Posted: March 12th, 2023

Visuals and Primary Data

Will anyone help me with this assignment?

Student Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Write a short report based on primary research, describing the class.

· Support the findings with visuals and document the data source on all visuals.

· Accurately design and label three visuals, using figure numbers, headings, and data labels.

· Use numerals correctly.

· Understand the difference in plurality and majority.

· Use formal language, standard grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

 Discussion

Visuals separate business communication from other forms of writing.  Visuals pull together data in a chart or table to compare trends or depict information and results.  Types of visuals include tables, pie graphs, bar charts, flow charts, organization charts, maps, drawings and photos. It is important to choose the right type of visual and make the representation of data ethical (see Figure 10.28 and Figure 10.30 for unethical designs followed by ethical designs in Figure 10.29 and Figure 10.31 on pages 363-365).  Decide on an order to present the information:  alphabetical, chronological, highest to lowest data, or lowest to highest data.  Horizontal and vertical bar graphs can be made into pictographs (see Figure 10.15 on page 353).  Although visuals with their data labels and headings are designed to stand alone, they should be reinforced and referenced in the text of a report.  One of the best newspapers to view visuals is 
USA Today.

The following professional report includes horizontal bar charts that support the content.  The visuals have a figure number, heading, data labels (results with percentages). and the source of information.

Shaping the future of hybrid work

Assignment

          In this assignment you are practicing appropriate visual selection by using primary data. You will analyze and describe the class statistically, using primary data from the Information Sheet that you completed earlier. No class before you or after you will be like you. This class is unique in its answers on the Information Sheet.  The professional report shows you ways to organize content and use visuals in your report.  This assignment gives you practice for the major report.

         When you write the report, your name should appear in the upper right-hand corner on the first and all succeeding pages.  Give your report a title.

Begin the short report by briefly introducing the class, such as course name and term offered, and noting the return rate.  To determine the return rate, you will divide the number of surveys completed by the number of students in the class.  For example, if there are 25 students in the class but only 20 complete the information sheet, then the return rate is 80%.

Choose three questions from the information sheet that do not have results of 100%.  Write a short paragraph or a few statements, highlighting the important aspects of the data.  (For example, most students write weekly while only two students write monthly.  See Figure 1.)  Support the results of each question with a visual.  An overview of visuals is available in Chapter 10 on pages 336-367.

Include a combination of charts and tables to depict the results.  Select a chart or table that is appropriate for the contents; there are no questions that can use a line graph because there are no trends over time.  A minimum/total of three charts and/or tables is required.  Refer to the visuals in your report (e.g., In Figure 1, see Figure 3, Table 1 depicts most students are accounting majors).  Use statements about the results rather than repeat the question.  Include the source (Data Source:  Information Sheet – WRIT 3312, Spring 2023) with each visual.  A 
data source differs from a 
source since you are the one designing the visual from others’ data rather than copying a visual exactly as it appeared in another source. 

Use numerals correctly (see below); page A-11 (Section A.3e) in your textbook has additional information.

· Example:  Fourteen students reported they write daily. (Note:  Write out numerals at the beginning of sentences.)

· Example:  The WRIT 3312 class has 34 students. (Note:  You can use numerals rather than words, e.g., 34 rather than thirty-four.)

· Example:  A majority of the class (59%) said they will graduate this spring.  (Note:  Distinguish between majority and plurality; see definition below.)

· Example:  A plurality of the class (37%) said they are accounting majors.  (Note:  Other responses for that question would have to have to be less than 37%.)

Note:  A majority is more than half (51% or more).  A plurality is the highest number of responses for an item or survey question that is not more than half.  For example, there are 10 responses to a question about how many hours of overtime is scheduled:  3 work zero hours overtime, 4 work 1-5 hours overtime, 2 work 6-10 hours overtime, and 1 works more than 10 hours of overtime.  Therefore, a plurality (40%) work overtime of 1-5 hours.  You cannot have both a plurality and a majority.

This assignment is worth 100 points. Each visual is worth 15 points (total 45 points): appropriate design (3 points), figure number with heading (2 points), data labels (4 points), source of data (2 points), and accuracy (4 points).  The writing portion is worth 55 points:  introductory paragraph (5 points), statements about results and reference to visuals (25 points), and clarity/grammar/spelling/punctuation (25 points).

INFORMATION SHEET: WRIT 3312.04

Spring 2023 (January 17 – May 8) Asynchronous

Twenty-two students are enrolled in the class; only 18 students had responded when this was tabulated

CLASS LEVEL:

Junior

14

Senior 2

Graduate 0

Other 1

No response 1

EXPECTED GRADUATION DATE:

·

this semester 1

· within a year 9

· more than a year 8

· non-applicable 0

MAJOR (check all that apply) Four students have double majors, therefore 22 responses.

· Accounting 4

· Business 3

· Computer Science 1

· Communication 0

· Finance 3

· Healthcare Administration 2

· Humanities 1

· Legal Studies 0

· Management 4

· Management Information Systems 0

· Marketing 1

· Public Service Leadership 0

· Other: Computer Information Systems -2; Criminal Justice/Criminology -1

Are you familiar with Microsoft software products?

Word Yes 18 No 0

Excel Yes 17 No 1

PowerPoint Yes 18 No 0

How often do you write?

·

· Daily 11

· 2-3 times per week 1

· Weekly 4

· 2-3 times per month 1

· Monthly 1

· other (list__________________)

[continued]

What do you write?

·

· Blogs 2

· Contracts 0

· e-mails 16

· instructions 3

· journal – personal 6

· letters – business 1

· letters – personal 2

· manuals 1

· memos 1

· personnel reports 1

· proposals/RFPs 0

· prose/poetry 2

· reports 3

· school papers 9

· text messages 15

· other: agendas for meetings -1

What documentation style have you used in other classes (check all)?

· MLA 4

· APA included below

· MLA & APA 12

· MLA & Chicago 1

· MLA, APA, & Chicago 1

When did you take your last writing class?

· Within the last year 3

· 1-5 years ago 12

· more than 5 years ago 3

Where did you take your last writing class?

UHCL 4

San Jacinto 6

ACC 1

HCC 2

Lee 2

UH-Main 1

No response 2

Check those areas in which you want more writing instruction.

· Documentation 8

· Grammar 5

· Punctuation 4

· Writing formats 14

· Writing development 15

[continued]

List any circumstances that may affect your performance in this class.

Other classes 3

Work 5

Health 1

Writing style 2

Moving 1

From the Audience Exercise – Personality Styles, list in order your most preferred (1) to least preferred (4) personality style.

This was tabulated at a different time, so there are only 17 responses.

 

1 (Most)

2

3

4 (Least)

Blue

6

2

3

6

Gold

8

3

3

3

Green

2

5

4

6

Orange

1

7

7

2