DATA

COMMENTARY
PROF. MARIA CECILIA M. JALBUENA
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Table 5

Source of Computer Virus Infections

Source of Virus Percentage

E-mail attachments 87%
Disks from home 4%
Disks (other) 2%
Unknown 2%
Download (from internal or external sources) 2%
Distribution CD 1%
Disk (sales demo) < 1%
Automated software distribution <1%
Disk (shrink-wrapped) <1%
Disk (from LAN manager) <1%
Malicious person <1%
Browsing WWW 0%
Disk (from the repair person) 0%

Total survey respondents 299

 A computer virus is a program that is specifically and maliciously
designed to attack a computer system destroying data. As businesses
have become increasingly dependent on computers, e-mail, and the
internet concern over the potential destructiveness of such viruses has
also grown. Table 5 shows the most common sources of infection for U.S.
businesses. As can be seen, in a great majority of cases, the entry point of
the virus infection can be detected, with e-mail attachments being
responsible for nearly 9 out of 10 viruses. This very high percentage is
increasingly alarming, especially since with a certain amount of caution
such infection are largely preventable. In consequence, e-mail users
should be wary of all attachments, even those from a trusted colleague or
a known sender. In addition, all computers used for e-mail need to have
a current version of a good antivirus program whose virus definitions are
updated regularly. While it may be possible to lessen the likelihood of
downloading an infected file, businesses are still vulnerable to computer
virus problems because of human error and the threat of new, quickly
spreading viruses that cannot be identified by antivirus software.
 STRUCTURE OF DATA
COMMENTARY
1. Location elements and/or summary
statements
2. Highlighting statements
3. Discussions of implications,
problems, exceptions,
recommendations, etc
Location + Table 5 shows the most common sources
Indicative of infection for U.S. businesses. As can be seen, in a
Summary great majority of cases, the entry point of the virus
infection can be detected, with e-mail attachments
being responsible for nearly 9 out of 10 viruses. This
very high percentage is increasingly alarming,
especially since with a certain amount of caution such
infection are largely preventable. In consequence, e-
mail users should be wary of all attachments, even
those from a trusted colleague or a known sender. In
addition, all computers used for e-mail need to have a
current version of a good antivirus program whose
virus definitions are updated regularly. While it may
be possible to lessen the likelihood of downloading an
infected file, businesses are still vulnerable to
computer virus problems because of human error and
the threat of new, quickly spreading viruses that
cannot be identified by antivirus software.
 Table 5 shows the most common sources
of infection for U.S. businesses. As can be seen,
Linking as- in a great majority of cases, the entry point of
clause and the virus infection can be detected, with e-
highlight mail attachments being responsible for nearly
9 out of 10 viruses. This very high percentage is
increasingly alarming, especially since with a
certain amount of caution such infection are
largely preventable. In consequence, e-mail users
should be wary of all attachments, even those from
a trusted colleague or a known sender. In
addition, all computers used for e-mail need to
have a current version of a good antivirus
program whose virus definitions are updated
regularly. While it may be possible to lessen the
likelihood of downloading an infected file,
businesses are still vulnerable to computer virus
problems because of human error and the threat
of new, quickly spreading viruses that cannot be
identified by antivirus software.
 Table 5 shows the most common sources of
infection for U.S. businesses. As can be seen, in a
great majority of cases, the entry point of the virus
infection can be detected, with e-mail attachments
being responsible for nearly 9 out of 10 viruses. This
very high percentage is increasingly alarming,
especially since with a certain amount of caution
Implications
such infection are largely preventable. In
consequence, e-mail users should be wary of all
attachments, even those from a trusted colleague
or a known sender. In addition, all computers
used for e-mail need to have a current version of
a good antivirus program whose virus definitions
are updated regularly. While it may be possible to
lessen the likelihood of downloading an infected
file, businesses are still vulnerable to computer
virus problems because of human error and the
threat of new, quickly spreading viruses that
cannot be identified by antivirus software.
 LOCATION ELEMENTS AND
SUMMARIES

• refers readers to important information in a table,

charts graph, or other graph figure

• considered to be a form of metadiscourse,

sentences or phrases that help readers make their
way through a text by revealing such things as
organization, referring readers to relevant parts of a
text, or establishing logical connections
 TABLE 7
STARTING A DATA COMMENTARY
Location Element Summary
Table 5 shows the parts of entry of
computer viruses for
US businesses
Table 2 provides details of the fertilizer
used
Figure 2 plots the two series for the
last five years
Figure 4.2 gives the results of the
second experiment
 TABLE 8
PASSIVES IN STARTING A DATA
COMMENTARY
Summary Location Element
The most common modes are shown in Table 5.
of computer infection for US businesses
The details of the fertilizer are provided in Table 2.
Used
The two series for the last are plotted in Figure 2.
five years
The results of the second are given in Figure 4.2
experiment
 NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
• the consistent use of the present tense
because the author is talking about his
or her present paper

• the English active forms are just as

appropriate as the passive versions
VERBS IN INDICATIVE AND
INFORMATIVE SUMMARIES
Table 5 shows the most common sources of infection.
(indicative, general summary)

Table 5 shows that e-mail attachments are the most

common source of infection. (informative, highlight of a
specific aspect of data)

Notice that the summary after the that-clause is a full

sentence.
VERBS IN INDICATIVE AND
INFORMATIVE SUMMARIES
Some verbs can be used with only one type of
summary statement. Provide can only be used in
indicative summary and cannot be used with a that-
clause.

Table 5 provides demographic information for the

study participants.

Not correct:

Table 5 provides that most study participants were

over age 45.
 LINKING AS-CLAUSES
As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the
companies used in this survey varied
significantly in geographical location, size,
and method of operation.

As can be seen in Table 5, the overall state of

recall, while low, also showed considerable
variation.
Finally, using prepositions with this type of
linking statement can be tricky. Here are
some standard uses:

in As shown in Table 1…

by As predicted by the model…

on As described on the previous

page…
 TABLE 12
STRATEGIES USED BY JAPANESE
SCIENTISTS WHEN WRITING IN
ENGLISH
Writing Strategy Percentage
Think mainly in Japanese but write 61%
in English

Think in Japanese and English 16%

but write in English

Think in English and write in English 23%

 Table 12 discloses that slightly more
than three-fourths of the scientists
surveyed adopted writing strategies that
involved the use of their first language.
Moreover, less than a quarter appear
capable of writing directly in English.
Overall, the figures would appear to
suggest that most Japanese scientists
have difficulties and frustrations when
preparing papers for English-medium
journals.
 HIGHLIGHTING STATEMENTS
The central sections of data commentaries consist of
highlighting statements. Highlighting statements are
generalizations that you can draw from the details of the
data display. Highlighting statements need good judgment.
They are opportunity to show your intelligence.

In particular, they are an opportunity for you to demonstrate

• that you can spot trends or regularities in the data,
• that you can separate more important findings from less
important ones, and
• that you can make claims of appropriate strength.
So, do not
• simply repeat all the details in
words,
• attempt to cover all the
information, or
• claim more than is reasonable
or defensible.
 QUALIFICATIONS AND
STRENGTH OF CLAIM
• Highlighting statements need good judgment. They also
need good presentation of judgment. Thus, they have two
requirements.
• One is the need to be cautious—and sometimes critical—
about the data.
• As Skelton (1988) neatly observed, “It is important for
students to learn to be confidently uncertain.” The other
requirement is to have the linguistic resources to express
this caution.
 PROBABILITY
There are many ways of expressing probability in
written academic English. One simple way is to use a
modal auxiliary. Notice how the claim progressively
weakens in these three sentences.
• Sleeping 7-9 hours each day will result in better
academic performance.
• Sleeping 7-9 hours each day may result in better
academic performance.
• Sleeping 7-9 hours each day might/could result in
better academic performance.
 In these further examples, the phrases
Stronger weaken in strength.
• It is certain that . . .
• It is almost certain that . . .
• It is very probable/highly likely that . . .
• It is probable/likely that . . .
• It is possible that . . .

Weaker • It is unlikely that . . .

• It is very/highly unlikely that . . .
Stronger • There is a definite possibility that. . .
• There is a strong possibility that. . .
• There is a good possibility that. . .
• There is a slight possibility that. . .
Weaker • There is a little possibility that. . .
 DISTANCE
• Distance is another way of removing yourself from a strong—
and possibly unjustified—claim.
Compare the following.
Strong claim: The factory has benefited from the recent
technology upgrade.
The factory seems to have benefited from the recent technology
upgrade.
The factory appears to have benefited from the recent technology
upgrade.
It seems that the factory has benefited from the recent technology
upgrade.
It has been said that the factory seems to have benefited from the
recent technology upgrade.
An alternative strategy is to distance
yourself from the data by showing in some
way that it is “soft.” Here are few
examples.
• Based on the limited data available, different
• In the view of some experts, employees
react to
• According to this preliminary study, the same
• Based on an informal survey of nine situations
differently
department managers,
 GENERALIZATION

One classic verb for qualifying (or defending) a

generalization is the verb tend.

• Children living in poverty have a history of health

problems.
• Children living in poverty tend to have a history of
health problems.
 GENERALIZATION

Another way of to defending a generalization is to

qualify the subject.
• Many children living in poverty have a history of
health problems.
• A majority of children living in poverty have a
history of health problems.
• In most parts of the world, children living in a
poverty have a history of health problems.
 GENERALIZATION

A third alternative is to add

exceptions.

of a small number of
• With the exception
countries, such as Japan,
• Apart from Sweden, and Thailand,
student loan schemes
• Except for
are almost exclusively
reserved for higher
education.
 WEAKER VERBS
Finally, claims can be reduced in strength by choosing a
weaker verb.
At the beginning of this unit, we compared the following.
• Unsound policies of the IMF led to the financial crisis.
(stronger)
• Unsound policies of the IMF contributed to the financial
crisis. (weaker)
* END OF PRESENTATION *