Fundamentals of Graphic Aids: Charts and Tables

5 -10 -15 0 -5 20 15 15.2

10 9

Radkur, Inc. Net Profit, 1994-2001

-3.1

-12.5

5.3

10.8

12.1

9.9

100.0

O"Leary's Home Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0

Plumbing Gardening Hardw are 50 40 30 20 10 0

XYZ Company Annual Sales, 1996-1998

1 2 3 4

Roswell Manufacturing Company Annual Production of Automotive Parts, 1990-94

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 77 147 160 120 180 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

100.0

O"Leary's Home Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0

Plumbing Gardening Hardw are

Objectives

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9

Radkur, Inc. Net Profit, 1994-2001

-3.1

-12.5

5.3

10.8

12.1

9.9

• Explain the value of graphs in reports • Describe the criteria for quality graphs • Describe the potential for misleading data • Choose the correct graph for different data sets • Construct bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs

Why use charts?

• To help clarify complex data • To supplement text (not substitute text) • To help the reader focus on the data • To simplify the reader’s comprehension

To clarify, supplement, focus, simplify Table 1. O’Leary’s Home & Garden Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000 (millions of dollars) Year Hardware Gardening Plumbing 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 20.4 23.3 25.8 27.3 26.1 28.9 29.2 31.3 32.5 34.9 1.4 1.2 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.3 2.9 3.5 4.2 5.5 12.3 14.6 18.0 23.2 28.4 30.1 36.5 39.2 40.3 40.8 Source: Primary

To clarify, supplement, focus, simplify 100.0

O'Leary's Home Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000 (millions of dollars)

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Plumbing Gardening Hardw are

To clarify, supplement, focus, simplify Table 1. O’Leary’s Home & Garden Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000 (millions of dollars) Year Hardware Gardening Plumbing 1991 1992 1993 1994 20.4 23.3 25.8 27.3 1.4 1.2 1.6 1.8 12.3 14.6 18.0 23.2 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 26.1 28.9 29.2 31.3 32.5 34.9 2.0 2.3 2.9 3.5 4.2 5.5 28.4 30.1 36.5 39.2 40.3 40.8 Source: Primary 100.0

80.0

60.0

O'Leary's Home Center Sales by Department, 1991-2000 (millions of dollars)

Plumbing 40.0

Gardening 20.0

Hardw are

Criteria for Quality Graphs

1. Shows the data 2. Helps the reader focus on the data rather than on the graph itself 3. Avoids misleading the reader or distorting the data 4. Simplifies the reader’s comprehension of the data 5. Is consistent with the verbal or numeric description of the data.

Potential for misleading the reader

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9

Radkur, Inc. Net Profit, 1994-2001

-3.1

-12.5

5.3

10.8

12.1

9.9

Two Different Graphs Presenting the Same Information XYZ Company Safety Violations, 1986-1989 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1986 1987 1988 1989 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 XYZ Company Safety Violations, 1986-1989 1986 1987 1988 1989

Two Different Graphs Presenting the Same Information $515

XYZ Company Sales

$600

XYZ Company Sales

$500 $510

almost unnoticeable scale break

$400 $505 $300 $200 $500 0 $100 0 Oct Nov Dec Oct Nov Dec

You be the judge.

XYZ Company Cost of Operations, 1999-2000

Other Material & Capital Development

10% 5% 50%

Training & Development

35%

Salaries

Column and Bar Charts

Owens Communication Company, Projected Income from Subsidiaries, 1995 Radkur, Inc. Em ployees by Gender, 1996-2001

800 600 400 200 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Female Male 15 10 5

Radkur, Inc. Projected Sales by Division, 1996-98

14 12 9 4 2 6 4 7 5 Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 0 1 2 3

Roswell Manufacturing Company Annual Production of Automotive Parts, 1990-94

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 77 147 160 120 180 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Simple Vertical Column Chart

Used to show changes in quantities over time.

Roswell Manufacturing Company Annual Production of Automotive Parts, 1990-94

200 180 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 77 147 160 120 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Simple Horizontal Bar Chart

Used to changes in quantities by category.

Owens Communication Company, Projected Income from Subsidiaries, 1995

Western Cable TV Radio Station WROZ-FM Radio Station WKDM-AM 0 2 4 6 8 10 Net Income (millions of dollars)

Expenditures for Real Estate Advertising in Selected Colorado Counties, 1998 Arapahoe County $55

SCALE BREAK

Denver County El Paso County $3.2 million $75 0 20 40 60 80 100 Thousands of dollars

Multiple Column Chart

Used to show changes in several different quantities over time.

Radkur, Inc. Projected Sales by Division, 1999-2001

14 15 12 9 10 5 4 2 6 4 7 5 Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 0 1999 2000 2001

Stacked

(segmented or subdivided)

Chart

Used to compare subdivisions of quantities (horizontal or vertical).

Radkur, Inc. Em ployees by Gender, 1994-2001

800 600 400 200 0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Female Male

Bilateral Column Chart

Used to show positive and negative values over time.

Radkur, Inc. Net Profit, 1993-2000

20 15 15.2

10 5 9 5.3

10.8

12.1

9.9

0 -5 -3.1

-10 -15 -12.5

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Choose the Correct Column or Bar Chart

Situation 1: Radkur, Inc. net profit for 8 years 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 +15.2 million + 9.0 million - 3.1 million - 12.5 million + 5.3 million +10.8 million +12.1 million + 9.9 million

Choose the Correct Column or Bar Chart

Situation 2: Provide the correct graph to depict projected annual sales for XYZ Company for the next 5 years: Year Projected Sales Revenue 1 2 3 4 5 10.2 million 11.1 million 11.9 million 12.5million

13.5 million

Choose the Correct Column or Bar Chart

Situation 3: Provide the correct graph to depict projected income of three divisions for XYZ Company for the next 3 years as follows (in millions): Year Division A Division B Division C 1 2 3 15.2

22.4

26.7

5.1

8.6

9.5

12.7

14.5

15.8

Pie Charts

Used to show subdivisions of a whole.

2001 Sales by Area

Miami 21% Boston 55% Denver 19% New York 5%

Line Charts

Used to show changes in information over time.

Sales for 2001

100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 86,744 87,654 77,095 86,954 63,987 21,987 35,984 45,879 48,579 88,939 67,895 78,254 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Month

Format for presenting figures in the report 5 20 15 10 15.2

The label and title are typed flush with the left margin on the same line below the figure.

12.1

10.8

9.9

9 5.3

0 -5 -3.1

-10 -15 -12.5

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Figure 1. Radkur, Inc. Net Profit, 1994-2001 Source: Primary

Place the source data directly below the title.

Tables

The formal table presentation includes the following parts: • General introduction in the text (including a phrase such as “…as shown in Table 1”) • Label (“Table”) and number • Title • Table containing data • Source information • Specific discussion in the text that points out important points in the table

The label and title are typed flush with the left margin on separate lines above the table.

Use borders and line divisions.

Center numbers in columns but align right.

Place the source data below the table.