Creating Figures, Tables and Charts

1. Creating Figures, Tables and Charts Using Graphics to Enhance Your Technical Documents

2. Graphics • Graphics will help you achieve: • conciseness – large amounts of information in a small space • clarity – clarify complex information • Trends in line graphs • Comparisons between like components in bar graphs • Percentages in pie charts • Facts and figures in tables • cosmetic appeal – breaks up words on a page

3. Criteria for Effective Graphics • Are integrated with the text. • Graphic explains text or vice versa • Are appropriately located. • Immediately following the text referring to the graphic • Add to the material explained in the text. • Without being redundant • Communicate important information that could not be obtained easily in text.

4. Criteria for Effective Graphics • Do not contain details that detract from rather than enhance the information. • Are an effective size. • Are neatly printed to be readable. • Are correctly labeled. • Sustain the style common to other figures or tables in the text. • Are well conceived and carefully executed.

5. Types of Graphics: Tables • Provide an introductory sentence prefacing the table. • Eliminate needless repetition of words. • Show comparisons. • Highlight content’s significant differences. • Allow for easy future reference.

6. Types of Graphics: Tables

7. Criteria for Effective Tables • Number tables in order of presentation. • Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, etc. • Title every table. • Placed above the table. • In your writing, refer to table by its number, not its title. • Table 1 shows . . . • Present the table as soon as possible after you’ve mentioned it in your text. • Place table on same page as appropriate text.

8. Criteria for Effective Tables • Don’t present the table until you’ve mentioned it. • Use an introductory sentence or two to lead into the table. • Explain the table’s significance. Thus the rainfall in both March and April exceeded the actual rainfall by 1.50 inches, showing how dry the spring was.

9. Criteria for Effective Tables • Write headings for each column. • Choose terms that summarize information in columns. • Abbreviate terms to accommodate column size. • Be sure audience understands terminology. • Center tables between right and left margins. • Separate columns with ample white space, vertical lines, or dashes.

10. Criteria for Effective Tables • Show omitted information by printing 2-3 periods or hyphens in empty columns. • Be consistent when using numbers. • 3-1/4 and 3-3/4 or 3.25 and 3.75 • If using decimals, write whole numbers as 9.00 for nine.

11. Criteria for Effective Tables • If table takes more than one page, on the second page write (Continued) in parentheses after the table number and title. TABLE 1: MONTHLY RAINFALL(Continued)

12. Bar charts Pie charts Line charts Flowcharts Organizational charts Photographs Icons Line drawings Using Figures • Figures highlight and supplement important points. • Figures include:

13. Criteria for Effective Figures • Number figures in order of presentation. • Title each figure. • Preface each figure with introductory statement. • Don’t use figure until you’ve mentioned it in text. • Present figure as soon as possible after mentioning it. • Explain figure’s significance.

14. Criteria for Effective Figures • Label the figure’s components. • When necessary, provide a legend or key at the bottom to explain information. • If you abbreviate any labels, define these in a footnote. • Place an * after the term and at the bottom of the figure explain the terminology. • Note the source of the information at the bottom of the figure.

15. Criteria for Effective Tables • Frame the figure. • Center it on the page or window it in a box. • Size figures appropriately. • Try the super comic book look (figures drawn in cartoon-like characters to highlight parts of the graphic and to interest readers.

16. Bar Charts • Bars are scaled to reveal quantities and comparative values. • May use vertical bars or horizontal bars.

17. Pie Charts • Illustrate portions of a whole. • Circle = 100% • Begin spacing wedges at the 12 o’clock position. • Use shading/color for emphasis. • Use horizontal writing to label wedges OR provide a key. • Provide percentages within wedges when possible.

18. Line Charts • Reveal relationships between sets of figures. • Line charts of more than one line are useful in showing comparisons between two sets of values.

19. Flowcharts • Shows chronological • sequence of activities • Good for writing • technical instructions • Ovals = starts & stops • Rectangles = steps • Diamonds = decisions Begin End

20. Icons • Visual representations of a capability, a danger, a direction, etc. • Keep it simple. • Create a realistic image. • Make it recognizable. • Avoid cultural and gender stereotyping. • Strive for universality.

21. Line Drawings Use line drawings to show important parts of a mechanism or to enhance your text cosmetically. • Maintain correct proportions in relation to each part of the object. • If drawings illustrate steps in a process, place them in left-to-right or top-to-bottom order. • Label the components of the object. • Use letters or numbers to refer to numerous parts and provide a key. • Use exploded views or cutaways to highlight parts.

22. For further assistance: • Use any of the following programs to make tables and graphs. • Microsoft Word • Excel • Power Point • Word also can assist with indexes, tables of content, and tables of figures • Insert > Indexes and Tables