READING GRAPHIC INFORMATION/TRANSCODING

Transcoding is often used to convert one format into another. Charts, technical diagrams, and
maps may be clear to the designer or author, but readers often have difficulty discerning a
meaning.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHARTS AND GRAPHS ANF TABLES
Graphs are used to express numeric information as visual comparisons. Graphs are most
effective when comparing extremes. If you are not comparing data, then dont use a chart.
Graphs should be extremely clear. Make labels and legends easy to read. Legends, or keys,
should use colors or patterns with great contrast. Remember, some readers are color blind.
Pie Charts
Pie charts show how parts relate to a whole.
Use pie charts to compare parts of a whole. If the data do not add up to 100 percent, then a
pie chart is not acceptable. Pie charts are popular because of their unique appearance.
Bar Graphs
Bar Graphs compare different categories that are commonly measured in the same manner
and relate directly to each other. Incomes, test scores, and production levels might be charted
using bar graphs.
Line Charts
Line charts illustrate trends.
Trends are charted in line graphs. When charting one measured value for a single category
using three or more datapoints, use a line graph. An example of one measured value is the
average income of in-house designers. Comparing two years, a bar graph is acceptable. While
measuring three or more years, use a line chart.
Flow Charts
Computer programmers are, usually, familiar with flow charts. Flow charts trace decision
making and logic. Standardized symbols indicate input, choices, and output.
Flow charts work well as diagrams of corporate policies, as well. Weve seen hospitals use
flow charts to help nurses follow procedures. If certain criteria are met, specific treatments
are given to a patient.
Tables
Tables make information easier to analyze. Graphs are based upon tables.
Tables organize data for better analysis. Tables place related values in columns and rows.
There might be times when a table accompanies a graph.
Introduction
First sentence: Describe the graph. You can use some slightly different words or word
forms from those on the question paper, but be careful to give the full information.
Start The graph shows
Second sentence: This gives the trend or trends. You can put two trends in this
sentence or only one you could keep the other one for the conclusion. Start Overall,

Paragraph 1: Trend 1

Conclusion
Finish by repeating the main trends, or identify a second trend. Use different
vocabulary.
Dont have any numbers in the conclusion (you could use words like most, the
majority a minority, a small number).
Dont give an opinion.
While You Write: Some Donts
Dont describe the X and Y axis. Give the information.
Dont write about everything on the graph. Pick the biggest, the smallest, the main
points, the main trends. Group similar things together
Dont write about the line or the bar: The line went up, The bar went down.
Instead, write about the idea. The number of people going to work by train increased
gradually. Oil production shot up in 1965
Make sure you write about the idea. Dont use shorthand: Men went up. Women
went down. Instead, write about the real data: The number of men at university fell
dramatically, The percentage of female students getting a degree rose suddenly.
Dont use I feel, as I have written, as you can see, etc. Keep it academic. In
IELTS, you can give your opinions in Task 2. In Task 1 (writing about a graph or
visual data) you just report what you see.
Dont start sentences with But, So, Also, And, For, Since, Because, Although
Its good to think about four paragraphs. It will help you to organize your writing. So
go ahead and write four paragraphs, or at least three (intro, body, conclusion).
Word Length and Sentence Length
Make sure you have 150 words. You should have some short sentences (about 6-10 words)
and some long ones (12-18) words, but your average should be about 12 or 13 words per
sentence.