A look at bar charts in technical writing, including; the kid of data bar charts are used for, design considerations, and how to describe bar charts.

1. Bar
Charts
Bar
Chartsin technical writing

2. OUTCOMES

3. OUTCOMES
Define bar chart

4. OUTCOMES
Explain what bar
charts are used for

5. OUTCOMES
Recognize different
kinds of charts and
their functions

6. OUTCOMES
Produce effective
bar charts

7. OUTCOMES
Analyze and describe
the contents of a bar
chart

8. graphs and
charts
why do we use them?

9. Graphs and charts display
numbers using shapes,
colors and patterns.

10. They’re especially useful
for showing comparisons,
patterns and trends.

11. bar charts
what kind of data do they show?

13. Bar charts (or bar graphs)are
used to show and compare
discrete categories of data.

15. 12%
17%
24%
46%
Salaries Research Marketing Other

16. each bar shows a
specific quantity

17. types
different types of bar chart

18. Basic

19. used to display one trend or theme
Basic

20. Horizontal

21. when there are a lot of categories
Horizontal

22. or when the categories have long titles
Horizontal

23. Grouped

24. a separate bar represents each
subgroup
Grouped

25. Stacked

26. Monthly Sales
PhonesSold
0
100
200
300
400
500
Companies
Apple HTC LG Samsung
January February

27. Monthly Sales
0
225
450
675
900
Apple HTC LG Samsung
January February

28. this shows how much each subgroup
contributed to the total
Stacked

29. parts
of a bar chart

30. measurements title
axis labels
category
names
key

31. guidelines
for using bar charts

32. only use bar charts to
compare values that are
noticeably different

33. only use bar charts to
compare values that are
noticeably different
small differences won’t show

34. Keep the chart simple
and easy to read

35. Keep the chart simple
and easy to read
don’t include too much
information

36. label both scales to show
what is being measured

37. number your scales in units
familiar to your audience

38. use colors and patterns to
make the graph easy to read

39. writing
about bar charts

40. You don’t need discuss
the information

41. You should write a
report about the
information

43. introduce

44. state what the chart is
about

45. Figure 1 is a bar chart that shows the percentage of students who are proficient
in a foreign language in six different countries.
Students Who Are Proficient in a Foreign Language

46. Figure 1 is a bar chart that shows the percentage of students who are proficient
in a foreign language in six different countries.
Students Who Are Proficient in a Foreign Language

47. state the trend

48. explain the main idea
shown in the data

49. As shown, overall, a far higher percentage of female students are proficient in a
foreign language than males.
Students Who Are Proficient in a Foreign Language

50. give examples

51. give some specific data
that supports main idea

52. In India, for example, around 68 percent of female students are proficient in a
foreign language compared to only around 55 percent of males. Similarly,
around 65 percent of Romanian females can speak another language while only
about 42 percent of males can. Likewise, in Vietnam, Russian and China, more
girls are proficient in a second language than boys.
Students Who Are Proficient in a Foreign Language

53. In India, for example, around 68 percent of female students are proficient in a
foreign language compared to only around 55 percent of males. Similarly,
around 65 percent of Romanian females can speak another language while only
about 42 percent of males can. Likewise, in Vietnam, Russian and China, more
girls are proficient in a second language than boys.
Students Who Are Proficient in a Foreign Language

54. you can also mention
exceptions to the trend

55. In fact, Thailand is the only country in the chart where more male students are
proficient than females.

56. repeat the
main idea

57. remind the audience of
the main idea

58. but use different
language

59. To conclude, fluency in a foreign language is far more prominent amongst
women than it is amongst men.

61. the topic and concluding
sentences are like the bun
on a burger

62. DON’T

63. DON’T
mention everything

64. DON’T
describe the bars

65. DON’T
start sentences
with numbers

66. comparison
comparing and contrasting data

67. we use bar charts to
compare sets of data

68. implicit comparison

69. implicit comparison
Approximately 65 percent of women
speak a foreign language.
Around 45 percent of men speak a
foreign language.

70. explicit comparison

71. Approximately 65 percent of women
speak a foreign language.
Around 45 percent of men speak a
foreign language.
explicit comparison

72. explicit comparison
Approximately 65 percent of women
speak a foreign language but only
around 45 percent of men speak a
foreign language.

73. use appropriate language
to help make your
comparisons more explicit

74. review