2. Reading Charts and Graphs
Reading comprehension involves more than just
reading words. Authors also use visual images such
as photographs, cartoons, and graphics to relay
ideas.
Graphics give a great deal of information in a smaller
space than it would take to write the ideas in the
form of words. The following suggestions will help
you understand the general format of a graphic.
3. 1. Read the words printed with the graphic. A
graphic has a main idea and supporting details, just as
a paragraph does.
Read the title or caption.
Note the source. (Who published the ideas in the
graphic? Are they a trusted authority?)
Read any footnotes. (Do they explain what any numbers
or headings mean?)
Read the labels. (Do they tell what the columns and
rows represent?)
2. Analyze the graphic. The way it is organized and
any trends or patterns are important information you
need to be aware of.
4. 3 Basic Types of Graphs
1. Tables allow the reader to classify and compare the
given facts.
5. 3 Basic Types of Graphs
2. Graphs show the relationship between two or more
sets of ideas. The most common types of graphs
you will come across in your reading are line
graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts.
6. Most Common Types of Graphs
Line graphs plot two or more sets of facts on vertical and
horizontal axes.
7. A bar graph presents a set of bars. Each bar
stands for a specific quantity, amount or
measurement. Seeing the bars together allows us to
compare the quantity represented by each bar.
8. A pie chart shows a whole group as a circle and
divides the circle into smaller units that look like
slices of a pie. Each smaller slice is a part,
percentage, or fraction of the whole. Pie graphs are
used to show proportions and the importance of
each smaller unit in relation to the whole.
9. 3 Basic Types of Graphs
3. Diagrams are graphics that explain in detail the
relationships between the parts of an idea to the
whole idea. Diagrams include flowcharts,
pictograms, and drawings.
10. A flowchart is a diagram
that shows a step-by-step
process. Each step or
phase of the process is
typically shown in a box or
circle, and the shapes are
connected with lines and
arrows to show the proper
order or flow of the steps.
11. A pictogram is a diagram that uses pictorial forms
to represent data. Usually statistics are used in
pictograms.
12. A drawing is an artist's illustration of a process or
idea. The drawing shows the relationships among all
the details in the picture. Often these drawings are
dependent on the accompanying text, and an effective
reader must move back and forth between the drawing
and text for full understanding.
13. Importance of Charts and Graphs
Textbook space is at a premium. An author
would not include a chart or graphic if it wasn't
important. So, if you want to be a strong reader
and increase your comprehension, do not skip
over the graphic, charts, and tables. They
contain important information, and you need to
read them carefully and ask yourself, "How does
the information shown in the chart, graphic, or
table support the material I am reading?"
