Interpreting Graphic Aids
Graphic Aids
• Provide visual
explanations of concepts
and relationships.
• Easier to understand than
words alone.
• Enables students to
grasp and recall
information easily.
• Authors mention graphic
aids at a point in which
they think the graph will
help the reader.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
East
West
North
20
10
0
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Steps in Reading a Table or Graph
1. Read the title/topic.
Title explains what part of the
graph is clarified or illustrated.
STAGES OF SLEEP
What is the title/topic of
this graph?
Stages of sleep
Steps in Reading a Table or Graph
2. Read the source to check if
information is current and
reliable.
What is the source of this
graph?
Dianne Hales,
An Invitation to Health, 11th
edition
Source: Dianne Hales, An Invitation to Health, 11th edition
Steps in Reading a Table or Graph
3 Examine the units of measure. Read any captions at the top,
the side, or underneath that tell exactly what each column, line,
bar, number, or other item represents.
Periods of rapid eye movement
Stage of sleep
Awake
Captions
Body
activity
Time (hours)
Bar Graph
• Length of parallel
bars are used to
.
make comparisons
• Bars in graphs can
either be vertical or
horizontal.
Line Graphs
• Points are connected to show
relationships between two or more items.
• There may be one or more lines
depending on the items.
Pie Charts
• Circle graph in which the sizes of the
slices presents part of a whole.
Flowcharts/Mapping
• Shows steps in
procedures or
processes
• Uses boxes or other
shapes connected by
lines or arrows.
Tables/Charts
• Systematic listing of data in rows or
columns.
Number of Cars Sold for the Month of February by Week
Week Number
Number of Cars Sold
1
20
2
37
3
13
4
10
FAVORITE PETS OF STUDENTS
DOGS
CATS
FISH
BIRDS
OTHER
820
700
350
320
615