Tutorial 11

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ENGWRIT101 Summer Tutorial Six

Writing to accompany Tables

Good tables are:
- simple  -   relevant data only included
- clear  -  reader can recreate the accompanying paragraph
- consistent  across tables
- useful -  don’t just replicate the accompanying paragraph

1. Like paragraphs, tables have a main point, support , and an order. Identify these 3 aspects in the table below:

Table 1

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand – http://www.stats.govt.nz/analytical-reports/concerning-language-2004/default.htm

(1) Totals refer to combined selected ethnic groups.
Note: Data on the proportion of each group ‘too young to talk’ is located in the appendix of this report.

2. Compare the table and the accompanying paragraph below. How are they similar? How are they different?
In 2001, the proportion of people who could hold an everyday conversation in the first language of their ethnic group varied widely among the selected ethnic groups (Table 1). At a combined group level, 68 percent of Asian people reported speaking a first language in 2001. By comparison, 58 percent of European people recorded speaking a first language, followed by just under half (46 percent) of Pacific peoples.

Paragraphs accompanying tables explain:
- how to interpret the table  basis of data, any unusual features
- the significance of the table  only most important points discussed

3. Identify these features in the paragraph in Q 2.

4. Table 1 and the accompanying paragraph are part of a report by Statistics New Zealand on the relationship between language retention and selected variables. How might this impact the structure and content of both table and paragraph?  

5. Now write a paragraph to accompany one of the bar charts below, which are from the same source. Add a second paragraph discussing possible reasons for the trends. 

Figure 10 Pacific Peoples Speaking a First Language-by age Usually resident population, 2001
         

 
Figure 11: Asians Speaking a First Language - by age Usually resident population, 2001

Figure 12 Europeans Speaking a First Language - By age Usually resident population, 2001

Note: Submit the paragraphs next week as part of the 10% tutorial component for this course.