A Primer on Tables and Figures-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

A Primer on Tables and Figures

Published:1983-01 Issue:1 Volume:13 Page:33-55
ISSN:0047-2816
Container-title:Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
language:en
Short-container-title:Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Author:

Gross Alan G.¹

Affiliation:

1. Department of English and Philosophy Purdue University/Calumet Hammond, IN 46323

Abstract

Tables and figures arc an integral part of the medium of communication of science and technology. An analysis of tables and figures, relying heavily on Euclidean terms (point, line and plane) explains something of their power–their ability to display with clarity large amounts of data, complex data relationships, and intricate three-dimensional configurations. Analysis also clarifies the mutual dependence of tables and figures and their accompanying texts. Additionally, analysis makes clear the semantic gap between tables and graphs, on the one hand, and illustrations, on the other. All are equally vital strategies in scientific and technical discourse. However, tables and graphs are paralinguistic extensions of scientific and technical dialects; illustrations, on the other hand, are a nonlinguistic supplement to these dialects. Finally, analysis provides clues for the teaching of proper graphic choice, good graphic ‘grammar,’ and the appropriate contextualization of graphs.

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Education,Communication

Link

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/004728168301300104

Reference21 articles.

1. BloomfieldL., A Leonard Bloomfield Anthology, HockettC. F., ed.), Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, p. 308, 1970.

2. Four aspects of graphic communication

3. ColemanP. and BramblebyK., The Technologist as Writer, McGraw-Hill, New York, p. 168, 1969.

4. TurnbullA. T. and BairdR. N., The Graphics of Communication, 3rd edition, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, pp. 167–168, 1975.

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