A chart without a plain-English read is just a picture. Decision-makers (a Work Experience supervisor, a club treasurer, an examiner at your VET interview) need the story: what is rising or falling, what is unusual, and what you should do next. Today you learn to write that story in a few clear sentences under every chart in your Specialism portfolio.
If someone only had ten seconds, what is the single most important thing a chart is trying to say?
09_specialism/sm3/, think of that chart and name its one-sentence story.Use this table while you write. Every portfolio chart interpretation should hit all four beats in the last row.
Quick reminder: average = add up the values ÷ how many weeks (or rows) you have.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trend — the overall direction the numbers move across the chart (rising, falling, steady, or mixed) | Readers decide faster when you name the pattern instead of listing every bar or point | Weekly sales for a phone-case side hustle climb from €40 in week 1 to €70 in week 6 |
| Outlier — a value that sits far above or below the rest of the set | One wild week can fool you into ordering stock or planning hours for a level that almost never happens | A GAA club stall takes €95 on match day and about €50 every other week — €95 is the outlier |
| Hidden average — when the average is pulled up or down by outliers so it no longer matches a normal day | Planning from the average alone can waste money or leave you short; always ask what a typical value looks like without the extreme | Average sales ≈ €57 because of match day, but a typical quiet week is nearer €50 |
| Chart interpretation paragraph — three to four plain sentences: trend, biggest value, smallest value, one decision the chart informs | Non-technical readers (supervisors, examiners, community contacts) get the signal without needing spreadsheet skills | See the model paragraph your teacher shows after the practice chart |
Write in this order every time: (1) name the trend in everyday language, (2) state the biggest value and what it is, (3) state the smallest value and what it is, (4) name one decision the chart should change. Avoid jargon. Prefer "sales stayed steady most weeks" over "the dataset exhibits low variance".
If you want a writing frame later, use the Four-beat chart interpretation scaffold worksheet (Trend / Biggest value / Smallest value / Decision).
You will build a tiny practice sheet with sample weekly sales, glance at the average, add a simple column chart, then fill a four-beat frame and rewrite it in your own words. That shape is what you will use on your own project charts next.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My paragraph only describes the chart shape ("bars go up") | Add numbers: name the biggest value, the smallest value, and the units (€, hours, tickets) |
| I used the average as if it were a normal week | Check for an outlier first. If one value is far above or below the rest, say so and plan from a typical value instead |
| I cannot fit the paragraph under the chart | Type the heading and paragraph in cells below or beside the chart (as in the practice file). Widen the column and turn on wrap text so it stays readable |
| I am not sure what "decision" to write | Ask: what would someone change after reading this chart — stock levels, opening hours, ticket price, shift length, or a project deadline? |
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