How to Write about Graphs.pptVIP

Writing How to Write about Graphs Delia Qiu School of Foreign Langages, CSU Contents Introduction Table Bar Graph Line Graph Pie Graph Writing Practice Introduction tables bar graphs (条形统计图) line graphs (折线统计图) pie charts (扇形统计图) Introduction To extract information from table or graph, you should answer the following three questions: 1. What is it about? 2. What does it say? 3. What does it mean? Introduction 1. What is this table or graph about? To find out what a table or graph represents, read the title：the subject and the kinds of information contained (in many cases, the period of time covered); read notes below the graph: where the numbers come from; look at “labels” on the horizontal and vertical lines － the X axis and Y axis: what categories of information are being compared (X axis) and what measure is being used to compare them (Y axis); look for the “legend (图例, 说明, 解释)” － what the various colors, patterns (模式), or symbols in the graph represent. Introduction Once you figure out the above, you are ready for written description. The following expressions are good starters for the first paragraph of your graph description: The table/chart/diagram/graph shows (that) … The table shows the changes in the number of ... over the period from ... to ... The bar chart illustrates ... The graph features … The graph provides some interesting data regarding ... This is a line graph, which describes the trend of ... Introduction 2. What does this table or graph say? Answering this question is the first step in extracting useful information from a table or graph. Examine the information contained in the table or graph, and then summarize in a sentence or two the history or trend reflected in that information. For example, if a table contains Qingdao tourism figure