Unit 4: Data Commentary

212:190Fall 2011

Strength of Claim

• Simply put, using the proper register/formality– Unsound policies of the International Monetary

Fund………to the financial crisis.• Contributed to• Caused• May have contributed to• Were probably a major cause of• Were one of the causes of• Might have bee a small factor in

Uses of Data Commentary

• Highlight results• Assess standard theory, common beliefs, or

general practice in light of given data• Compare and evaluate different data sets• Assess the reliability of the data in terms of

the methodology that produced it• Discuss the implications of the data• (3 typically present)

Structure of Data Commentary

• In the following order– Location elements and/or summary statements• Where is this data-tables, figures, etc. on the page• Brief summary of what can be found on the table.

– Aim for no more than 2-3 sentences

– Highlighting statements• Drawing attention to specific data on the page.

– Discussions of implications, problems, exceptions, recommendations, etc.

Location Elements

• Refer to important information in a table, chart, graph, or other figure.– Table 5 shows the results of the second experiment.

• Can use the passive.– The results of the second experiment are given in Table

5.• While some languages don’t allow for a graph or

table to reveal, suggest or give, these are some of the most common collocations in an English data commentary.

Verbs

• Pg. 120-121

Linking As Clauses

• Pg. 123

Highlighting Statements

• Demonstrate that…– You can spot trends or regularities in the data– You can separate more important findings from

less important ones– You can make claims of appropriate strength

• Do NOT…– Repeat the details of the data in words– Attempt to cover all the information– Claim more than is reasonable or defendable

Probability

• Modals– Will, may, might, could

• Adverbs– Almost, very, likely…

• Pg. 126• Verb phrase constructions– 126-7

Generalizations

• Broad statements– Tend to

• Qualifying– Many, majority, in most parts of the world

• Exceptions– With the exception of, apart from, except for

• Register/Weaker verbs– Warning

Combined Qualifications

• Pg. 129

Organization

• Highlighting statements are often arranged in the general-specific format