<< Previous section: Diagrams (Relational) | Main Table of Contents | Next: Section F (Maps) >>

Table of Contents for Section E

E. Graphs

1. Bar Graphs

1a. Vertical

1b. Horizontal

1c. Double

2. Line Graphs

3. Pie Graphs

4. Scatter Plots

Graphs

1. Bar Graphs

1a. Vertical Bar Graphs

Guidelines:

• Bar graphs should be converted into accessible tables.
• Briefly describe the graph and give a summary if one is immediately apparent.
• Provide the title and axis labels.
• It is not necessary to describe the visual attributes of the bars, e.g. dark blue, light blue, unless there is an explicit need such as an exam question referring to the colors.

Description:

Figure 1 is a bar graph that measures percentage of vaccination coverage in five states over one year, from Q3 2006 to Q2 2007. In each state, the coverage increases over time. The data are summarized in the following table. All data are approximate.

First dose rotavirus vaccination coverage among children aged 3 months, by quarter – immunization information system (IIS) sentinel sites, United States, 2006-2007.

blank space	Arizona	District of Columbia	Michigan	Minnesota	Montanta	Oregon
Q3 2006	35%	10%	5%	0%	15%	20%
Q4 2006	45%	30%	33%	25%	27%	27%
Q1 2007	50%	45%	42%	35%	37%	45%
Q2 2007	65%	48%	50%	41%	40%	44%

Return to main table of contents | Return to top of page | Next

1b. Horizontal Bar Graphs

Guidelines:

• While most bar graphs should be converted into accessible tables, this simple chart can also be presented as text in a list.
• Provide the title and labels.
• It is not necessary to describe the visual attributes of the bars unless there is an explicit need.

Description

The figure is a bar graph that has been converted into the following table. All data are approximate. How people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind or have low vision are alerted to emergencies.

Response	Deaf/Hard of Hearing	Blind/Low Vision
Don’t know	70	79
Friend	59	62
Family	65	64
Co-worker	33	38
TV	102	65
Radio	30	80
Email	36	5
Web	16	4
Landline Phone	25	53
Cellphone	8	11
Pager	17	10
Smartphone/PDA	18	8
TTY	47	0
Video Relay Service	4	0
Phone Relay Service	8	0
Other	7	9

Return to main table of contents | Return to top of page | Next

1c. Double Bar Graphs

Guidelines:

• Explain the data on the x-axis and the y-axis and summarize the overall trend.
• List the data in bullet form.
• Use the appropriate vocabulary in context with the surrounding text depending upon depending on age/grade level. (For example, using the word “about” and not “approximately” for a lower grade level, and is consistent with surrounding text.)
• Although the bars on the chart reach approximate numbers, giving specific numbers makes it less wordy and more meaningful.

Description:

A double bar graph shows corn and soybeans crops harvested from 1959 to 1982 in millions of bushels. Both crops increase steadily from 1964 and there are consistently many more bushels of corn harvested than soybeans.

• 1959: corn, about 65; soybeans, about 5.
• 1964: corn, about 55; soybeans, about 6.
• 1969: corn, about 60; soybeans, about 10.
• 1974: corn, about 77; soybeans, about 23.
• 1978: corn, about 110; soybeans, about 36.
• 1982: corn, about 130; soybeans, about 60.

Return to main table of contents | Return to top of page | Next

2. Line Graphs

Guidelines:

• Line graphs should be converted into accessible tables.
• Briefly describe the chart and give a summary if one is immediately apparent.
• Provide the title and axis labels.
• It is not necessary to describe the visual attributes of the lines, e.g. solid, dashed, unless there is an explicit need such as an exam question referring to these attributes. In this case, with just two lines, the added description is not a burden to the reader.

Description:

The figure is entitled “FOREIGN TRADE OF COUNTRY X, 1968 through 1980, in United States dollars”. There are two lines on the graph, a dashed line labeled “Exports” and a solid line labeled “Imports”.The vertical axis is labeled “Billions of Dollars,” beginning with zero to eighteen, in increments of 2. A note: one billion equals a one followed by 9 zeros.The horizontal axis is labeled “Year” and lists all the years from 1968 through 1980.In the graph, the Exports line begins in 1968 at 3 billion dollars, rises steeply to 14 billion in 1974, then drops to 9.5 billion in 1975 and 1976. In 1977, the Exports line shoots up to 15.5 billion, then trails off to 10 billion in 1980.In the graph, the Imports line begins in 1968 at 2 billion and rises steadily to 8.75 billion in 1980, except for minor dips in 1972 and 1979.The data are summarized in the following table. Figures are in billions of dollars. All data are approximate.