Unit 4: Using Visuals to Convey Information
Words are not the only way to present and share information with an audience. Technical writing often utilizes visuals to accompany written information and further deliver information to the audience. This unit leads you through the types of visuals available as well as the best practices for using them.
Visuals take many forms; they can be as simple as a photograph of a plant specimen or pie chart breaking down enrollment data or as complex as an embedded video or multi-page, hyperlinked, organizational chart. Visuals must be carefully selected to support the audience’s understanding of the topic.
Visuals, however strong they are on their own, must be integrated into the text of the document. The written word supports the visuals, and the visuals further exemplify the meaning of the text. The two work in tandem to support the main idea of the document.
This unit will also cover the important tools needed to properly label, title, and document visuals used in a given communications context.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 14 hours.
- Before reading more about using graphics in technical writing, reflect on your past experiences using them. In a paragraph, discuss a time when you included graphics in a document. Why did you include graphics? Did you create those graphics or did you use graphics from another source? How did those graphics support your document? In another paragraph, discuss a time when you’ve relied on the graphics included in a document you were reading. What kinds of graphics were included? How did those graphics support your understanding?
Unit 4 Assessment
In this assessment, you will write responses to a series of questions and be given the opportunity to evaluate your work. You will also be shown sample responses that will help you assess your own writing.
In this assessment, you will write responses to a series of questions and be given the opportunity to evaluate your work. You will also be shown sample responses that will help you assess your own writing.
In this assessment, you will write responses to a series of questions and be given the opportunity to evaluate your work. You will also be shown sample responses that will help you assess your own writing.