Table of Contents
Types of Academic Writing – Best Strategies to Solve Questions
Describing Various Graph Types:-
Describing Bar Graphs
- Bar Graph is a type of visual data that makes information easier to understand by showing how two or more sets of data are related.
- Trends are the changes in facts and figures over a period of time.
- Write what the chart is all about.
- Write information providing on each axis (units/bar labels).
- Write about changes/similarities.
- Write clear-cut exceptions.
- Write the trends.
- Provide an overview.
Types of Academic Writing – Best Strategies to Solve Questions
Describing Pie charts
- Pie charts are used to illustrate the proportion of ratio of something as part of a hole or group.
- Proportions are generally presented in percentages, fractions, units or sometimes in degrees. We can convert one form of presentation in any other form very easily.
- Pie chart has a circular shape, like a pizza, divided into many parts/slices.
- In the actual test, you are not likely to get a Task 1 question involving just one pie chart. Most of the time you will get a question involving 2/3 pie charts. Or you will get a question involving a pie chart in combination with some other form of graph (bar graph/line graph/table etc.).
- Note the changes, similarities and differences, and write them.
- Provide an overview by counting the number of items and pointing out those which change.
- Use language for writing pie chart rather than just repeating number (example: 10% = 1 in 10, 1/10th; 50% = exactly a half; 66% = almost 2/3rd etc.).
Types of Academic Writing – Best Strategies to Solve Questions
Describing Line Graphs
- Line graph is a type of visual data that shows changes in the facts value.
- Trends are the changes in fact and figures over a period of time.
- Write what the chart is all about.
- Write information provided on each axis (units/bar labels).
- Write about changes/similarities.
- Write clear-cut exceptions.
- Write the trends.
- Provide an overview.
Types of Academic Writing – Best Strategies to Solve Questions
Describing Maps
Usually there are two types of maps:
- Map showing a comparison
- Map showing development over a period of time
- Read the question, and then look at the map to decide what type of a map it is (comparison or development)
- Look at all directions (North/South/East/West/North West/South East/South West)
- Look for the important features (Roads/Rail Tracks/Rivers/Parks/Residential Areas/Shopping Complexes, etc.)
- Describe all the important features with respect to the different directions (e.g. The park lies to the East of the village)
- If it is comparison type map, find out the salient features of the given locations and compare the differences
- If it is development type map, consider the periods of development and describe the major changes in chronological order.
Describe Flowchart/Process Diagram
Flowcharts are used to represent various steps/stages/phases in a process, which will ultimately reach the target. The following are a few examples:
- HR hiring process prevailing in a company
- Marking procedures practiced in an IELTS Test
- How the gear system of a car works?
The steps involved in describing a flowchart process diagram are as follows:
- First, look at the flowchart/diagram process diagram and try to understand the important stages, the order in which they occur and why the order is important.
- Your report must include every stage shown in the diagram or flowchart.
- At certain stages, things occur concurrently. For example, in a marking process of the IELTS Writing Test, the awarded band scores are sent to the tabulation section and the answer sheets are sent for storage.
- Then, there are alternative events, for example, in a factory, the finished products are generally tested for quality. After testing, the final pieces are sent to the packaging section and the rejected pieces are sent to the reprocessing section. That means one piece will either go to the packaging section or to the reprocessing section. These are alternative events.
- Use sequencing language to describe all the steps in (example: at the first/second/following/final stage of the process, next, after that, then, finally, etc.).
- Use passive voice (e.g. ‘at the final stage, the product is delivered to shops’, because we don’t need to know who delivered the product).
- Use the simple present tense.
As usual, you have to write:
- An introduction (state simply what the process is)
- Body paragraphs(s) (describe the process in a logical order)
- Conclusion (an overview)
Describing Tables
- A table s actually divided into many columns and rows. Read the table in columns and rows. You can easily understand the important details and comparisons.
- Don’t worry that you have to learn out some information. Nobody can describe all this and you should not do that. For this reason, ignore the numbers other than middle figures (i.e. which are not big or small).
- You may be provided with a Table with a time element attached to it. This means there is a change in time and the data pertaining to different years/time periods. This type of Table is called Dynamic Table. Here, general trends are significant.
- Or it may be a Table with a single time frame or on specific time frame. Here, the data pertains to a particular year/time period. This type of Table is called Static Table. Here, general patterns are significant.
Describing Multiple Graphs
If you get multiple graphs, you would have to skew your writing a little as follows:
- No separate paragraph for introduction required
- Write the first paragraph analyzing the first graph. In this mention
- What the first graph is and the board trend it shows
- Two to three sentences highlighting the specific details
- Write the second paragraph repeating the same steps for the second graph.
- For conclusion/overview, outline the relationship between the two graphs. In this, mention
- The relationship or link between the two graphs
- Elaborate or comment on the relationship or mention the appropriate cause
- Final sentence summarizing, commenting and predicting the trend
