Interpreting Graphical Representations
1. Select two graphical representations of data, such as pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots and trend lines, or
tables.
You may use published articles, annual report graphics from publicly traded companies, or any
published business report.
A list of appropriate articles has been compiled for this assessment. You may select one of the articles
from the list in Resources or find your own article that meets the criteria.
If you cannot find any published data graphics, you may create them.
2. Identify the business context, such as an online store, a brick-and-mortar business, year-end review, product
kickoff, recently merged or new IPO company, or a family-owned business.
This company background information should help explain why the data is relevant.
3. Interpret your chosen data representation in the context of the business situation. The following are typical
questions an analyst would use to interpret the data:
What is being measured (the variables)?
What are the relationships among the variables?
What are the trends in the data?
How can the data be applied in the business context?
4. Create an effective 6-slide PowerPoint presentation that could be presented at a departmental meeting.
An effective PowerPoint presentation for this purpose typically includes:
1 title slide, APA formatted.
1 introduction slide explaining the business context.
1 slide for each of the two graphics in your report.
You may insert or paste the charts and include an appropriate citation (2 total slides for
this portion of the presentation).
Explain the meaning of each graphical data representation.
1 conclusion slide in which you explain how the data may affect the business context or how
each graph may be applied in your business context to inform decision making.
1 slide with APA-formatted references, including the source of each graph.
5. Prepare a short speech that presents your analysis so that it is relevant to people of all levels of the company.
Example Assessment: You may use the following to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the
scoring guide would look like:
Assessment 1 Example 1 [PPTX].
Additional Requirements
For each bullet point, use concise but complete sentences that are clear, easily understood, and jargon-free.
Remember: you will be speaking to people of all levels within the company.
Do not include too many bullet points on each slide (a maximum of 3 bullets per slide is a good guideline to
follow).
Your written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
Evaluation
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course
competencies through corresponding scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Explain how data management techniques and tools are used to support business decisions.
Introduce the business context.
Explain how the data can be applied to the business context.
Competency 4: Present the results of data analysis in clear and meaningful ways to multiple stakeholders.
Interpret, or explain the meaning of, the two different graphical representations of data.
Correctly format citations and references using current APA style.
Present content clearly, professionally, and logically for the identified audience.
Note: Faculty may use the Writing Feedback Tool when grading this assessment. The Writing Feedback Tool is
designed to provide you with guidance and resources to develop your writing based on five core skills. You will find
writing feedback in the Scoring Guide for the assessment, once your work has been evaluated.
SCORING GUIDE
Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.
VIEW SCORING GUIDE
