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
