What Is Important when Reading a Chart or Graph?
• Check the date. Is it old, current or a future projection? If it is prior to this year, it may be still relevant or it may have changed a little or a lot due to labour market activity. If it is current, what region is it from and what indication is there that the situation will be the same if years of education are in the picture? If it is a future projection, remember, a new government policy or turmoil in a foreign country can change the projection very quickly. • Look carefully at the numbers. If it is a percentage, is it a percentage of all employment across all industries or occupations, or is it a percentage of employment in one occupation or industry? Is there an average to compare it against? If there are numbers, are the numbers short forms representing thousands or millions? • Who published the data? Is it a reliable source? If a graph shows a sharp rise or fall, what is the time span for the graph and in what context was it used? It may be a small piece of a larger graph t
