DESCRIBING DATA - Writing Tips

When describing data, or anything for that matter, it is important to include details and comments on what is significant, to show that you are aware of which features are critically important and require comment.

Descriptions are not very useful unless they are detailed. Details need also to be put into perspective – compared and contrasted with something (a shared standard or reference point); or located during or over a particular period of time. Making comments demonstrates that the significance of trends, or of what is being described, is appreciated. It also helps the reader to appreciate the importance of these trends.

In describing data there are several aspects to consider:

1. Organisation of good description of data - how to construct a complete description
2. Language choices in descriptions of data - language choice enables variety
3. Register - formal and informal language choices
4. Prepositions of Time – there are several prepositions (at, in, on, by, from, for, between, to, till, until), which are useful when describing data.

1. Organisation of a good description of data

It is helpful to remember that there are three parts to a good description:

1. Statement “DVD sales increased dramatically”

2. Data “between 2001 and 2004”, “from 2 to 3 million”

3. Comment “a rise of 50%”, “a significant growth”

Between 2001 and 2004, DVD sales increased dramatically, from 2 to 3 million. This was a rise of 50%, quite a significant growth.

The order of these parts is not necessarily fixed or rigid. So, we can write:

Sales of DVDs showed significant growth, rising from 2 to 3 million between 2001 and 2004 – an increase of 50%.

Another example of a good description:

1. The number of candidates taking IELTS increased again

2. in 2003 from 355,000 to well over 475,000

3. – a rise of 34%.

The number of candidates taking IELTS increased again in 2003 from 355,000 to well over 475,000 – a rise of 34%.

Include data as evidence or examples to support your description, and make a comment to show you understand the significance of what you are describing.

So, follow these steps to construct a good description:

1. Identify the trend Laptop production rose

2. Include evidence from 4 million to 5 million units

3. Include the period for the first 3 months of 2003

4. Include comment This is a growth of 25%.

2. Language choices in descriptions of data

There are always choices in language, and by exercising choices our writing will be more interesting. In descriptions it is possible to use Adjectives and Nouns to describe trends and significances, or Verbs and Adverbs.

Look at these examples:

Adjective + Noun construction

From 2001 till 2004, there was a gradual increase in DVD sales in Australia, from 2 to 3 million – a rise of 50%.

Verb + Adverb construction

From 2001 till 2004, DVD sales in Australia increased gradually from 2 to 3 million – a rise of 50% 

3. Register – formal and informal language choices

In all languages there are levels of formality. Certain language choices, certain words and certain structures, are more formal than others and are reserved for more formal situations. Being rarer and less common, formal choices are acquired later. Less formal choices are more common, and are learned earlier. 

Shorter words and common verbs are learned first. Longer words are mastered later.

Shorter nouns are less formal than longer nouns – “rise” is less formal than “contraction”.

It is possible to use more colorful words to make descriptions more interesting:

to dive : to fall straight, like a person, diving into a swimming pool

to nose dive : to fall, like a plane dropping out of the sky, nose first

to plummet : to fall straight to the ground, like a bird dropping out of the sky

to collapse : to fall to the ground, like a person fainting in hot weather

to soar : to rise quickly, moving very high, like a bird, flying high in the sky

to rocket : to rise quickly and sharply, like a rocket shooting straight up into the sky

to balloon : to increase, like a balloon expanding and growing bigger and bigger

4. Using Prepositions of Time when describing Data

There are several Prepositions (at, in, on, by, from, for, between, to, till, until), which are useful when describing data:

NB: In English we say “at night” but “in the evening”. We say “at Christmas” meaning the season of Christmas, but “on Christmas Day” (25th December).

NB: We say “At the beginning of the story” to mean “exactly when the story started”; but we say “In the beginning, …” to mean sometime during the beginning period.

“At last” means “After waiting expectedly for a long time”

“At last” is NOT the opposite of “at first”. The opposite of “at first” is “lastly”

NB: Spelling of till – “double l ”; whereas the spelling of until – “single l ”.

NB: The temperature fell by 15 degrees in a few hours, from 39 degrees to 24, when the Southerly Buster finally arrived, bringing cool breezes till later that evening, when the storm finally broke. Heavy rain fell for several hours, until just before dawn

Example:

I planned to arrive in summer, at New Year. I actually arrived on New Year’s Day, at 7.00 am. At that tie in the morning on the 1st of January, there were no empty taxis. Everyone was going home from New Year’s Eve parties. After waiting for almost an hour, at last I managed to hail a vacant taxi. The trip took 25 minutes. I was told it would take between 20 and 30 minutes depending on the traffic. I did not arrive at my hotel until 10.00.