Extra Exercise Online 12.2

Chapter 12: Creating Reader-Centered Graphics
& Writer's Reference Guide: Creating Twelve Types of Reader-Centered Graphics
Extra Exercise Online 12.2

The goal of this exercise is to give you experience applying Chapter 12's guidelines for constructing usable, persuasive bar graphs, line graphs, and pictographs.

The Exercise

The following table shows average daily solar radiation (on a horizontal surface), by month, and average daily temperatures, by month, for selected US cities. Solar radiation is measured in British thermal units per square foot (BTU/ft²), and temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

Average Daily Solar Radiation (top line in each row) and Temperature (bottom line in each row) for 12 Selected US Cities

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Atlanta, GA	848 47.2	1080 49.6	1427 55.9	1807 65.0	2018 73.2	2103 80.9	2003 82.4	1898 81.4	1519 77.4	1291 66.5	998 54.8	752 47.7
Bismark, ND	587 12.4	934 15.9	1328 29.7	1668 46.6	2056 58.6	2174 67.9	2305 76.1	1929 73.5	1441 61.6	1018 49.6	600 31.4	464 18.4
Boston, MA	505 31.4	738 31.4	1067 39.9	1355 47.5	1769 60.4	1864 69.8	1860 74.5	1570 73.8	1268 66.8	897 57.4	636 46.6	443 34.9
Columbus, OH	486 32.1	747 33.7	1112 42.7	1839 53.5	2110 64.4	2041 74.2	1573 78.0	1189 75.9	920 70.1	479 58.0	430 44.5	223 34.0
Denver, CO	848 26.9	1210 35.0	1622 45.0	2002 55.8	2300 66.3	2645 75.7	2517 82.5	2157 79.6	1957 71.4	1394 58.3	970 42.0	793 31.4
Ithaca, NY	434 27.2	755 26.5	1074 36.0	1322 48.4	1779 59.6	2025 68.9	2031 73.9	1736 71.9	1320 64.2	918 53.6	466 41.5	370 29.6
Los Angeles, CA	911 57.9	1223 59.2	1640 61.8	1866 64.3	2031 67.6	2259 70.7	2428 75.8	2198 76.1	1891 74.2	1362 69.6	1053 65.4	977 60.2
Miami, FL	1292 71.6	1554 72.0	1828 73.8	2026 77.0	2068 79.9	1991 82.9	1992 84.1	1890 84.5	1646 83.3	1436 80.2	1321 75.6	1183 72.6
Nashville, TN	589 42.6	907 45.1	1246 52.9	1662 63.0	1997 71.4	2149 80.1	2079 83.2	1862 81.9	1601 76.6	1223 65.4	823 52.3	614 44.3
San Antonio, TX	1045 53.7	1299 58.4	1560 65.0	1664 72.2	2024 83.2	2250 85.0	2364 87.4	2185 87.8	1844 82.6	1487 74.7	1104 63.3	954 56.5
Seattle, WA	252 42.9	471 38.9	917 46.9	1375 51.9	1664 58.1	1724 62.8	1805 67.2	1617 66.7	1129 61.6	638 54.0	325 45.7	218 41.5
Washington, DC	632 48.1	901 38.4	1255 39.6	1600 57.5	1846 67.7	2080 76.2	1929 79.9	1712 77.9	1446 72.2	1083 60.9	763 50.2	594 40.2

Monthly average daily radiation on a horizontal surface, measured in British thermal units per square foot (BTU/ft2).
Monthly average daily temperature, measured in degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

The Task

Using the information in the table, make the following graphics. Be sure to provide appropriate labels and captions.

A line graph, showing all of the monthly solar radiation values for Washington, DC.
A bar graph, showing the same information as in #1 above.
A bar graph, showing all of the monthly solar radiation values for Ithaca, Miami, and San Antonio, or for any other three cities.
A line graph, showing the same information as in #3 above. Assign one line to each city.
A bar graph, showing the five highest solar radiation values for the month of July.
A line graph overlaying a bar graph, with the line graph showing the monthly temperature values for any city, and with the bar graph showing the monthly solar radiation values for the same city.
A pictograph, showing the solar radiation values for Denver in the months of March, June, September, and December.
A pictograph, showing the temperature values for St. Cloud in the months of March, June, September, and December.
A pictograph, contrasting the three highest monthly temperature values with the three lowest monthly temperature values.