ENGLISH 9

DATA COMMENTARY 
 D ATA C O M M E N TA RY V I D E O R E V I E W

1.What is the purpose of a data

commentary? 
2.What are the three parts of a data
commentary?
 D ATA C O M M E N TA RY V I D E O R E V I E W

1. What is the purpose of a data commentary?

• highlight the results of research
• use the data to support a point or make an argument in your paper
• assess theory, common beliefs, or general practice in light of the 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
• make recommendations
**Typically, of course, a data commentary will include several of these elements.

2. What are the three parts of a data commentary?

Data commentaries usually have these elements in the following order:
• location elements and/or summary statements
• highlighting statements
• discussions of implications, problems, exceptions, recommendations, or other interesting aspects of
the data
 EXAMPLE OF DATA COMMENTARY
• The following data commentary is based on Dr. Akiko Okamura's
(2000) research on how Japanese researchers learn to write in
English in their chosen field.

 ✐ Table 8 shows the different strategies that Japanese scientists use when writing
texts in English. As shown in the first two rows, slightly more than three-fourths of
the scientists surveyed adopted writing strategies that involved the use of their first
language. Moreover, less than a quarter appear capable of writing directly in
English. Overall, the figures would appear to suggest that most Japanese scientists
have difficulties and frustrations when preparing papers for English-medium
journals.
 IDENTIFYING THE STRUCTURE

 Can you identify the 1) location elements, 2) highlighting

statements, and 3) discussion section of the following data
commentary?

✐ Table 8 shows the different strategies that Japanese

scientists use when writing texts in English. As shown in the
first two rows, slightly more than three-fourths of the
scientists surveyed adopted writing strategies that involved
the use of their first language. Moreover, less than a quarter
appear capable of writing directly in English. Overall, the
figures would appear to suggest that most Japanese
scientists have difficulties and frustrations when preparing
 LO C AT I O N E L E M E N T S

Features:
• direct readers to view important information in a table,
chart, graph, or other information
• provide general summaries of the data
• do not give specific details or highlights

Important characteristics of location elements:

• Present tense is typically used
• You can use both active and passive voice
 LO C AT I O N E L E M E N T S E X A M P L E S

Example 1 –Active Voice :

• Table 5 shows the types of internet misbehavior common among university
students.
• Table 6 provides summary statistics for the variables used in the analysis
• Figure 2 presents a honeycomb solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) unit with air
cooling paths.

Example 2 – Passive Voice:

• The types of internet misbehavior common among university students are shown in
Table 5
• Summary statistics for the variables used in the analysis are provided in Table 6.
• A honeycomb solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) unit with air cooling paths is presented in
Figure 2.
 TABLE 1: STUDENTS
STUDYING COMPUTER SCIENCE AT A UK
UNIVERSITY BETWEEN 2010 AND 2012
 LOCATION ELEMENTS

• Write two different location element

statements for the graph. 
• Consider using active/passive voice or different
reference verbs. 
Verb   Example  
Show  • The graph shows the number of smartphone users in the past five years. 
• The number of smartphone users is shown in the graph.  
Provide  • Table 5 provides demographic information for the study participants.  
• Demographic information is provided in Table 5.  
Give  • The pie chart gives the results of the study. 
• The results of the study are given in the pie chart. 
Present   • The data presents an upward trend in college enrollment. 
• An upward trend is presented by the data.  
Summarize   • The given information summarizes the effect of smoking on your health. 
• The effect of smoking on your health is summarized in the information. 
Illustrate   • The table illustrates that social networking has little effect on students' study time.  
• The effect of social networking on students’ study time is illustrated in the table. 
Reveal   • The data reveals that in 2016, more people began riding bicycles to work. 
• It is revealed that in 2016, more people began riding bicycles to work.  
Indicate  • The graph indicates that there was an upward trend in home ownership. 
• An upward trend in home ownership is indicated by the graph. 
Display  • The two tables display the differences in males and females’ usage of video games. 
• The differences in males and females’ usage of video games is displayed in the chart. 
Demonstrate   • The study demonstrates the impact of the economic crisis over the past 20 years. 
• The impact of the economic crisis is demonstrated in the study.  
Suggest   • The data suggests that students may have begun failing due to class sizes. 
• It is suggested by the data that students may have begun failing due to class size.  
Contain  • The analysis contains information about the most common jobs for graduates. 
• Information about the most common jobs for graduates is contained in the study.  
Depict   • The picture depicts the poor state of export controls across the country.  
• The poor state of export controls across the country is depicted in the picture.  
List  • The table lists the different types of activities that students participate in after school. 
• The different types of activities for students is listed in the table.  
Report   • The company reported an overall loss of profits last year.  
 HIGHLIGHTING STATEMENTS

Background info: The central sections of data commentaries consist of

highlighting statements that discuss the data. In particular, they are an opportunity
for you to demonstrate that:
• you can spot trends or regularities in the data.
• you can separate more important findings from less important ones.

Try to avoid:
• simply repeating all the details in words.
• attempting to cover all the information.

It is important that you use your good judgment when writing highlighting
statements!
 L A N G UA G E E L E M E N T S I N H I G H L I G H T I N G S TAT E M E N T S

Linking as clause - point out specific information and introduce highlighting

statements

Examples:
• As can be seen in Figure 1, the fully charged Lithium-ion battery supplies 4.2
volts.
• As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the companies used in this survey varied
significantly in geographical location, size, and method of operation.
• As described in the data, the company’s profits decreased in the past 10
years.

Note  Linking as clauses are in passive voice, but sometimes only contain
the past participle and omit the verb “to be”.  They do NOT contain a subject.
 L A N G UA G E E L E M E N T S I N H I G H L I G H T I N G S TAT E M E N T S

Linking as clause
Use the following verbs to come up with linking as clauses about the table
below. What are the correct prepositions (in, by) that follow the verb?
• Show
• Present
• Demonstrate
• Report
 L A N G UA G E E L E M E N T S I N H I G H L I G H T I N G S TAT E M E N T S

Vocabulary to Describe Visual Data

• this type of vocabulary is often used in highlighting statements,
especially when visual data (graphs, pie charts, etc.) is
involved.

Examples:
• There was a sharp decline in the number of landfills in North
America in the past decade.
• Rates of student involvement in extracurricular activities
increased steadily from September to December.
 Big changes in data 

Adjective  Example  Adverb  Example 

Significant  A significant Significantly  Changed

change  significantly 
Dramatic  A dramatic Dramatically  Shifts dramatically 
shift 
Sudden  A sudden Suddenly  Has risen
rise  suddenly 
Substantial  A substantial Substantially  Gained
gain  substantially 
Sharp  A sharp Sharply  Has decreased
decrease  sharply 
 Steady changes in data 
Adjective  Example  Adverb  Example 

Consistent  A consistent Consistently  Flowed consistently 

flow 

Steady  A steady Steadily  Moved steadily 

movement 

Constant  Constant shift  Constantly  Shifted constantly 

 Small changes in data 
Adjective  Example  Adverb  Example 

Slight  A slight rise  Slightly  Rose slightly 

Gradual  A gradual fall  Gradually  Has fallen gradually 

Marginal  A marginal change  Marginally  Had changed marginally 

Modest  A modest increase  Modestly  Increases modestly 

 Other useful adjectives 
Upward  By looking at the five data points, there appears to
be a clear upward pattern in prices 

Downwar Over the past quarter century there is a downward trend in

d  use of pesticides 

Overall  The overall shift in the market seems to favor the use of
nuclear power 
Overall, the profits for the quarter were positive. 
 HIGHLIGHTING STATEMENTS

Look at the following graph that shows the number of students

studying Computer Science at a UK University between 2010
and 2012. What trends or regularities can you spot in the data? 
 HIGHLITING STATEMENTS

• What are some main trends or

regularities that you notice in
the graph? 
 HIGHLIGHTING STATEMENTS

Possible observations:
• The number of British males decreases between 2010 and 2011, but increases in 2012.
• International males increase from 2010 to 2012
• International women increase from 2010 to 2012, but have the lowest numbers overall.
• British women also increase as well, and have the highest numbers of students overall in 2011
and 2012.
 D I S C U SS I O N / C O N C LU S I O N

This section involves the author giving an original interpretation of

the data, which may include:
1. explanations and/or implications of the data
(usually required)
2. explanation of the reasoning process that led to
the conclusions (if appropriate) 
3. unexpected results or unsatisfactory data (if
necessary) 
4. possible further research or possible future
predictions (if appropriate) 
 SICUA

• Open Concluding a data commentary on

Sicua.

• Read Activity 1
According to the data, it is rather clear that
people with no clothing have the least chance
of survival, while people wearing dry suits with
dry underclothing have a greater chance,
although both factors depend on the
temperature of the water. This can be
concluded based on the upward trends in the
data. However, this data does not take into
account a person’s physical fitness, as it is
likely that it will affect the results of the data.
People in good shape may have greater chance
of surviving even if they are wearing less
 Types of Hedges  Examples 

modal verbs  may, might, could, would 

verbs  appear, seem, suggest, indicate, assume,

estimate, argue, tend to, consider, think 
nouns  assumption, suggestion, claim, possibility,
estimate 
adjectives  likely, probable, possible, apparent, certain 

adverbs  perhaps, probably, possibly, apparently,

certainly, presumably 
words/phrases approximately, roughly, reasonably, about,
expressing degree, somehow, somewhat, usually, generally, in
quantity, frequency  general,  
WRITE A CONCLUSION