Module 25

     Module 25 discusses the importance of visuals, such as graphs and charts, in your reports, memos, letters, etc.  The book says to use visuals in your rough draft for the following reasons: to see that ideas are presented completely; to find relationships; to make points vivid; to emphasize material; to present marterial more complactly and with less repetition than words require; and to focus on information that decision makers need.  When deciding on a visual to use, always pick the one that best matches the purpose of the presenting data.  Tables are numbers or words arranged in rows and columns.  Figures are everything that are not tables.  Informal or spot visuals are inserted directly into the text; they do not have numbers or titles. 
     Every visual should have a title that tells the story that the visual shows.  All visuals should also have clearly labeled units and a clear indication of what the data are.  Labels or legends identifying axes, colors, symbols, and so forth are necessary.  The source of the data should be listed as well as the source of the visual, if you reprodueced either from the creation of someone else.  Visuals for presentations should be simplified as well as being titled.  The visual's figure numbers should not be included for presentations.