Deck 25: Using Visuals

Question 1

Charts and graphs should give meaning and not simply be used decoratively in business documents.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Visuals can't present numbers with more meaning-numbers are numbers.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The number of visuals you need depends on your purposes, the kind of information, and the audience.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A table can show whether you've included all the items you need to for a comparison.

Question 5

In the final version of a document, you can use visuals to focus on information that decision makers need.

Question 6

You do not have to tell a story with every visual-that would be impractical.

Question 7

The purpose of stories is to make your information look good, so accuracy is less important than drama.

Question 8

Extra decorative designs make a visual more impressive and more effective.

Question 9

A statement explaining the visual should come before the visual.

Question 10

Bars in a bar chart do not have to be the same width but they do need to be the same color.

Question 11

Unlike pie charts, there is only one type of bar chart, the grouped bar chart.

Question 12

It is unethical to use graphics to mislead people with a visual that uses made-up or skewed data to support an agenda.

Question 13

The same numbers can be presented in different ways to create very different impressions.

Question 14

While visuals can take the place of discussion in your documents, the visual must be complex enough for the reader to get the equivalent amount of information.

Question 15

You can use a visual to make points vivid in a presentation but not to present material more compactly than words alone could.

Question 16

Because readers may skim documents, visuals can be used to get the reader to pay more attention to important information.

Question 17

You can keep a statement above a figure fairly general (e.g., "Listed below are the figures"), because the reader will be able to tell from a good visual exactly what you are trying to say.

Question 18

Using a visual makes it unnecessary to discuss the data in words.

Question 19

Visuals need titles only when the document contains many visuals.

Question 20

You can choose any visual you like to present numbers because the type of visual will not change the way those numbers are seen by the reader.

Question 21

Numbers can be rounded off in a table.

Question 22

Color associations are so strong, that some people will associate specific colors with specific companies.

Question 23

The data in any pie chart could be put in a line graph instead

Question 24

In any visual, use a lot of shading to show distinctions between items in the visual.

Question 25

Research shows that the most effective visuals use as many different colors as they possibly can, to create a dramatic, easy-to-read look.

Question 26

Creating visuals with a computer has made people use them much more critically.

Question 27

The number of visuals you need depends on all of the following EXCEPT

A) Your purposes.
B) The kind of information you have.
C) The audience.
D) The time you have to prepare.
E) All of the above affect the number of visuals you need.

Question 28

Your chart is only as good as

A) The underlying data.
B) The overlying data.
C) The value of the visuals.
D) Both A and B
E) None of the above.

Question 29

For your report on your company's need to recruit a more diverse workforce, you include a chart showing current demographics. However, few readers notice it. What's the MOST likely reason?

A) The audience does not value diversity in the workplace.
B) The visual was ineffective, especially for an audience that may have skimmed the report.
C) The visual hit a little too close to home in revealing an organizational weakness.
D) Your readers are subconsciously trying to avoid dealing with the problem.
E) None of the above.

Question 30

Almost every data set

A) Let's you tell only one story.
B) Allows you to tell two stories.
C) Allows you to tell several stories.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT a good reason to use visuals in a report?

A) To make comparisons and contrasts vivid.
B) To emphasize material.
C) To present material compactly and with less repetition than words could permit.
D) To take up space.
E) All of the above are good reasons.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT a component of a good visual?

A) A title that tells the story the visual shows.
B) Clearly labeled units.
C) As much information in the visual as possible.
D) A clear indication of what the data is.
E) The source of the visual, if any.

Question 33

You've written a report showing how your company can increase revenue by appealing to untapped markets. Because you want to compare markets to one another in your visual aid, you BEST choice would be a

A) Table.
B) Pie chart.
C) Bar chart.
D) Line graph.
E) Either C or D

Question 34

You determined that 54.28% of students surveyed think that the equipment in the campus computer labs needs to be upgraded. Which of the following would be the BEST percentage to use in a table?

A) 54.
B) 55.
C) 54.3.
D) 54.28.
E) 54.2.

Question 35

Which of the following is the LEAST effective order for entries in a bar chart?

A) Chronological order.
B) Largest to smallest.
C) Alphabetical.
D) Order in which you learned each number.
E) All of the above are equally effective.

Question 36

Which of the following is a good guideline to follow when planning color in visuals?

A) Avoid glossy paper.
B) Use blue to convey reliability.
C) In black and white visuals, use stripes, wavy lines, and checks to indicate different segments or items.
D) Use no more than five colors when colors have meanings.
E) All of the above are good guidelines.

Question 37

Which of the following visuals will BEST allow the reader to compare the percentage of Hispanic-American, African-American, European-American, and Asian-American department heads within a company ten years ago, five years ago, and this year?

A) Table.
B) Pie charts.
C) Grouped bar chart.
D) Line graphs.
E) None of the above.

Question 38

List the two ways that visuals can help you as you write rough drafts.

Question 39

List the six things good stories may help you accomplish.

Question 40

Explain what chartjunk is and why it is bad for business documents.

Question 41

_________ graphs are missing part of the scale, which can result in misleading the reader.

Question 42

_________ _________ _________ allow to compare either several aspects of each item or several items over time.

Question 43

Predrawn images that you can import into your newsletter, sign, or graph are called _________ _________.