Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Which TWO benefits of good visualisations do the students agree are the most important?
A reducing noise pollution
B improving trust in the report
C helping people see the main pattern quickly
D making the report longer
E making the visuals more artistic
Questions 23–24
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Which TWO things do the students think are necessary for successful visualisations?
A the charts must include 3D effects
B the title should clearly state the message
C the app should be easy to use
D uncertainty should be shown (for example, ranges)
E there should be no labels on axes
Questions 25–30
What is the students’ opinion of each visualisation?
Choose SIX answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to Questions 25–30.
Opinion of a visualisation
A It is too confusing.
B The legend needs improvement.
C It is well designed.
D It changes the meaning of the data.
E It is hard to compare the middle values.
F It is convincing but needs a warning.
G It is quick to read but not very interesting.
Part 3: You will hear two students discussing visualisations for a report.
MILA: Soren, before we submit the report, I think we should carefully review the visualisations again. The tutor emphasised that we must justify our choices and clearly explain the reasons for selecting each chart, rather than simply describing what they show.
SOREN: I agree. Perhaps we should begin by discussing the benefits. In my opinion, the most important advantage of a strong visualisation is that it allows the reader to recognise the main pattern very quickly. Most people do not have time to read long sections of text.
MILA: That is true. If someone can understand the key message within a few seconds, then the visualisation is effective. Otherwise, readers may ignore it.
SOREN: Another major benefit is that clear visuals improve trust in the report. When the axes are labelled correctly and the data is presented honestly, the audience is more likely to believe the findings.
MILA: Yes, I completely agree. Therefore, the two most important benefits are speed of understanding and increased trust. We do not need charts to be artistic or decorative.
SOREN: Exactly. Now, we should consider what is necessary for a visualisation to be successful.
MILA: Firstly, the title must clearly state the message of the chart. Instead of using a vague title such as “Results,” it should describe the main finding, for example “Cycling trips increased at weekends.”
SOREN: That makes sense. In addition, I think we should show uncertainty whenever possible. This could be done by using ranges or adding a note explaining that the figures are estimates.
MILA: Yes, that would help the audience to make informed decisions and understand the limits of the data.
SOREN: Now let us evaluate the six visualisations included in the report.
MILA: The first one is the stacked area chart that shows daily cycling trips. I find this chart difficult to interpret. Although the total number of trips is clear, the middle section is very hard to compare over time.
SOREN: I agree. While it shows overall change, the middle values are confusing and difficult to follow. Therefore, we should say that it is hard to compare the middle values.
MILA: The second visual is the dot plot for average trip length. This chart is clear and simple.
SOREN: Yes, it is easy to read and looks professional. We can describe it as well designed.
MILA: The third visual is the heat map showing station use by hour. The idea is useful, but the legend is not clear enough.
SOREN: That is true. The colours are difficult to interpret because the legend is too small. We should say that the legend needs improvement.
MILA: The fourth visual is the flow diagram of common cycling routes. I find this chart very confusing.
SOREN: So do I. There are too many lines, which makes it difficult to follow the paths. We can therefore describe it as too confusing.
MILA: The fifth visual is the before and after bar chart about car ownership. This chart is very persuasive.
SOREN: Yes, it strongly supports our argument. However, the data is self reported, so we should warn the reader. We can say that it is convincing but needs a warning.
MILA: The final visual is the lollipop chart for maintenance costs. It is very quick to read.
SOREN: However, it is not particularly interesting. We can describe it as quick to read but not very interesting.
MILA: That covers all the charts. I think we are now ready to write this section of the report.
SOREN: Yes, and we can clearly explain the purpose of each visualisation.
