UVW312

ENGLISH FOR TECHNICAL

COMMUNICATION
Week 4
GRAPHICS & VISUALS
STOP!!!
In pages of a restaurant menu…
What do you ‘see’ FIRST?
When you are browsing the bookstore shelves
for novels…
What do you ‘see’ FIRST?
When you got off the plane at the airport…
What do you ‘see’ FIRST?
…pictures of delicious-looking food.
…’interesting’ picture on the front cover of
the book.
…signs and symbols to guide me to get to where I
want.
What do you ‘see’?
Now, what do you ‘see’?
Different BCG, different ‘FEEL’
= different meaning.
frequently used in
technical and academic
writings and
presentations.

help make the

information presented
clearer and easier to
understand.
What do you ‘see’?
Now, what do you ‘see’?
“I rarely think in words
at all”

Albert Einstein
“A picture is worth a
thousand words”

Unknown
 A cluttered document with poorly designed
elements can make it difficult for people to find
what they are looking for.
 Readers may be discouraged if they cannot find
the information they need quickly and easily.
 When you write, you make many decisions- what
to write, which words to use and how to organize
and so on.

Indeed, words are important to any writer, but in

technical writing…
HOW THE WORDS LOOK ON THE PAGE IS
JUST AS IMPORTTANT AS THE WORD SAY.

Graphics & Visuals

If you want your readers to stay
focused, good technical writers
must learn to design pages that
are VISUAL FRIENDLY.

Graphics & Visuals

GRAPHICS are visual representations of
information.

 Graphics can clarify information

QUICKLY.
 At one glance, your readers can perceive
more information that they would with
words alone.

What is Graphics?
Graphics & Visuals
Photographs
Drawings
Diagrams
Diagrams: How to fold socks
Map
Tables
Functions of
Graphics.
1. Attractiveness
2. Emphasis
3. Clarity
4. Conciseness

*Graphics help us to “see” better.

 Labels • Level of
 Keys technical details
 Titles • Size
 Cross references
 Location
 Placement/ margin

Formatting Requirements
 The three common types of visuals are:
1. Tables
2. Figures: Graphs/Charts
3. Illustrations

Types of Graphic Elements

 TABLES

 Used to present words or numbers that

can be organized into categories of
columns and rows.
 Three (3) types of tables:
◦ Informal table
◦ Formal table
◦ Verbal table
 A graphic that uses rows and columns
drawn without lines and column headings.
 Information usually flows with the text.
 The explanation of the graphic is a brief
summary of the information presented in
the graphic.

1. INFORMAL TABLE
1. INFORMAL TABLE
In the span of 3 months, James has lost a total of 8kg. For
every kilo of fat he lost, he gained approximately ¾ kg of
muscle.

Fat lost 14 kg
Muscle gained 6 kg
Total kilos lost 8
 An arrangement of information in rows
and columns with lines drawn.
 It is typically used to organize numbers,
words or other data in a consistent
format.

2. FORMAL TABLE
Table 1. The number of students registered for foreign
language courses at UniMAP from 2013-2016.
Foreign Language Courses
Year Mandar Japane Thai German Korean Arabic
in se
2013 70 101 80 55 90 51
2014 77 124 64 86 78 68
2015 130 118 100 113 116 89
2016 98 136 110 125 124 100

2. FORMAL TABLE
 Also know as a chart, similar to a formal
table with its rows and columns.
 Used to present information using words
or texts into columns and rows.

3. VERBAL TABLE
3. VERBAL TABLE

EATING DISEASE FROM POOR EATING

HABITS HABITS
Too much fat Cancers, heart disease, strokes

Too much salt High blood pressure

Too much sugar Diabetes, hypoglycemia

Lack of calcium Osteoporosis

ADVANTAGES:
 Good at presenting a lot of information in
a relatively small space.
 Show actual data.
 Easy to read.
DISADVANTAGES:
 Do not show relationship among numbers.
 Difficult to see any pattern.
 Do not give strong visual impact (hard to
interpret).
GRAPHS & CHARTS
Graphs/ Charts
1) Line Graph: show trend or movement of
data; show a change in one function in
relation to a change in another.
100
90
80
70
60 East
50 West
40 North
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Line Graph
 To show the continuing data or TREND
over time such as profit or losses from year
to year.
 It is clear in showing how things are
changing as indicated by the rises and falls in
a line graph.

 ADVANTAGES:
◦ Good at showing SPECIFIC VALUES of data
◦ Show TRENDS in data clearly (How one variable is
affected by the other as it increases or decreases)
◦ Enable the viewer to make PREDICTIONS about
the result of the data not yet recorded.

Line Graph
2) Bar graph: show comparison between
discrete quantities or group.
90
80
70
60
50 East
40 West
30 North

20
10
0
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

Bar Graph
A bar graph uses a horizontal axis and a vertical
axis to compare numerical data presented in
rectangular bars.

It can be used to focus on one value or compare

values over time (p.64)

Bar Graph
3. Pie chart: show how the parts relate to the
whole (each segment stand for a different
category, and the data in all segments
combined total 100%).
4th Qtr 1st Qtr
13% 13%

2nd Qtr
17%

3rd Qtr
57%

Pie Chart
4. Illustrations such as photographs,
diagrams, drawings of objects and schematics,
are often used to show how something looks or
operates.
Example:
Illustrations
Example: Flow charts/ Schematics
Show a time sequence or a decision
sequence from start to finish.
Illustrations
Example: A diagram
 Present views that cannot be captured by
photographs or through actual observation.
 Focus on the relation ship of the parts and
how the components function.
a) Exploded diagrams
b) Cutaway diagram
c) Block diagram
 ADVANTAGES
◦ Show relationship whether structural or
functional
◦ Present messages effectively.

 DISADVANTAGES
◦ Require special training to use or create
diagram.
◦ May not accessible to some audience
particularly if specialized symbols are used.

Diagrams
For lab reports, use:
 A table if your results have a lot of
numbers.
 A diagram if your method or results
involve an understanding of special
instruments or mechanisms.
 A schematic if your method or results
require an understanding of the circuitry of
a mechanism.

Important Points
 A map if you are working with an outdoor
lab where places are important.
 A graph if you wish to compare numerical
data.
 A photograph if the actual picture will help
your reader understand your data.

Important Points
Roles of Visual
Labeling visuals:
All visuals must have a title which clearly
reflect the nature of the visuals.

Example: Internationally recognised graphics:

(A) Airport, (B) fragile, (C) Keep dry, and
(D) Hotel
POINT: to ‘see’ better.

Watch this video closely.

Video 1
COLOURS
 Powerful components of graphics .
 Colours often draws a reader’s attention
before the readers pays attention to the
words.

COLOURS
 Indicate a document’s organization.
 Emphasize or clarify an important point.
 To support your text’s meaning.
 Make document attractive.

DON’Ts
o Avoid the OVERUSE of colours
o Apply colours CONSISTENTLY to elements
throughout a document.
o Avoid UNUSUAL COMBINATION of colours.

Use of COLOURS
Integrating Graphic into Text
A. IN CONTENT
 Use the word Figure to refer to any graphic that
is not a formal table.
 Use the word Table to refer to a formal table.
 Number figures consecutively throughout the
document.
 Calls your readers attention to figures or tables
by incorporating references into your text, using
parentheses or creating a stand-alone sentences.
◦ E.g.:
 Table 1/ Figure 1 shows the number of students
registered for foreign language courses at UniMAP
in 2016.
Integrating Graphic into Text
B. PLACEMENT/POSITION
 Place each graphic in a convenient place
for the reader to see.
 If the size is small enough (1/5 or 1/2
page), place it on the same page as its
reference.
 If it is more than half a page, place it
immediately following your reference.
 If the report has complex graphics, you
may place the graphics in an appendix –
to avoid the graphics from interrupting the
flow of the report.
Integrating Graphic into Text
C. LABELLING AND OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS.
 Every graphic used in the document must
be given a title.
 Tables should be numbered and labelled
with simple caption above the table.
 All figures need to be numbered and
labelled with a simple caption under the
image/ figure.
 Use titles that are specific so the readers
understand what they will learn from the
graphics.
Integrating Graphic into Text
C. LABELLING AND OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS.
 Give credit for a graphic if you do not
compile it yourself or using borrowed
data.
 Place the word Source: below your
figure.
 Include the bibliographical reference for
the source.
 Eliminate ‘visual noise’ (too many lines,
bars or colours) which can overwhelm and
confuse the readers.
 ENGLISH FOR TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION
SUMMARY

SUMMARY
(Describing Trend & Movement)
• Information and trends contained in
graphs need to be highlighted and
interpreted.
• For examples, a summary where you
are asked to summarize a ‘line graph’.

• Some common expressions that can be

used…

Describing Trend & Movement

Describing Trend & Movement
Information on trends and changes
contained in graphs needs to be highlighted
and interpreted.
74000

72000

70000

68000 Fatal injuries

66000

64000

62000

60000
2002 2003 2004 2005
 Rose
 Go / Went up
 Increased
 Grew
 Climbed
 Jumped
 Accelerate

1. To indicate UPWARD movement.

  A fall
 A decline
 A drop
 A decrease
 Sink
 Down

2. To indicate DOWNWARD
movement.
 Level off
 Level out
 Remain stable
 Remain unchanged
 Stabilised

3. To indicate STABILITY
 Fluctuated
 Reach a peak
 Reach a bottom

4. To indicate FLUCTUATIONs
 Before placing the graphic, INTRODUCE
the graphic.

 Give title to the graphic. Place the title

below the graphic/ figure.

 Choose ONE particular numbering method

for all your figures and tables that you
use in your technical writing.
◦ 1., 2., 3. - I, II. III - A, B, C

Integrating Graphic into Text

 INTERPRET the graphic.
 Give credit if you obtain the graphic from
other sources.
◦ Taken from….. OR Retrieved from…..

Integrating Graphic into Text

All visuals used must be introduced in the
writing or presentation.

Some appropriate phrases for introducing

visuals:
 Let’s look at the chart …
 The graph you see here…..
 Table 4 shows that …..
 The photograph in Figure 3 illustrates …

Introducing Visuals
 Therefore, all visuals used must be labeled
for easy reference.
 All visuals are usually labeled either as
table or figure.
 The two types of visuals are numbered
separately.
 The numbering for each type of visual is
consecutive and start at 1.

Example: Figure 1, Figure 2, …

Table 1, Table 2, …

Labeling Visuals
 STOP!!!
Now that we’ve covered the graphic part,
how about the content of a SUMMARY?

SUMMARY
 It will be according to the INSTRUCTIONS
given.
 E.g., You should write at least 150 words.
OR
 You should write no more than 150
words.

 Make sure you read the instructions

clearly.

SUMMARY: Word Limit

What you have to do…

In your Test 1, you will be asked to write a

summary. You need only to…
 Report the main data/features.
 Compare and Contrast.
 NO NEED to provide reason or analysis or
interpretation of data.
 Generally, both the one paragraph or
the three paragraphs format are
acceptable.
 However, the main thing is that your
summary should have:

1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion.

SUMMARY: Structure
 TWO sentences

 DEFINE what the graph or chart is all

about. (refer to the graphic’s TOPIC and
change it as your introduction.)

 E.g.:
The line graph shows the rates of
casualties from the road accident in
Malaysia from 2003 to 2013.

SUMMARY: Introduction
 Describe the information presented in the
graph/chart in detail.

 Bar graph and pie chart:

◦ Identify what are the HIGHEST, SECOND
HIGHEST/AVERAGE and the LOWEST part of
the graph.
• Line graph:
• Describe about the trend/ movement of the
graph (INCREASE or DECREASE) and compare
the changes over time.

• SUPPORT or PROVE your data with numbers or

percentage from the given paragraph.

SUMMARY: Body
 Sum up the global trend/ or data shown
on the figure.
 Is it constantly increasing?
 Is it constantly decreasing?
 Is it always remain stable?
 Is it always changing?

SUMMARY: Conclusion
SUMMARY EXAMPLES &
EXERCISES ARE ON
PORTAL.
handout
 DO ALIENS EXIST?
FOR NEXT WEEK…