart
 BAR CHARTS
• Bar graphs, also called “histograms”
• Useful for making comparisons and distinctions between
categories.
 PIE CHARTS
• Pie charts are good for illustrating the distribution of a whole or the
relationship between parts to a whole.

• If the data is shown in percentage and adds up to 100%, then a pie

chart may be useful.
 LINE GRAPHS
• Line graphs are great for showing comparisons and trends. This is
particularly true if you have more than one line in the one graph.
EXAMPLES
 What kind of ice cream does everyone like in our class?
A survey is made

Chocolate 1111 1
Vanilla 111

Strawberry 1111

Mint & Chip 1111 11

Rocky Road 11

Bubble Gum 1
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry Mint & CRocky R Bubble G
Students
7

6 Chocolate
5 Vanilla

4 Strawberry
Mint & Chip
3
Rocky Road
2
Bubble Gum
1

0
Students
 Bubble Gum
Rocky Road
Chocolate

Mint & Chip

Vanilla

Strawberry
Students

Chocolate

Vanilla

Strawberry

Mint & Chip

Rocky Road

Bubble Gum
 7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Chocolate Vanilla Strawberr Mint & Ch Rocky Ro Bubble G

Students
 Joe Kim Rita

70

65
Minutes

60

55

50
June 4 June 11 June 17 June 20 June 24 June 30

Dates