Deck 16: Communicating Through Visuals

Question 1

Using graphics in a presentation recognises that people receive messages in several different ways.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

It is more difficult to see patterns in graphics than in large tables or databases.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Visual aids are graphics and visual devices used by a speaker to improve the audience's understanding.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A more serious-looking document would use

A) asymmetrical design.
B) symmetrical design.
C) simple design.
D) complex design.

Question 5

According to Leeds (2003), visual aids that are used well draw 90% of the audience's attention.

Question 6

Differences in colour, form, weight, structure and size relate to which visual design principle?

A) Simplicity
B) Proximity
C) Alignment
D) Contrast

Question 7

The visual design principle of alignment states that strong lines can connect items and indicate a relationship.

Question 8

The background design, colour, artwork, and font styles of a presentation's visuals should be consistent and create an attractive layout.

Question 9

Erin is an editor who has been hired to review and revise a data-heavy report for a client. During her review, she has found a number of elements that are unnecessary to communicate the intended message, and she removes these elements. Erin is concerned with

A) contrast.
B) alignment.
C) proximity.
D) simplicity.

Question 10

Regardless of geographical, cultural or language differences among audiences, an image communicates a message.

Question 11

In visual communication it is often said that 'a picture is worth a thousand words' because

A) the words are usually not important and are therefore forgettable.
B) the visuals that accompany the words are the more memorable part of a message.
C) audiences usually prefer visual communication.
D) technological tools are more popular now.

Question 12

Placing a photograph next to the text to which it refers in a report is adhering to the visual design principle of

A) contrast.
B) alignment.
C) proximity.
D) simplicity.

Question 13

In graphics, why is the main concept or relationship highlighted and labelled?

A) It has more appeal for the lay audience.
B) It assists the audience's understanding of the concepts and ideas.
C) It guides the speaker in addressing his/her ideas.
D) It is more persuasive for the audience.

Question 14

Discuss factors you would consider when deciding which type of graphic you would use as a visual aid in a presentation or document.

Question 15

'Chart junk' refers to

A) information that adds to the message being conveyed.
B) any visual information that doesn't add to the meaning of the message.
C) any visual component required to understand the negative message of the graphic.
D) any visual component that adds to the aesthetic quality of the graphic.

Question 16

Making one object distinguishable from another is best achieved using the principle of

A) alignment.
B) contrast.
C) proximity.
D) repetition.

Question 17

Presenters should use visual aids to explain complex ideas to their audience.

Question 18

The purpose of including visual aids is to explain or demonstrate something that is easily conveyed through words.

Question 19

The purpose of balancing a graphic is so that no part is larger or carries more emphasis than other parts.

Question 20

Visuals are used by presenters because

A) they help the audience retain information long term.
B) audiences like variety.
C) information is best presented visually, not verbally.
D) it gives presenters a break from talking.

Question 21

Graphics that specifically focus on relationships are

A) scatter diagrams, pie charts, bar graphs and line graphs.
B) Gantt charts, tables and photographs.
C) flow charts, organisational charts and maps.
D) flow charts and dot graphs.

Question 22

Which of the following provides a graphical overview of a project?

A) Gantt chart
B) Pie chart
C) Dot graph
D) Line graph

Question 23

According to Browne and Keeley (2007), statistics are not always reliable because

A) they are generally not based on verifiable evidence.
B) the data which researchers wish to collect can be controlled by individuals.
C) they do not necessarily prove what they appear to prove.
D) they are complex and cannot easily be communicated to readers.

Question 24

Plotting a graph refers to

A) thinking about where the graph will go on a page.
B) plotting data points on a graph and joining them with a line.
C) identifying relationships between points within the graph.
D) plotting colour-coded data points on a graph.

Question 25

Line graphs are useful for

A) comparing trends between geographic regions.
B) showing a trend over time.
C) comparing quantities.
D) comparing rates.

Question 26

When considering the use of graphics, users need to think about

A) purpose, audience needs and accuracy.
B) purpose, size, data and symmetry.
C) purpose, audience needs, data and symmetry.
D) purpose, accuracy, size and colour.

Question 27

Graphics are effective at communicating

A) ideas.
B) complicated data.
C) numerical data.
D) all of the above.

Question 28

A graphic provides clarity around the message being communicated.

Question 29

A graphical representation of relativity in relation to a whole is best displayed using

A) a bar chart.
B) a pie chart.
C) a table.
D) a Gantt chart.

Question 30

Which graph or chart is used to represent the parts of a whole unit in order to compare them? What are the benefits of using a graphic to represent this type of information in this way?

Question 31

Cognitive load refers to

A) the amount of information given to an audience at any one time.
B) the effort required by the reader to understand content.
C) the logical argument presented by the writer.
D) a conscious fallacy on behalf of the reader.

Question 32

Flow charts are

A) used to illustrate a sequence of actions using special shapes and arrows to indicate the relationships.
B) a shorthand form of writing.
C) a means of conveying as much specific information as possible in as little space as possible.
D) essentially another version of dot-point charts.

Question 33

The singular focus on time management is an advantage of a Gantt chart.

Question 34

Data in tables should be

A) left-justified.
B) right-justified.
C) centred horizontally.
D) centred vertically.

Question 35

Why are graphics used in reports? Discuss the benefits and issues associated with the use of visual aids in business documents and presentations.

Question 36

Multi-line graphs should be limited to

A) five-six lines.
B) two-three lines.
C) three-four lines.
D) six-seven lines.

Question 37

A graphic that is most useful in creating an immediate impact would be

A) a diagram.
B) an illustration.
C) a photograph.
D) a scatter diagram.

Question 38

Which of the following options are not visual aids?

A) Physical objects, working models and electronic whiteboards
B) Prepared flipcharts and standard whiteboards
C) Graphs, diagrams and charts
D) Gestures and proxemics

Question 39

Which of the following is not imperative when considering which graphic is appropriate to include in a presentation?

A) Choose a graphic that will suit the purpose.
B) Choose a graphic that will present a true and accurate picture.
C) Choose a graphic that will entertain the audience.
D) Choose a graphic that will meet the needs of the audience.

Question 40

Compare five major types of graphics, focusing on the features and benefits of each one.

Question 41

The height of a bar in a bar graph represents

A) quality.
B) relativity.
C) quantity.
D) span.

Question 42

A pie chart is a graphic that uses vertical columns to show change over time or compare amounts/items.

Question 43

The dot graph makes it easy to visually connect the graphed point back to its label on the vertical axis. The information is easier to read when plotted in descending order so that the eye follows the dots down to the smallest value.

Question 44

Tables are only used to present specific, precise data, facts and figures.

Question 45

What can show the locations of land forms, cities, towns and roads?

A) Scale, grids, symbols and lines
B) Tone, pitch and stress
C) Pie charts, tables and bar charts
D) Dot charts and Gantt charts

Question 46

Some common types of visuals for presenting spatial relationships and abstract ideas are

A) road signs and illustrations.
B) cartoons and photographs.
C) diagrams, organisation charts, animations and digital videos.
D) abstract art and line drawings.

Question 47

Pareto's principle refers to the idea that

A) the number of complaints are often proportionate to the causes.
B) the number of complaints are often disproportionate to the causes.
C) 80% of issues are related to 20% of causes.
D) you can separate the vital few causes of complaints from the possible many.

Question 48

Representation of technical details associated with how something moved would be best achieved by using

A) an illustration.
B) a diagram.
C) a photograph.
D) all of the above.

Question 49

The tighter the plots around a line in a scatter diagram, the stronger the relationship.

Question 50

When data are plotted as points connected by segments of a line that becomes a line graph or chart.

Question 51

Research that demonstrated the way most teenagers chose to spend $100 would be best represented by a

A) line graph.
B) bar chart.
C) pie chart.
D) scatter diagram.

Question 52

A chart that represents tasks aligned with personnel completing a project would be

A) an organisational chart.
B) a flow chart.
C) a Gantt chart.
D) all of the above.

Question 53

Identifying the cause of a complaint would be best represented by

A) a flow chart.
B) an organisational chart.
C) a Pareto chart.
D) a Gantt chart.

Question 54

Multi-line charts are used when one factor in time is compared with another over a period of time. Therefore, there should be three or four lines at most in multi-line charts.

Question 55

A scatter diagram with a negative-strong relationship means that

A) variable B increases slightly (although not as clearly) as variable A increases.
B) variable B decreases as variable A increases.
C) variable B increases as variable A increases.
D) variable B decreases slightly (although not as clearly) as variable A increases.

Question 56

It is difficult to judge areas and size differences accurately when using a pie chart.

Question 57

Frequency is the only factor taken into account in a Pareto chart.

Question 58

The Australian Bureau of Statistics now uses dot charts instead of bar charts because

A) the eye picks up the value more quickly, making dot charts easier to interpret.
B) dot charts are bigger than all other charts and are therefore easier to read.
C) bar charts do not effectively highlight the main points.
D) it received many complaints about the inaccuracy of bar charts.

Question 59

Tables, line graphs, bar graphs, dot graphs and pie charts are standard visual aids. They can only be used to present facts and figures in oral presentations.

Question 60

The use of a diamond in a flow chart represents

A) the start or end of a process.
B) the need for a decision.
C) complexity in a process.
D) a step in a process.

Question 61

To avoid chart clutter, you should use a comma instead of a space as a thousand separator.

Question 62

Maps use many numbers as a means of conveying information in a small space.

Question 63

A symbol is a shorthand form of writing.

Question 64

Ethical business communicators must design graphics that are emotive.

Question 65

Describe the features of an effective visual. What do effective visuals do? Contrast the characteristics of ethical and unethical visuals.

Question 66

Discuss the ethical use of graphics. What factors need to be taken into account when selecting graphics to represent data?

Question 67

Leaving a cell blank in a table is problematic because

A) it reflects carelessness on the part of the writer.
B) it leaves room for interpretation of figures.
C) it impacts on the clarity of the document.
D) all of the above.

Question 68

A flow chart could also be a cause-and-effect diagram.

Question 69

Drawings tend to over-simplify real-life situations and confuse the reader with too much detail.

Question 70

When graphics that misrepresent information mislead the reader, what is likely to be questioned?

A) The reader's interpretation
B) The credibility and value of the document
C) The data collected by the presenter
D) The multimedia used by the presenter

Question 71

When using graphics ethically, it is important to

A) include large graphics.
B) avoid large graphics.
C) avoid distortions and intentional ambiguity.
D) include ambiguity to allow for reader interpretation.

Question 72

When there are six or more variables, a Gantt chart is used.

Question 73

An organisation chart illustrates the steps in a process or procedure.

Question 74

A photograph will have more impact if it is placed on the right-hand page.

Question 75

Ethical practice is necessary when using graphics because they can

A) offend the audience.
B) have an emotional impact.
C) reveal confidential data.
D) include unverified information.

Question 76

Describe the best practices for using photographs in a report, essay, article or presentation. What detrimental effects could occur if these best practices are not followed?

Question 77

What do you think is the most important principle of visual design? Explain your choice, in the context of effective communication.

Question 78

Line graphs show movement in quantitative data.

Question 79

Scale is a particular issue when using graphics because

A) it represents relationships between people.
B) it can be easy to misrepresent a distorted sample population.
C) it can be easy to misrepresent data if distorted.
D) it can be difficult to interpret.

Question 80

Think of a process you are familiar with. Explain how you would make a flow chart for the process, and what stages of the process would require the following flow chart symbols: ellipse, arrows, rectangles, diamonds, loop back.