Chapter 11- Good Graphics

Graphics help the writer get the message across in a way other than words. they are important to :

- keep the reader from just scanning the page by drawing attention to the words
- break up long blocks of text
- visually reinforce your textual arguments

Some guideline for graphics use include:

- telling a simple, understandable story
- reinforcing the text
- showing an honest portrayal of the words in the graphics
- having proper placement of the graphics to the text reinforced
- proper placement near the text and appropriate labeling of the graphics.

Some graph types and their uses include:

- line graphs, used to recognize trends over time
- bar graphs, used to show trends, volume changes and comparisons among groups
- tables,used to organize textual information
- pie charts, used to show proportion, often in comparison over time or among groups
- gantt charts- shows timing of events and their order
- pictures, shows people, places or things in relationship to the text
- drawings, same as pictures, often contains additional detail or emphasis not available in pictures.

A great graphic is a thing of beauty, making words clear. A poor graph isn't worth the time or effort for reader or writer