Such tables are great for collecting data but need to be reconsidered when it comes time to transfer meaning to others. It is apparent that human beings respond to visual cues in their environment. It should be obvious, then, that graphical presentation of data, be it voluminous or complex, is usually the preferred technique. The most important step in creating a chart is choosing the graph that will most effectively convey the information you want to present. First, you should think about the kind of information you want to put into a chart.
Pie charts are most popular for information that represents parts of a whole.
By itself, that paragraph is not nearly as effective to the reader as the pie chart labeled Items Thrown in U.S. Landfills. You could create a bar chart with each bar representing a different interest rate and the length of the bars representing the total amount of money after 10 years. For example, if you wanted to show the 8 year trend between the number of acres of national forest harvested annually and the number of acres reforested, you would use a line chart. Several strong colors in a chart compete for attention and emphasize nothing. Use the strongest color for the wedge or component that you want to spotlight.