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Chapter 12 DESIGNING VISUAL COMMUNICATION Multiple Choice 1. U.S. government research shows that about ___ percent of the adult population in the U.S. has the literacy skills needed for success in today’s workplace. a. 1 b. 10 c. 50 d. 75 ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept 2. Making arbitrary changes in the color, size, or shape of your visual aids may a. stimulate the flagging interest of your audience. b. be difficult to do without sophisticated software or the help of a graphic designer. c. confuse your audience. d. unnecessarily lengthen your report/presentation. ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 364; TYPE: concept 3. A three-dimensional bar chart decorated with clip art is an example of a. a pictogram. b. chartjunk. c. a good way to grab reader interest. d. all of the above. ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: application 4. Examples of ethical lapses to avoid in business visuals include all of the following except 187

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Chapter 12DESIGNING VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Multiple Choice

1. U.S. government research shows that about ___ percent of the adult population in the U.S. has the literacy skills needed for success in today’s workplace.a. 1b. 10c. 50d. 75

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept

2. Making arbitrary changes in the color, size, or shape of your visual aids may a. stimulate the flagging interest of your audience.b. be difficult to do without sophisticated software or the help of a graphic

designer.c. confuse your audience.d. unnecessarily lengthen your report/presentation.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 364; TYPE: concept

3. A three-dimensional bar chart decorated with clip art is an example of a. a pictogram.b. chartjunk.c. a good way to grab reader interest.d. all of the above.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: application

4. Examples of ethical lapses to avoid in business visuals include all of the following except

a. including photos that play on racial or gender stereotypes.b. reducing the detail of a graphic in order to make it more readable.c. altering photos or graphs to hide information that could make you look bad.d. distorting the axes on a line chart to make sales look like they have increased

significantly over previous years.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 366-67; TYPE: concept

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5. If you have a great deal of detailed, specific information to present, the best visual to use would be

a. a table.b. a pie chart.c. a diagram.d. none of the above

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 371; TYPE: concept

6. When preparing numerical tables, you should a. be sure to identify the units (such as dollars or percentages) you are using.b. express all items in the same column in the same unit of measure.c. document the source of data.d. do all of the above.

ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

7. The best type of visual aid for showing trends over time is a. a table.b. a pie chart.c. a line chart.d. an organization chart.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

8. When preparing a line chart, keep in mind a. that you should never leave out increments from the vertical axis.b. that you should be especially careful to avoid distorting the data.c. that the vertical axis should never have negative numbers.d. all of the above.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

9. The best visual for illustrating profits and losses over a two-year period is aa. line chart.b. flowchart.c. scatter diagram.d. pie chart.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373-74; TYPE: application

10. A surface chart is

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a. a type of three-dimensional pie chart.b. a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.c. a type of map showing various terrains.d. used to show interrelationships within an organization.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374; TYPE: concept

11. A bar chart would be particularly useful for a. illustrating what percentages of a company’s monthly budget are spent on utilities

and other expenses.b. comparing market shares of three breakfast cereals from 1987 to 1990.c. showing the stages in production of a jet engine.d. depicting the proportion of advertising dollars spent on various major media.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374-75; TYPE: application

12. A segmented bar chart a. shows how individual components contribute to a total number.b. shows the correlation between two items.c. compares quantities that require different intervals.d. identifies positive and negative values.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 375; TYPE: concept

13. A chart that uses symbols instead of words or numbers to portray data is called a a. Gantt chart.b. surface chart.c. combination chart.d. pictogram.

ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

14. A Gantt chart is a type of a. pictogram.b. line chart.c. time line chart.d. pie chart.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

15. When you want to track progress toward completing a project, you should use a. an organizational chart.

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b. a Gantt chart.c. a pie chart.d. a pictogram.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

16. The best way to illustrate how the parts of a whole are distributed is with a a. pie chart.b. line chart.c. bar chart.d. flowchart.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 377; TYPE: concept

17. When preparing a pie chart, you shoulda. limit the number of slices to no more than three.b. place the largest or most important segment at the 12 o'clock position.c. arrange wedges of decreasing importance in a counterclockwise direction.d. do all of the above.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 377; TYPE: concept

18. Flowcharts are used to a. summarize large amounts of statistical data.b. show the relative sizes of the parts of a whole.c. show how something looks or operates.d. illustrate processes and procedures.

ANSWER: d; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

19. The best visual to describe the communication channels of a business is a(n) a. organization chart.b. bar chart.c. scatter diagram.d. Gantt chart.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

20. Microsoft Visio is one example of specialized software used to create a. professional-quality illustrations.b. complex spreadsheets.

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c. cash flow tracking systems.d. none of the above

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381; TYPE: concept

21. CAD stands fora. charts automatically designed.b. complete audiovisual display.c. computer-aided design.d. computer adaptable display.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381; TYPE: concept

22. A potential drawback of using photographs in reports is a. that they can show too much detail.b. that they are difficult to change or manipulate.c. that appropriate photos are difficult to find.d. all of the above

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381-82; TYPE: concept

23. A good situation for using photographs would be a. in repair manuals, to show the steps in making repairs.b. to show how equipment operates.c. to show the exact appearance of a new product.d. to illustrate processes and procedures in sequence.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381-82; TYPE: concept

24. Which of the following is the most specialized visual commonly used in business documents?

a. tables.b. line charts.c. animations. d. maps.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE 382; TYPE: concept

25. When creating digital photos, it is important to consider “dpi,” which stands fora. digital photo imaging.b. downloadable photo import.c. dots per inch.

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d. none of the above.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 382; TYPE: concept

26. Producing visual aids with a computer graphics system is a. no substitute for the training and experience of a professional designer.b. a surefire way to ensure that your visuals are effective.c. not advisable unless you have access to extremely expensive computer

equipment.d. not likely to result in professional-looking materials.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 383; TYPE: concept

27. In computer graphics, a template is a. a tool for creating curves and geometric shapes.b. a ready-made design provided in a software program.c. any kind of chart generated by a spreadsheet program.d. a tool for creating classic architectural views.

ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 383; TYPE: concept

28. The style and quality of your visuals depend mostly on a. the gender of your audience.b. whether or not your topic is controversial.c. the subject matter and the situation at hand.d. all of the above.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 383; TYPE: concept

29. The ideal balance between the visual and the verbal depends on a. the nature of your audience.b. the length of the report/presentation.c. the amount of money available for underwriting the costs of graphics.d. internal company guidelines.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 384; TYPE: concept

30. A reference to a visual aid shoulda. come directly after the piece itself appears.b. precede the piece itself.c. come fairly close to the appearance of the piece.d. include copyright information.

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ANSWER: b; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 384; TYPE: concept

31. In business reports, it is best to place each visual a. within, beside, or immediately after the paragraph it illustrates.b. just before the paragraph referring to it.c. together with other visuals at the end of each chapter.d. together with other visuals in an appendix at the end of the report.

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

32. The primary difference between titles and captions of visuals is thata. titles are usually longer than captions.b. captions usually appear above visuals, whereas titles appear below.c. captions are often longer than titles.d. titles provide detailed descriptions of visuals, but captions give only short

descriptions.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE; 385; TYPE: concept

33. Legends should be included witha. controversial reports.b. all visuals in business reports.c. visuals that are more complex than a simple graph or a series of data.d. all of the above.

ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

34. Which of the following is an example of a descriptive title for a visual aid? a. How CamCo Reduces Costsb. CamCo Cost Reductionsc. Reducing Costs Is a Number-One Goal at CamCod. Whither Camco?

ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: application

35. When creating visuals, it is highly unethical to a. leave out important information, such as data points that don’t fit your needs.b. “airbrush” the photos of company executives to make them look more attractive.c. overload your report with unnecessary tables and charts.d. simplify data from other sources.

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ANSWER: a; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385-86; TYPE: concept

True or False

36. Unlike words, visual images have connotative meanings that are consistent across cultures.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 362; TYPE: concept

37. When designing visuals, you should keep in mind that elements such as shapes and colors have meanings, which can vary among cultures.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 362; TYPE: concept

38. Including visuals in your report or presentation is a particularly powerful way to communicate with a culturally diverse audience.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 362-63; TYPE: concept

39. Poorly planned visuals can damage your credibility even more severely than grammatical errors in the text of your report.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept

40. U.S. government research suggests that only half of the adult population in the U.S. now has the literacy skills needed for success in the workplace.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept

41. “Visual literacy” describes the ability to create effective images and correctly interpret visual messages.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept

42. Making arbitrary changes in color, shape, size, or texture is one way of stimulating an audience’s interest in your presentation.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364; TYPE: concept43. A good way to distinguish between 2007 and 2008 on a bar chart illustrating

monthly expenses would be to use contrasting colors.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364; TYPE: application

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44. Emphasizing background features (such as the grid lines on a chart) is helpful to your

audience.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364; TYPE: concept

45. The more decorative elements you can add to a graphic, the more interesting and useful it will be to the audience.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: concept

46. Altering the horizontal or vertical scale on a chart or graph can profoundly influence your audience’s perception of the data you present.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 366-67; TYPE: concept

47. Tables are ideal for summarizing information that would be difficult or tedious to handle in the main text.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 371; TYPE: concept

48. Tables presented in printed documents must contain fewer columns and rows than tables presented online.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 371-72; TYPE: concept

49. Tables should always be presented on a separate page, rather than being included within the text of a report.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 372; TYPE: concept

50. When preparing numerical tables, you should clearly identify the units you are using (such as dollars or percentages) and express all items in a column in the same unit.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

51. Word tables are generally less useful than numerical ones.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

52. In line charts showing trends, the vertical axis indicates time or quantity, and thehorizontal axis indicates amount.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

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53. If at all possible, use a maximum of six lines on any given line chart.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374; TYPE: concept

54. A surface chart is a type of bar chart in which the bars are represented by symbols.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374; TYPE: concept

55. Bar charts can be used to compare more than one set of data.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374; TYPE: concept

56. The deviation bar chart is a special type of bar chart that identifies both positive and negative values, such as winners and losers.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 375; TYPE: concept

57. Because computer software generates charts from data tables, you need to think ahead about how the chart will look when deciding on the order of data for the table.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 375-76; TYPE: concept

58. Compared to bar charts, pictograms are generally easier to read.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept 59. A Gantt chart is a type of time line chart used to track the progress of a project.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

60. A pie chart would be the best visual to illustrate how an employee’s time is dividedamong different tasks throughout the week.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 377; TYPE: application

61. When you are preparing a pie chart, you should place the largest or most important segment in the six o’clock position.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 377; TYPE: concept

62. If you want to illustrate a process or procedure, the best type of visual aid to use is a flowchart.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

63. On a flowchart, diamonds indicate decision points.

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ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

64. Drawings, diagrams, and photographs are generally not helpful in business documents.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381; TYPE: concept

65. Because of the costs of reproduction, photographs are usually not used in businessreports.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381; TYPE: concept

66. One potential disadvantage of using photographs in business documents is that they show so much detail.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 381-82; TYPE: concept

67. In the text of a report, only the most important visual aids should be referred to by number.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 384; TYPE: concept

68. When describing the data from visual aids in the text of your report, you should be sure to reiterate all the details of the data, rather than simply touch on the highlights.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 384; TYPE: concept

69. The best place to put a visual aid is right next to or immediately following the paragraph it illustrates.

ANSWER: T; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

70. Short titles such as “Refineries” intrigue audiences and encourage them to pay careful attention to your visuals.

ANSWER: F; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: application

Fill-in-the-Blank

71. A basic principle of design is to maintain ____________________ among all the visuals in a document.

ANSWER: consistency; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364; TYPE: concept

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72. ____________________ refers to decorative elements that clutter documents without adding any relevant information.

ANSWER: Chartjunk; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: concept

73. A(n) ____________________ is a type of visual aid that includes vertical columnsand horizontal rows.

ANSWER: table; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 371; TYPE: concept 74. A(n) ____________________ chart illustrates trends over time.

ANSWER: line; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

75. ____________________ charts are a form of line chart with a cumulative effect; allthe lines add up to the top line.

ANSWER: Surface; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374; TYPE: concept

76. A(n) ____________________ chart can take several forms including singular, deviation, segmented, combination, or paired.

ANSWER: bar; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374-75; TYPE: concept

77. A(n) ____________________ is a type of chart that uses symbols instead of words or numbers to portray data.

ANSWER: pictogram; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

78. A(n) ____________________ chart shows how much time is needed to complete each task in a given project.

ANSWER: time line; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

79. A(n) ____________________ chart is a type of time line chart used to track progress toward completing a project.

ANSWER: Gantt; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept80. _______________ charts are especially effective for showing the composition of a whole.

ANSWER: Pie; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 377; TYPE: concept

81. ____________________ illustrate a sequence of events from start to finish.

ANSWER: Flowcharts; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

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82. To illustrate the positions, units, or functions of an organization and the way they interrelate, use a(n) ____________________ chart.

ANSWER: organization; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: concept

83. Along with the title of a visual, the ____________________ offers additional discussion of the visual’s content and can be several sentences long.

ANSWER: caption; DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

84. A(n) ____________________ title on a graphic simply identifies the topic.

ANSWER: descriptive; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

85. A(n) ____________________ title calls attention to the conclusion that ought to be drawn from the data.

ANSWER: informative; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

Short Answer

86. What is “chartjunk”?

ANSWER: “Chartjunk” refers to any decorative elements that clutter documents (and confuse readers) without adding any relevant information. DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: concept

87. Briefly describe one way that visuals can be designed to emphasize or deemphasize certain aspects of the data they present.

ANSWER: You can emphasize or deemphasize certain aspects of data in visual aids by altering the horizontal or vertical scale on a chart or graph or by manipulating the perspective a photograph provides on an object. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 367; TYPE: concept

88. List at least five types of visual aids commonly used to present data in business documents.

ANSWER: (1) Tables, (2) line charts, (3) surface charts, (4) bar charts, (5) pictograms, (6) Gantt charts, (7) Scatter and bubble diagrams, and (8) pie charts. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 371; TYPE: concept

89. In a line chart, what do the vertical and horizontal axes normally illustrate?

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ANSWER: The vertical axis normally shows the amount, and the horizontal axis illustrates the time or other quantity against which the amount is being measured.DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

90. In designing visuals for business reports, what tasks are best suited for bar charts? List at least two.

ANSWER: Bar charts are particularly useful for comparing the size of several items at one time, showing changes in one item over time, indicating the composition of several items over time, and showing the relative size of components of a whole. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 374-75; TYPE: concept

91. How are Gantt charts used in business documents?

ANSWER: Gantt charts are used to track progress toward completing a project. DIFFICULTY: easy; PAGE: 376; TYPE: concept

92. In preparing a brochure for visitors, you need to describe the process your plant uses to manufacture home appliances. What type of visual aid should you use to describe the process, and why?

ANSWER: A flowchart would be best in this case, since it is the visual aid designed to illustrate a sequence of events from start to finish. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 378; TYPE: application

93. List two ways that including too many visuals can distract your audience from the main points of your message.

ANSWER: (1) Along with constantly referring to tables, drawings, and other visual elements, switching back and forth from words to visuals can make it difficult for readers to follow your message. (2) The space occupied by visuals can disrupt the flow of text on the page or screen, which also creates additional work for the reader. DIFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 384; TYPE: concept

94. Briefly explain whether it is a good idea to bunch visuals at the end of a section or at the end of a document.

ANSWER: It is usually not a good idea to bunch visuals in business documents because having to flip (or scroll) back and forth between the visuals and the text can distract readers from the main points of your message. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

95. Explain the difference between the title and the caption of a visual aid.

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ANSWER: A title simply provides a short description of the content and purpose of the visual, along with whatever label and number you use to refer to the visual. A caption, on the other hand usually offers additional discussion of the visual’s content and can be several sentences long if appropriate. DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 385; TYPE: concept

Essay

96. Describe at least five principles to keep in mind when designing visuals regarding the aesthetic and symbolic aspects of graphic art.

ANSWER: (1) Consistency: Readers view a series of visuals as a whole, assuming that design elements will be consistent from one page to the next. (2) Contrast: Visual distinctions should match verbal ones. To emphasize differences, depict items in contrasting colors, such as red and blue, or black and white. To emphasize similarities, make color difference more subtle. (3) Balance: Images that appear to be out of balance can be as unsettling as a building that looks like it’s about to tip over. Balance can be either formal, in which the elements in the images are arranged symmetrically around a central point or axis, or informal, in which elements are not distributed evenly but stronger and weaker elements are arranged in such a way that achieves an overall effect of balance. (4) Emphasis: The most important point should receive the greatest visual emphasis, so present the key item on the chart in the most prominent way—through color, position, size, or whatever. Visually downplay less important items. (5) Convention: Visual communication is governed by a variety of generally accepted (and deeply ingrained) rules. Flouting those conventions can be effective, but must be done carefully in order to avoid breakdowns in communications. (6) Simplicity: Limit the number of colors and design elements you use, and take care to avoid chartjunk. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 364-65; TYPE: concept

97. Define and explain the “visual evolution in business communication.”

ANSWER: Several technological and social factors are contributing to the increasing use—and importance—of visuals in business communication. Whereas creating and working with visual elements used to be the domain of experts, digital technology has changed this situation dramatically. Digital cameras that can produce high-quality images and video are inexpensive and easy enough for anyone to use; the software needed to create diagrams, process photos, edit video, and prepare other visual elements continues to get both easier and more powerful all the time; the global reach of the Internet makes it easy to send images almost instantly; and more Internet users have high-speed connections that can handle the larger computer files that visuals tend to require. Design and

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production tasks that used to take days can now be completed in hours or even minutes. As technologies such as wireless networking continue to advance, business communicators will continue to reach wider audiences in less time, using equipment that costs less and requires fewer skills. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 363; TYPE: concept

98. What are the “five Cs” to consider when you’re deciding which points to illustrate with visuals?

ANSWER: (1) Clear: The human mind is extremely adept at processing visual information, so if you're having difficultly conveying an idea in words, take a minute to brainstorm some visual possibilities. (2) Complete: Visuals, particularly tables, often serve to provide the supporting details for your main idea or recommendation. (3) Concise: If a particular section of your message seems to require extension description or explanation, see whether there's a way to convey this information visually. (4) Connected: Whenever you want readers to see key connections, see whether a chart, diagram, or other illustration can help. (5) Compelling: Even if a particular point can be expressed equally well via text or visuals, consider adding the visual in order to make your report or presentation more compelling. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 370; TYPE: concept

99. One of the most common visuals in many business documents is the table. What six guidelines should you follow to make your tables easy for audiences to read?

ANSWER: (1) Use common, understandable units, and clearly identify the units you’re using, whether it's dollars, percentages, price per ton, or whatever. (2) Express all items in a column in the same unit and round off for simplicity. (3) Label column headings clearly and use a subhead if necessary. (4) Separate columns or rows with lines or extra space to make the table easy to follow; in complex tables, consider highlighting every other row of column in a pale, contrasting color. (5) Provide totals or averages of columns or rows when relevant. (6) Document the source of the data using the same format as a text footnote. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 373; TYPE: concept

100. Pie charts are common in various types of business documents. Briefly describe at least five strategies for creating effective pie charts.

ANSWER: (1) Restricting the number of slices in the pie keeps the chart from looking cluttered and makes it easier to label. Lumping the smallest pieces together in a “miscellaneous” category can also be helpful. (2) Place the largest or most important slice of the pie (the segment you want to emphasize) at the twelve o’clock position; arrange the rest clockwise either in order of size or in some other logical progression. (3) Use different colors or patterns to distinguish the various pieces. Use a brighter color to draw attention to the segment that is of the greatest interest to your readers. You can also draw an arrow to the segment, or explode it. (4) Label all the segments and indicate their

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value in either percentages or units of measure. (5) Make sure the segments add up to 100 percent if percentages are used or to the total number if numbers are used. DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 377-78; TYPE: concept

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