Analysis of Indicators Using Visual

Presentations
East and Southeast Asia
EFA Mid-Decade Assessment Capacity Building Workshop

20-24 November 2006

Bangkok, THAILAND
Sometimes, Tables can be confusing

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Power of charts

 Why use charts and graphs?


Gives reader a compact and structured
synthesis

Many details can be shown in a small area

Gives an immediate depiction of the differences
and patterns in a set of data

Reader can see immediately major similarities
and differences without having to compare and
interpret figures

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Main Purpose

 The main purpose of graphs is to visually impart

information that cannot be easily read from a
data table.
 It would be very difficult to readily ‘see’ trends
and contrasts in a tables having many data
points.

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Sometimes, Tables can be confusing

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A Graph can paint a clearer picture

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These days, presenting data is quite easy

 Presentation materials are basically data tables

and charts, both of which are designed together
 Usually, several software (e.g. Excel, Powerpoint,
SPSS) are available for the preparation of these
kinds of presentations
 These can be imported into platforms like
PowerPoint to prepare a slide presentation or MS
Word to prepare a report

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General Principles

 Choice of an appropriate graph

 Enable the reader to ‘see’ directly both the overall
patterns and details;
 Amenable to comparisons and analysis;
 Easily understandable to the targeted users
 Self-contained
 Special diagrams show subject-specific structures, like
the demographic pyramid and thematic maps.

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Typical graph

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Enhancement

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Is that better ?

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Supporting Explanatory Text
 Supporting text is also essential to facilitate
interpretation, bearing in mind that too many
details and decorations obscure the main message;
 One should also take into consideration the order in
which the reader looks at the elements of a page;
 By virtue of reading habit: the eyes first see the
overall pattern and then discover the details;
 A typical pattern might be for the reader to focus
on the heading, then move to the graph itself, and
finally on to the legend.

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Essential Information

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Essential Information

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Selecting the right type of visual tools
 In general, the appropriate type of visual aid
depends on a number of factors:

The appropriateness of type of graphs

The objective of analysis

The simplicity or complexity of the presentation
depends on the target readers

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Commonly used visual tools
 Charts:

Bar

Line

Pie

XY

Area
 Thematic map

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Bar Chart

 Bar graphs compare the values of different items

in specific categories or at discrete points in time,
e.g. survival rates for boys and girls respectively,
compared across grade levels and/or between
those in urban and rural areas.
 Simple to create and easy to interpret
 Used to illustrate variable values which are distinct
(i.e. qualitative variable)

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Bar Chart (Example)

Vertical Bar Chart Horizontal Bar Chart

Normally, we use horizontal bar chart when there are

• variable values with long name
• many variables

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Group bar chart and Stacked bar chart

Group Bar Chart Stacked Bar Chart

Group bar chart – easy to compare the different categories with one another
Stacked bar chart – Total value of categories are easily visible

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Bar Chart (Example)

Is it an appropriate graph?

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Bar Graph (Example)

Is it a good graph?

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Bar Graph (Example)

Is it a good graph?

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100% Stacked Bar Graph
 Used to show relative share of percentage;
 Emphasizes the percentages within a stack, but
remove the distinction in values between stacks;
 Use when the total extension completely covers th
e quantitative axis so that what the segments
show represents 100% - e.g. the breakdown of
educational expenditures, comparing government
and non-government budget breakdown.

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100% Stacked Bar Graph (Example)

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Line Graph
 Line graphs show the progression of values over time, e.g.
the number of schools in operation over time; gross and net
admission rates for boys and girls, respectively, over time.
 Easier for the eye to follow curves for different series
 Easier to get a clearer picture of the development over time
 Good for answering the following questions:

In what periods were the changes large?

When were the turning points?

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Line Graph (Example)

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Area graphs

 Area graphs show the actual value each series

contributes to the total;
 Best show patterns created over time, e.g. how
total enrolment changed over time, due to
enrolment changes in urban and rural schools
respectively; how total children of school-age,
consisting of those in and those out of school,
grew over time;
 Good for illustrating situations with only a few
parts that have simple development patterns.

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Area Graph (Example)

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Source: GMR 2002
Pie Chart

 Suitable for illustrating percentage distributions of

qualitative variables - e.g. the breakdown of the
annual education budget into categories of
expenditure such as teacher salaries, school
construction, etc;
 Displays the contribution of each value to a total;
 Best suited for overviews;
 Should not have too many sectors – maximum 5
or 6

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Pie Chart (Example)

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XY ‘Scatter-Plot’ Graph

 XY ‘scatter-plot’ graphs plot values in one series

against those in another
 Compares pairs of values
 Shows disparities

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XY Scatter Plot Graph (Example)

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Analyzing charts

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Some of the charts described in
Global Monitoring Reports

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Trends in Literacy

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights

Where is the literacy challenge most pressing?

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights

Where is the literacy challenge most pressing?

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
In which countries are adult literacy rates especially low?

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Link with poverty

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights

Link with poverty

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights

Social and demographic disparities in literacy

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights

Social and demographic disparities in literacy

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Literacy and schooling

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Towards an expanded understanding of literacy

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Towards an expanded understanding of literacy – proportion below
or above functionally competent numeracy

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Towards an expanded understanding of literacy – increase or
decrease in proportion virtually illiterate

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Where quantity and quality meet

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Monitoring the quality of teachers and teaching

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Teacher development and education outcomes

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Data analysis in GMRs – some of the highlights
Which countries meet the goals of quantity and quality of education

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Thematic Maps

 Thematic maps plot values on geographical

maps, showing variation in the values by
geographical boundaries, e.g. the disparity
between regions: enrolment rate by
regions/provinces; gender disparity ratio (ratio
of female enrolment rate to that of male) by
regions/provinces.

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Thematic Map (Example)
Primary Completion Rate – Viet Nam Quang Nam

Quang Ngai

Kon Tum

Binh Dinh

Gia Lai

Rate
Phu Yen

18.9 - 38.4
38.5 - 58.0 Dac Lak

58.1 - 77.6 Khanh Hoa

77.7 - 97.0
Binh Phuoc Lam Dong
Ninh Thuan

Binh Duong
BinhThuan
Dong Nai

Central Highlands
Ho Chi Minh City

2002-2003
1992-1993

Extracted from presentation of DEVINFO - UNICEF 52

Before Preparing Charts
 Who is the target audience?

What is their level of understanding

What are their interests
 Role of charts in conveying your message

Trends

Contrast

Achievement, way forwards

Absolute, relative

Magnitude, percentage
 How will the charts be presented?

In colour, B&W

In a publication, as a presentation using overhead projector
 What chart is the best?

Bar, Pie, Maps?????

Compare various styles
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After Making Charts
 Is it easy to understand?

Too fancy, too dull, too much, too little
 Does this give the message that I would like to convey?

What is my question before doing this graph
 Can this chart be misinterpreted?

Am I giving the wrong message?
 Is it self-contained?

Title

Legend

Axis title

Scale

Sources

Other relevant information
 Is the chart in right place?

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Conclusion
 The main purpose of graphs is to visually impart
information that cannot be easily read from a data table;
 Should include information essential for highlighting policy-
relevant trends and contrasts, not minute details;
 Presents the net results, relegating the detail tables used
for calculation to a separate technical reference section or
document;
 Highlights the magnitude of differences between
comparative groups or categories of the analytical
variables;
 From a design point of view, the optimal visual
arrangement of comparisons also depends on the objective
of the analysis;
 It is important to select analytical variables and group the
order of comparisons according to the objective of your
analysis.
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 Thank you for your time.
 Please feel free to ask any questions.

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