INFORMATION

DESIGN 6

NASA’s satellites circle the globe many

times a day, collecting information on
aspects of the Earth’s environment.

ACADemIC SKILLS THINK AND DISCUSS

READING Identifying arguments and counterarguments 1 What does the infographic above show?
WRITING Writing a persuasive essay 2 What are some other ways in which
GRAMMAR Describing visual information information and data can be presented
visually?
CRITICAL THINKING Evaluating visual data

123

PW_RW_SB3_07793_U06_123-146_ptg01.indd 123 11/01/18 4:21 pm

NGL.Cengage.com/ELT
Bringing the world to the classroom and the classroom to life
A PART OF CENGAGE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – NOT FOR RESALE
 Hood Windshield Headliner
expLore THe THeme Grille made in: netherlands Outside mirrors
made in: Belgium made in: U.k.
made in: Germany Company Company Headquarters: France Company Headquarters: Spain made in: Germany
a Look at the information on these pages Company Headquarters: Germany Headquarters: Austria Company Headquarters: Canada
and answer the questions.
1. What does the infographic show?
Seats
2. Do you think it’s an effective made in: U.k.
infographic? Why or why not? Company Headquarters: U.S.
B match the words and phrases in blue to
their definitions.
(v) to communicate
(v) to be noticeable or easy
to see
Gasoline engine
(v) to understand the made in: Brazil
meaning of something Company Headquarters: Brazil
Diesel engine
(not shown)
made in: Japan
Company Headquarters: Japan

UNDER
THE Front
and rear
bumpers Exhaust system

HooD
made in: U.k.
made in: U.k.
Company Headquarters: U.S.
Company
Headquarters:
Canada

Where do the pieces

When you think of infographics, you might think of a large amount of information about a car in a
come from?
pie charts and line graphs—or you might picture small amount of space. In the image, the outer
A selection of the
more complex images such as the globe on the shell of a BMW Mini has been lifted away from
car’s parts reveals
previous page. But infographics can take almost the car’s body so that the viewer can see its inner
how automakers are
any form. With a single infographic, designers are workings. This treatment lets each piece of the car Wheel bearings
made in: U.k. increasingly using
now able to convey complicated information and stand out as an individual part. In addition, the
Company Headquarters: U.S. suppliers from around
help us interpret the meaning of vast data sets. infographic allows a viewer to see a bigger story— Wheels
the world to stay
although the car is made by a German company, it made in: Italy, Germany
The infographic on these pages, for example, has Company Headquarters: U.S. competitive.
is actually a global product.
a 3-D design that allows a viewer to understand

124 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 125

 Reading 1
prepArING To reAD

BUILDING a The words in blue below are used in Reading 1. Read the sentences. Then match the
VOCABULARY correct form of each word to its definition.

Good journalists aim to present the news in an objective manner without inserting
their own opinions into their reports.
People with poor vision correct their eyesight by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
In order to make their products seem more effective, companies might deliberately
include misleading information in their advertisements.
one downside to using information from the Internet is that the source may not
be reliable.
Most people have strong opinions about whale hunting. Not many people are
neutral about the issue.
When writing a report, it’s important to check that the points make sense and don’t
contain faulty logic.
THE RISE oF Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

VISUAL DATA
presents a graphic showing the global
connections of Facebook users.
1. (n) a disadvantage

2. (adv) on purpose or intentionally

3. (n) the ability to see

4. (adj) containing mistakes; inaccurate

2.01
5. (adj) based on facts, not personal bias
Visual data—charts, maps, and infographics—are more prevalent1 than ever.
6. (adj) not having an opinion about something
Every day, we are exposed to visual data in print, in online media, and in the
A
7. (adj) making someone believe something that is not true apps we use. Why is visual data so common today? And are there any downsides
to living in a world of visual data?
USING B Discuss these questions with a partner.
VOCABULARY tHe power of visuals
1. What do you think are the downsides to using information from the Internet?
The human brain can interpret a complex concept more quickly when it
2. What kinds of misleading information have you seen online?
is presented visually than when it is explained on printed text. A 2014 study
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for example, showed that
BRAINSTORMING C What are some benefits of infographics for people working in business, education, or
journalism? Discuss with a partner. humans can interpret an image of a “smiling couple” after seeing it for only
B 13 milliseconds—nearly 10 times faster than the blink of an eye. To explain all
the details of the “smiling couple” in writing would take significantly longer. As
PREDICTING D Skim the first sentence of each paragraph in the reading passage. What do you think
Mary Potter, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, explains, “What
the passage is about? Check your idea as you read.
vision does is find concepts. That’s what the brain is doing all day long—trying
a. the purposes of different types of infographics to understand what we’re looking at.”
b. the history of data visualization 1
Something that is prevalent is widespread or common.
c. the pros and cons of using infographics

126 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 127

 Data visualization journalist and educator tHe pitfalls of visual Data
55
Alberto Cairo thinks that “words alone are not Even though graphs may look credible, 53
powerful enough to communicate effectively … they can be misleading, especially if faulty
Appeared on the cover
you also need visuals.” Visual data is most logic is used to present information. Figure 2,
effective when there is an “aha” moment—when for example, shows the rise and fall of the 50
the information provides “spontaneous insight.” performance of athletes who appeared on Athlete 1

Performance

Percent
C
These visuals immediately create understanding e
the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
of complex concepts. Cairo cites a chart The graph appears to imply there is a cause-
Athlete 2
(Figure 1) that shows the sudden rise in global 45
effect relationship between two events: being
temperatures as an example of this. With its on the cover of the magazine leads to poor
Athlete 3
42
sharp curve upward, the chart quickly conveys performance afterward.
how rapidly our planet is warming. Time
40
In fact, athletes usually appear on magazine
Visual data also appears to make information Drug A Drug B
covers when they are at the peak of their
seem more credible. A study carried out at performance. After this stage, it is most probable Figure 2: Performance of athletes before and after appearing on the Figure 3: Effectiveness of Drug A
Cornell University in New York showed that that athletes’ performance will eventually decline. cover of Sports Illustrated magazine
67 percent of participants believed information F
So, although there may be a correlation between
when they read it in a document without a two events, that does not mean that one event
graph. However, when a graph was included, has a direct effect on the other. This is because the numbers on the vertical visualiziNg tHe future
D
96 percent believed the same information. axis go only from 40 percent to 55 percent—
Another way charts can mislead is when a According to Geoff McGhee—a data
Alberto Cairo agrees that “a message looks more making it look like Drug A is five times more
scale is inappropriate. Figure 3 illustrates the visualizer at Stanford University—new forms
scientific when you put charts in it.” He points effective than Drug B. In fact, the difference
G effectiveness of two drugs, and there seems to of visual data are pushing the boundaries of
out that visual data can also mislead, because between the two drugs is only about 10
be a big difference between them. However, what we can process. Unlike traditional visual
it makes textual information look more serious percent. In addition, the color of the bar for
the difference looks greater than it really is. data, these new types of visuals use thousands
and academic than it perhaps is. Drug A makes that data stand out more and of data points, such as the map showing global
seem more important—and positive—than I
connections on Facebook (the first image in
Drug B.
Variations of the Earth’s Surface Temperature this reading passage). Many of these modern
Some visuals may be unintentionally visualizations feature a huge number of thin,
Departures in temperature (ºC) from the
misleading. Others, however, may be overlapping,2 and semi-transparent3 lines. The
1961 to 1990 average
0.7
deliberately designed to influence the viewer. 3-D effect allows viewers to “see through”
According to Cairo, deliberately misleading points to look at others behind.
0.6 Year-by-year data from thermometers visuals are designed to make a point, not Some journalists worry that complex
to objectively present facts. While he thinks visualizations such as these may make beautiful
0.4 Year-by-year data from tree rings, H this may be valid in advertising or PR, it’s
corals, ice cores, and historical records data art, but risk confusing readers instead
not a good example of objective journalistic of enlightening them. For Alberto Cairo, the
0.2
communication. Cairo believes that while J key issue with visualization is not complexity
0.0 designers may never be able to approach or beauty, but whether the public is reliably
information in a completely neutral way, informed. When creators of visual data are
–0.2 they should at least try: “That is what balanced and honest, he says, “great visualizations
journalism is.” change people’s mind for the better.”
–0.4
Average temperature
2
When two lines are overlapping, part of one line covers part of the
–0.6 other line.
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 3
If something is semi-transparent, you can see through it, but not
Years completely.
Source: MANN, BRADLEY & HUGHES, NATURE, 1998

Figure 1: Average global temperature over 1,000 years

128 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 129

 UNDerSTANDING THe reADING D Find and underline the following words in bold in the reading passage. Use context to INFERRING MEANING
identify their meanings. Match the sentence parts to complete the definitions.
SUMMARIzING a Read the first sentence of a summary of the passage. Check () three other sentences 1. Paragraph D: If something is credible, a. it is not done on purpose.
to complete the summary.
2. Paragraph E: If you imply something, b. it is believable or trustworthy.
Infographics are more common today, but data visualizers should take into consideration
certain issues. 3. Paragraph F: If there is a correlation between c. you suggest it without stating
two things, it directly.
1. Visual data is not as effective as text, but it is more interesting to look at and makes
information seem more trustworthy. 4. Paragraph H: If something is done d. there is a meaningful
unintentionally, connection between them.
2. It is easier and faster to interpret large amounts of information through visual data
than through text.
3. There are many benefits to using visual data, but charts and graphs can be C r I T I C A L T H I N K I N G In order to evaluate visual data, ask yourself: Does
misleading. the infographic show an accurate representation of relationships between two
or more things, or is it biased to show one perspective? Is the scale misleading or
4. Most infographics on the Internet unintentionally use incorrect data.
exaggerated in some way? Is the creator of the infographic neutral?
5. In the future, infographics will be easier to create and less confusing than they are now.
6. Data visualization may become more complex in the future, but it is important that
e Study the two graphs below. How are they different? CRITICAL THINKING:
it remains clear and accurate.
E V A L U AT I N G
V I S U A L D ATA
U N D E R S TA N D I N G B Write answers to these questions. Then share your answers with a partner.
D E TA I L S Which scale would be more suitable for each situation below?
1. According to Alberto Cairo, when is visual data most effective?
a. for looking in detail at the monthly changes in the U.S.’s GDP
b. for comparing with another country’s GDP in the same time period
2. What does Cairo think is one benefit of including charts in a document?
Falling Gross domestic Product (GdP) in the United States

1 U.S. GDP 2 U.S. GDP

3. What ways of presenting visual data can result in inaccurate information? List three ways.
6.75 7

6
6.50 5.5

5
6.25
4. What is a main difference between modern infographics and traditional charts such as
line graphs? 4

Percent
Percent
6.00
3

5.75
INTERPRE TING VISUAL C Read the descriptions below. Match each one to a figure from the passage (1–3). 2
I N F O R M AT I O N
a. the y-axis has a misleading scale 5.5
5.50
b. shows a trend that is increasing 1

c. presents a misleading comparison

5.25 0
d. illustrates performance levels over time Jan 2014 May 2015 Jan 2014 May 2015
e. shows the relative success of two products Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
f. provides quick insight into complex information
F Look back at Units 1–5 and find an infographic that you think best follows the CRITICAL THINKING:
g. implies an incorrect cause-effect relationship
principles of objective design. Find another infographic that you think could be E V A L U AT I N G
h. allows various data to be compared against an average improved. Discuss your reasons with a partner. INFOGRAPHICS

130 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 131

 DeVeLopING reADING SKILLS
Video
Jer Thorp created
this graphic to show
exoplanets—planets
R E A D I N G S k I L L Identifying Arguments and Counterarguments outside of our solar
system—discovered by the
Writers often acknowledge counterarguments—the arguments on the other side of Kepler space telescope.
the issue—in addition to presenting their own arguments. Concession words and
phrases are often used to signal counterarguments. Some examples are while, even
though, though, and although.
counterargument writer’s argument
While it may seem difficult to make good infographics, anyone can create them with
the right software.

IDENTIFYING a Find the following concession words and phrases in the reading passage. Then
ARGUMENTS underline the writer’s argument and draw two lines under the counterargument.

PAINTING
1. even though (paragraph E)
2. although (paragraph F)
3. while (paragraph H)

IDENTIFYING
ARGUMENTS
B
4. while (paragraph H)

Choose the correct paraphrase of each main argument in exercise A. Then share your
answers with a partner.
WITH NUMBERS
1. a. Graphs that look impressive sometimes contain inaccurate information. BeFore VIewING
b. Misleading information is sometimes included to make charts attractive.
a Read the caption above and discuss the answers to these questions with a partner. PREDICTING
2. a. More evidence is needed to show that the two events affect each other.
b. Two events that are connected are not necessarily in a cause-effect relationship. 1. What might the different sizes and colors of the circles represent?
2. What do you think the locations of the circles represent?
3. a. Deliberately misleading visuals are used in advertising or PR to help make a point.
b. It is unacceptable for journalists to include misleading information in visual data. B Read the information about data artists. In what ways are Thorp’s and Nightingale’s LEARNING ABOUT
infographics similar? Discuss your answer with a partner. THE TOPIC
4. a. It is important for graphic designers to present information in the most neutral way
possible. Jer Thorp is a data artist—someone Causes of death
b. It is impossible for graphic designers to be completely neutral about the issues they who combines art and science to better disease
write about. injury
communicate complex information. other
According to Thorp, an early example
IDENTIFYING C Match each argument (a–c) to a counterargument (1–3). of an infographic was by Florence
COUNTER ARGUMENTS
1. While including charts and graphs a. a screen with nothing but text on it is Nightingale—a nurse during the
is useful in reports, uninteresting and unattractive. Crimean War (1853–1856). one of her
graphics (right) showed that, contrary
2. Although charts and graphs may b. charts and graphs can communicate
to popular belief, most soldiers were
not always be necessary, a lot of information in small spaces.
dying of treatable diseases rather than
3. Though they sometimes seem c. they should be used only if they from injuries during the war. Her work
simple, relate to the points made. reduced soldiers’ deaths by over 60
percent, and is an example of how
infographics can change public opinion.

132 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 133

 VOCABULARY
IN CONTE X T
C The words in bold below are used in the video. Read the sentences. Then match the
correct form of each word to its definition. Reading 2
Police use maps to plot the incidence of crimes in an area. This can help them identify
areas that need extra security.
prepArING To reAD
A complicated issue can be explored from different angles.
a The words and phrases in blue below are used in Reading 2. Complete the sentences BUILDING
one strategy to creating an effective infographic is to use objective data. with the correct form of the words or phrases. Use a dictionary to help you. VOCABULARY

1. (n) the number of times an event happens context propose publication have to do with reliance
universal nevertheless statistic emphasize gesture
2. (v) to mark data on a map or chart

3. (n) a particular perspective of something 1. such as comics and magazines tend to have more
4. (n) a way of doing something to achieve a goal images, compared to journal articles that usually contain more data and
.
wHILe VIewING
2. Sometimes, speakers use simple while giving a speech,
especially when they want to certain points and draw people’s
U N D E R S TA N D I N G a Watch the video. What benefits of using visual data are mentioned?
MAIN IDEAS attention to them.
1. It makes data easier to remember.
2. It simplifies complex data. 3. People who create infographics may not be totally neutral about the data they are
using. , Alberto Cairo thinks that they should try to present the
3. It helps us see things we’ve never seen before.
data in the most objective way possible.
4. It makes data more interesting.
4. Although it is helpful to include visuals in an essay, you should make sure that they are
U N D E R S TA N D I N G B Watch the video again. Complete the sentences about what each graphic shows. suitable for the in which they are used.
D E TA I L S
1. John Snow’s map shows where people 5. When you see a chart or graph, ask yourself: what does it the
topic?

6. Visuals such as photos and infographics are like a(n)

2. The “Just Landed” visualization shows
language—there is little on text to convey meaning.

7. Data artist Jer Thorp that we can use the “ooh-aah” approach
AFTer VIewING when evaluating the effectiveness of visual information.

REAC TING TO a Read the quote from the video about Thorp’s “ooh-aah” approach to creating graphics. B Discuss these questions with a partner. USING
VOCABULARY
THE VIDEO Then discuss the questions with a partner. 1. What are some common gestures in your culture or country? What do they mean?
“The first thing I want people to do is I want them to say ‘ooh’ when they see the visualization, 2. What are some topics that have universal appeal around the world?
but that ‘ooh’ is useless unless there’s an ‘aah.’ I want that learned moment that comes from
really being able to discover something that you didn’t understand before.” C Work with a partner. What does the color red make you think of? What about BRAINSTORMING
the color green?
1. What makes people say “ooh” about an infographic?
2. What makes people say “aah”? D Look at the images and read the first paragraph of the reading passage. What kinds of PREDICTING
cultural differences in visual design do you think you will read about? Discuss with a
CRITICAL THINKING: B Work in a small group. Choose three infographics in this book. For each, decide if there partner. Then check your ideas as you read.
A P P LY I N G is a balance of “ooh” and “aah.”

134 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 135

 Western cultures, he says, “rounded corners The color of money varies
are more accepted than in Arabic countries. In around the world.
typography, Arabs prefer blade-like
typefaces …”
Sometimes the differences are not so subtle.
“The big difference is orientation,” says Durado.
“Arabs write and read from right to left.” This
e sometimes means inverting, or flipping, images,
but this can present challenges. “[N]ot all
images can just be flipped,” says Durado, citing
examples such as maps.
Konstantinos Antonopoulos, a Greek
designer working for Al Jazeera English in
Qatar, remarks how different publications Graphics director Alberto Lucas López
within the same company often need different moved from Spain to work for the South
visuals for the same stories. Al Jazeera Arabic, China Morning Post in Hong Kong. He thinks
F for example, “has a strong visual language, G that some differences in style have to do
The colors and other spearheaded by the brilliant typography of the with Chinese writing. “I could clearly see the
visual cues in signs are Arabic alphabet.” But the company may change parallelism2 between the Chinese characters
often influenced by the visuals for its publications in Turkey or the
cultural preferences.
and the visual preferences,” he says. His
Balkans, for example. “[They] have their own

VISUAL CULTURE
visual languages,” Antonopoulos explains. 2
parallelism is a likeness or connection between two or more things.

2.02

When we think of language, we usually And that’s not all. “In the United States, red
think of words, but visuals are also a part of usually has a connotation1 of losses or deficits,”
communication. And like written language, visual Apple says, “but that’s not true in all countries.”
symbols are not universal. An English speaker, Xan Sabaris, a Spanish infographic artist
A for example, may place their hand near their who has worked for the Beijing-based China
C
chest as a gesture to mean “me,” while a Japanese Daily, agrees: “For the Western culture, red
speaker is likely to point at their nose to indicate has negative connotations. In China, it’s the
the same. Similarly, the way visual information is opposite. You could see Chinese newspapers
used can vary depending on the cultural context. where stock market charts use green for
Take the color of money. Charles Apple, an negative values and red for positive ones.”
American visual journalist, was working for Shapes are influenced by culture,
a newspaper in South Africa when green was too. Antonio Farach, from Honduras,
B
proposed as a color for the business section. The D and Adonis Durado, from the Philippines,
newspaper preferred blue, however, and for a both work at the Times of Oman. Farach
simple reason: not every country has green money. noticed how subtle details play a role. In
1
A connotation is an idea that a word makes you think of, apart from its meaning.
The same graph presented in English (left) and Arabic (right) editions of the same publication
136 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 137
 UNDerSTANDING THe reADING

a Check () the three main ideas of the reading passage. U N D E R S TA N D I N G

MAIN IDEAS
1. Different cultures use colors to mean different things.
2. Information should be presented in a visual style that is culturally appropriate.
3. Today’s designers of visual data are struggling to keep up with cultural changes.
4. People today generally prefer modern infographics to more traditional visual styles.
5. Cultural differences influence the amount and type of infographics that
publications choose to include.

B What points do the experts in the passage make? Answer the questions in your own U N D E R S TA N D I N G
words. SUPPORTING IDEAS

1. What does Charles Apple say about the use of the color green?

2. What does Xan Sabaris point out about the color red?

3. What challenges about creating visual data do Antonio Farach and Adonis Durado
describe?

Chinese visuals may be 4. What does Alberto Lucas López say about the connection between Chinese writing
influenced by Chinese
writing. and visual data?

5. What point does Nick Mrozowski make about his experience in Portugal?
theory is that Chinese visuals are heavily contrast to Brazilians, Americans are “really
influenced by Chinese writing: complex into data.” The result: greater reliance on
symbols with many elements compressed in infographics—charts, statistics, and graphs—in C Work with a partner. Based on the information from the passage, in which publication CRITICAL THINKING:
a reduced space. Nevertheless, López feels American sports publications. would you most likely find the following features (1–6)? Why? Discuss with a partner, A P P LY I N G
it’s important to respect these differences: using evidence from the passage to give reasons.
These journalists and designers have
“Sometimes we see as incorrect what is had to adapt, but they’re also making their a. an American publication b. a Chinese publication c. an Arabic publication
different from our view of clear structures, contributions to the cultures they’ve adopted.
strict order, and synthesis. But it’s just a 1. a diagram where information goes from right to left
Nick Mrozowski, an American designer
different visual culture.” who worked for many years in Portugal, 2. a line graph where red shows rising prices
I
Cultural differences can also influence what emphasizes the positives of this exchange of 3. a financial report with green design elements showing profit
gets designed in the first place. Felipe Memoria, ideas. He brought some of his American design
H a Brazilian designer working in New York, has preferences to the job, but, he says, “I’m also 4. graphics with a lot of data packed in a small space
noticed how sports reporting differs in Brazil certain that I absorbed a great deal more from 5. a sports article with a variety of data and infographics
and the United States. He speculates that in Portugal’s talented creatives than I left behind.”
6. a font style that uses mostly sharp, blade-like edges

138 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 139

INFERRING MEANING D Find and underline the following words in bold in the reading passage. Use context to
identify their meanings. Then match the sentence parts to complete the definitions. Writing
1. Paragraph C: Deficits are a. losses.
2. Paragraph E: orientation refers to b. very interested in it. expLorING wrIT TeN eNGLISH
3. Paragraph E: Inverting something c. pressed tightly together.
means a Match each underlined phrase with the most suitable percentage amount (a–e). NOTICING
d. turning it inside out or upside down.
4. Paragraph G: If something is 1. The numbers on the vertical axis make it look like Drug A is five times more effective
e. the direction in which something is
compressed, it is than Drug B.
pointed.
5. Paragraph H: If you are into 2. As shown in Figure 1, about a third of the population did not vote.
something, you are
3. Approximately half the class prefers to take tests on Mondays, as shown in Figure 1.

CRITICAL THINKING: e Read the guidelines for selecting charts and graphs for an academic essay. Which do 4. Figure 3 shows that more than a third of the students speak three languages.
SYNTHESIzING you think are most important? Rank them (1 = most important, 5 = least important). 5. The majority of the school’s students have part-time jobs, as shown in Figure 2.
Then work in a group and add two more guidelines that you think are important.
The chart/graph should … a. 500 percent
be visually interesting. b. 71 percent
c. 38 percent
use simple typefaces.
d. 49.4 percent
be appropriate for your audience.
e. 33 percent
be based on logical data.
have an objective scale.
L A N G uAG E f O R W R I T I N G Describing Visual Information
Additional guidelines: When you include graphs and charts in an essay, label them sequentially (e.g.,
Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) so they are easier to refer to. You can use the following
phrases to refer to figures within an essay:
Figure 1 shows (that) …
As Figure 1 illustrates, …
CRITICAL THINKING: F Find a magazine or newspaper that is published in your country. Note answers to the As seen/shown in Figure 1, …
A P P LY I N G questions below. Then discuss them with a partner.
Note: Use a comma before or after phrases that include as.
1. What colors are mainly used in this publication? Why do you think this is?
It can sometimes be easier for your reader to visualize the data if you use words and
phrases instead of numbers (e.g., a quarter instead of 25 percent). You can also use
modifiers that round up or down important quantities from a chart (e.g., less than
twenty kilos instead of 19.8 kilos). Using words and phrases like these can make your
2. List three things you notice about the design in this publication, e.g., the use of text message more meaningful and impactful.
and images, how the elements are arranged, etc. What impact do you think the Below are some words and phrases that express quantities.
designer wanted to create through these? a quarter of a third of two-thirds of
two-fifths of a half of two times / five times more
approximately the majority of twice / five times as much
about almost all less than
more than nearly

140 UNIT 6 I N F O R M AT I O N D E S I G N 141

 B Look at the bar graph below. Then complete the sentences using the words and
phrases in the box. One is extra. The topics for your persuasive essay should not be:
• just factual (e.g., Tigers are an endangered species.).
7 Male Female • very subjective (e.g., Tigers are more beautiful than leopards.).
6
• too broad (e.g., Animals should be protected.).
5 The thesis statement in a persuasive essay should state your position about the topic.
A good thesis statement should focus on a specific part of the topic. Compare these
4

Hours
examples of thesis statements.
3
• Keeping exotic animals as pets is a bad idea. [too general]
2
• Having exotic animals such as tigers and chimpanzees as pets is harmful for both the
1 animals and the people who keep them. [more specific]
0
Watching Reading for Playing Using social Exercising and Socializing
TV pleasure computer games media doing sports
D For each item (1–3), choose the better topic to use in a persuasive essay. Then discuss
Figure 1: Time spent on the weekend by 18–24-year-olds
with a partner why the other topics are not good ones for a persuasive essay.
1. a. High schools should require students to wear uniforms.
half twice a third
b. Some high schools require students to wear uniforms.
more than four times less than
2. a. Socializing in person is more fun than using social media.
1. As Figure 1 shows, women read for pleasure as much as men. b. Socializing in person is a better way to get to know people than using social media.
2. Men and women spend three hours playing computer games. 3. a. Airports should be made safer than they are now.
b. Airports should screen passengers before they board planes.
3. Women spend almost as much time socializing as men, as seen
in Figure 1.
e Imagine you are writing a persuasive essay on the topic of “We should eat insects
4. Women spend about as much time as men exercising and instead of meat and fish.” Work with a partner to answer the questions below.
doing sports, as illustrated in Figure 1.
1. Choose the more suitable thesis statement for the topic. Why do you think it’s better?
5. As shown in Figure 1, women watch three hours of TV during
the weekend. a. Eating insects is generally better than eating meat and fish.
b. Eating insects rather than meat and fish is healthier and more environmentally friendly.
C Write two more sentences about the graph in exercise B using words and phrases that 2. Check () two reasons that best support the thesis statement.
express quantity.
a. Insects are packed with nutrition.
1. b. We need protein in our diets.

2. c. Farmers care more for animals and fish.

d. Eating insects produces less waste than eating meat or fish.
W R I T I N G S k I L L Writing a Persuasive Essay 3. Check () the four best details to include in the essay’s body paragraphs. Why are the
In a persuasive essay, you choose one side of an issue and persuade your reader to other details not as good?
agree with your position. You present your position in your thesis statement and a. only 20 percent of an insect is thrown away.
support it with reasons that show why you think it’s correct.
b. More than half of a cow is wasted.
The body paragraphs in a persuasive essay should include good reasons and c. Eating meat is very wasteful.
convincing details that show why your position is correct. Convincing details
include facts, direct quotes, and data based on evidence. d. Insects have as much protein as meat and fish.
Charts and graphs that show the data you’re referring to can make your arguments e. Insects have 10 times as much vitamin B12 as salmon.
even stronger. They make your argument more credible and provide evidence that f. People from some cultures enjoy eating insects.
what you are saying is true. For example, if you are arguing that self-driving cars are
more dangerous than traditional cars, a chart or graph that compares accident rates
for each type of vehicle will make your argument more convincing.

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 wrITING TASK
r e V i s i N g P r aC T i C e
The draft below is a persuasive essay about whether people should eat insects
GoAL You are going to write a persuasive essay on a topic of your choice. Use at rather than meat and fish. Add the sentences (a–c) in the most suitable spaces.
least one chart, graph, or other visual data to support your argument.
a. As resources become scarce and the global population increases, perhaps
someday more people will consider sitting down for a meal of crickets and worms.
BRAINSTORMING a Choose one of the topics below for your essay or write your own topic idea. b. one reason insects make a good food source is that consuming them produces
much less waste than eating meat or fish.
Self-driving cars are the best solution to transportation problems.
University education should be free. c. As illustrated in Figure 2, crickets have as much protein as salmon, chickens, and cows.
Hunting of whales should be banned. A
Does a meal of fried crickets and marinated worms sound tasty to you? While insects
Decide your position on the topic. List reasons for your position and some are already a desirable source of protein in some parts of the world, they are not very
counterarguments. Look for visual data to support at least one of your reasons. Use popular worldwide. However, there are good reasons for eating insects instead of meat
the online search terms below or add your own. and fish.
B
distracted drivers’ accidents graph global tuition fees chart whale-hunting graph
When we eat chicken or beef, we generally only eat the muscles and throw
away the rest. As Figure 1 shows, the majority of a cricket’s body can be used as
PLANNING B Follow these steps to make notes for your essay. food—only one-fifth is wasted. Conversely, with most other protein sources, such
as fish, chicken, and cattle, much more of the animal is wasted. only about half of
Step 1 Choose the two best reasons for your position. Decide which infographic(s) you a salmon or a chicken is used as food, and less than half of a cow is consumed. This
will use to support your argument. means the majority of the animal’s body is thrown away.
Step 2 Write your thesis statement in the outline and note your two best reasons.
Step 3 Add details that explain your reasons. Include details about the visual data. 80% 50% 55% 55% 40%
Figure 1:
Step 4 Write a summary statement for your conclusion. Edible portion
of animal (%)
oUTLINe
Cricket Salmon Chicken Pig Cow
Introductory paragraph
Thesis Statement:
C
Another reason we should eat insects is that they are packed with nutrition. Many
Body paragraphs insects are rich in protein. They also contain much less fat, making them a
healthy choice. In addition, insects such as crickets are a good source of vitamins and
Reason 1: minerals. They have 10 times as much vitamin B12 as salmon, almost five times as much
magnesium as beef, and more calcium than milk.
Details:
25
Protein
Figure 2: 20
Reason 2: Nutritional
Details: value of animal (%) 15
The percent of 10
protein and fat in Fat
crickets is similar to 5
that of most meats.
Concluding paragraph
0
Summary Statement: Cricket Salmon Chicken Pig Cow
D
It’s clear that there are benefits to replacing meat and fish with insects. In addition to
being less wasteful and equally nutritious, insects are available all over the world and
FIRST DRAFT C Use the information in the outline to write a first draft of your essay. they reproduce rapidly.

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 REVISED DRAFT D Now use the questions below to revise your essay.
Does your thesis statement clearly state your position on the issue?
Did you include enough facts and data to support your reasons?
Do you have at least one infographic to support your reasons?
Does your concluding paragraph have a summary statement?

E D I T I N G P R AC T I C E
Read the information below.
When describing visual data, remember to:
• use a comma before or after phrases that include as (e.g., As Figure 2 shows, …).
• capitalize the “F” in “Figure” when referring to specific graphs or diagrams.
• make sure there is a noun-verb agreement after expressions describing quantity
(e.g., a third of, a quarter of, a majority of, etc.).

Correct one mistake with language for describing visual data in each of the
sentences (1–5).

1. Much of the animal is wasted: less than half are used for food.

2. A quarter of people spends more than four hours a day online.

3. As figure 1 illustrates, approximately a third of the animal is wasted.

4. Two-fifths of the students studies in the school library.

5. As Figure 3 shows more than half of the class prefers to use their phones to take notes.

FINAL DRAFT E Follow these steps to write a final draft.

1. Check your revised draft for mistakes with describing visual data.
2. Now use the checklist on page 253 to write a final draft. Make any other necessary
changes.

UNIT revIew
Answer the following questions. 3. Do you remember the meanings of these words?
Check () the ones you know. Look back at the unit
1. What are two things that designers should keep in
and review the ones you don’t know.
mind when they create infographics?
Reading 1:
convey deliberately downside
faulty interpret AWL misleading
neutral AWL objective AWL stand out
vision
2. What are some concession words and phrases that
signal counterarguments? Reading 2:
context AWL emphasize AWL gesture
have to do with nevertheless AWL

propose publication AWL reliance AWL

statistic AWL universal

146 UNIT 6