To test your ability to analyze visual representations, tables, charts, graphs, and other graphics can accompany passages on the digital SAT® Reading Section. These SAT® Reading graphics will ask you to demonstrate your ability to interpret visual information and synthesize those details with a paired text passage. Because this is a challenging task to perform, we have compiled an article with the different question types and visual representations you will see and some techniques on how to approach SAT® Reading graphs and charts. By incorporating the knowledge you gain from this article into your SAT® review, you are one step closer to your SAT® score goals.
What Should I Expect?
During the SAT® Reading Section, you may see a few graphs, tables, or charts paired with history, social studies, and science passages. These visual representations will ask you to analyze the quantitative information in the image and relate those details to information from its paired textual passage. Although the questions asked are similar, the form of each SAT® Reading graphic brings unique, individual challenges. To ensure you can analyze each type of visual representation, be sure to incorporate the strategies listed below in your SAT® review.
Our Strategy
When approaching SAT® Reading graphs, tables, and charts, you need to pay extremely close attention to each detail. If you misinterpret one label, you risk skewing your entire understanding of the graphical representation and open yourself up to a series of incorrect answers. To prevent these errors, we strongly advise that you annotate each image. By taking the time to annotate, you emphasize key information and create helpful notes that can be referred to when answering the question. First, you should take the time to circle some key areas on the graph. While different tables, graphs, and charts have unique areas of focus, you should always circle the title and the things being compared (axis labels, column headers, etc.). Additionally, you should take some time to write an annotation for the following questions next to the image.
- What is the image representing?
Although you might be able to skip this point if the title is simple, the SAT® Reading Section often employs wordy titles to force students to demonstrate visual literacy. Take the time to write a clear title to ensure you know the exact information that is represented.
- What conclusions do you draw from the image?
Although this is a tremendously important question to annotate, don’t waste time writing a paragraph-long response. Instead, spend your time writing around ten clear and concise words or symbols detailing the main idea produced by the information represented.
- What is this image’s relationship to the paired textual passage or other image?
This annotation doesn’t need to be long. Simply put, + if it agrees,– if it disagrees, and / if it’s not directly related or neutral. Since graphical representations in the SAT® Critical Reading Section are used in conjunction with another passage, this quick annotation will be extremely helpful for synthesis questions.
These quick annotations are extremely helpful in focusing you on the key information. Although this is a great starting point, it is important to also study the different types of graphical representations you will see on the SAT® Reading Section.
What are the Different SAT® Graphics I will See?
To ensure your SAT® prep adequately prepares you for visual data representations on the SAT® Reading Section, it is important to know the different types of graphs, tables, and charts you will encounter. To help you in your SAT® Review, we have compiled a list of some of the data representations you might encounter with example annotations and tips. All of these images are from practice tests released by College Board.
Tables
Because tables can display a varied range of information, they are extremely common for both history/social studies and science passages. Along with the table itself, make sure to pay attention to the footnotes and citations below the table. References to a table’s source will help you determine the author’s intent or relation to the first passage. Additionally, footnote statements with phrases like “The table above shows…” will help you quickly determine the table’s main purpose.
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Pathogen Occurrence in Honey Bee Colonies…
- Things Being Compared – Pathogen, Percent of colonies affected by pathogen
- Footnote – “The table shows, for colonies with….”
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What is the image representing?
– % CCD and Non-CCD colonies w/ bees infected by pathogens
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Individual pathogens in both, more in CCD, no Non-CCD with all pathogens
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the passage is… (3 hypothetical options)
A.) A description of Colony Collapse Disorder
Annotation: /
B.) An argument that pathogens have nothing to do with Colony Collapse Disorder
Annotation: –
C.) A research paper showing the relationship between pathogens and Colony Collapse Disorder
Annotation: +
Line Graphs
On the SAT® Reading Section, you are likely to encounter two different types of line graphs. The first form is line graphs that display changes over time. These graphs are usually paired with history/social studies passages and will illustrate things like change in population over time. For science passages, line graphs are commonly used to show the range of results from an experiment or study.
As a side note, whenever you see a question about a specific year, take the time to draw a line with your pencil from the year on the x-axis (time) to the line so you can see the exact point where the lines intersect. This quick tactic can help you avoid mistakes that result from the rush of SAT® test day.
History/Social Studies Example
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Regular Coffee Profits Compared to Fair Trade Coffee Profits in Tanzania
- Things Being Compared – Amount (US cents per lb.) vs. Year
- Unit of Measurement – US cents per pound
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What is the image representing?
– Fair trade vs. regular coffee profits by year
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Fair trade coffee profits = higher, more consistent
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the passage is…
A.) A description of Tanzanian coffee sales
Annotation: /
B.) An essay on the idea that regular coffee is more profitable than fair trade coffee
Annotation: –
C.) A research paper detailing the success of fair trade coffee sales over regular coffee
Annotation: +
Science Example
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Total Plasma Cholesterol in Seven Bears
- Things Being Compared – Hibernation, Active
- Unit of Measurement – Milligrams/deciliter
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What is the image representing?
– 7 bears’ plasma levels hibernation vs. active
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Bears have lower plasma cholesterol when active
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the paired passage is…
A.) A description on how to take the cholesterol level of bears
Annotation: /
B.) An essay on the consistent cholesterol levels of bears while hibernating and when active
Annotation: –
C.) An argument advocating for the relationship between plasma cholesterol levels and the hibernation of animals
Annotation: +
Bar Graphs
Although these visual data representations appear pretty straightforward, bar graphs are commonly misinterpreted because students misread labels or units. To counter this error, practice annotating bar graphs during your SAT® Reading prep. Additionally, you should take the time to write exactly what each bar represents on the top of each bar. In doing so, you provide yourself an easy reference point when answering questions.
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Givers’ Perceived and Recipients’ Actual Gift Appreciations
- Things Being Compared – Role, Mean appreciation
- Legend – less expensive gifts, more expensive gifts
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What is the image representing?
– Appreciation levels for less and more expensive gifts
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Givers think expensive are better, recipients appreciate less expensive more
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the paired passage is…
A.) An essay on the cost of gifts in Nebraska
Annotation: /
B.) An advertisement emphasizing the importance of giving expensive gifts
Annotation: –
C.) A story about a woman that discovers her friends appreciate inexpensive, thoughtful gifts more than expensive jewelry
Annotation: +
Pie Charts
Pie charts are an extremely common SAT® Reading Graphic and will be found with both science and history/social studies passages. The key to these visual data representations is attributing the right portion to the correct title. Although it would be redundant to circle every individual title, if you are asked about a specific section of the pie chart, use your pencil and shade that region, so it’s clear to the eye.
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Primary Occupation of Public Transportation Passengers in US Cities, Purpose of Public Transportation Trips in US Cities
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What are the images representing?
– Passengers’ jobs and reasons for use
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Public transit is most used by people going to work
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the paired passage is…
A.) A description of public transit available in the United States
Annotation: /
B.) An article arguing that students never use public transit
Annotation: –
C.) A research paper on the American worker and their proclivity to use public transit to get to work
Annotation: +
Models
Because they can be about anything, these visual data representations are the curve ball of SAT® Reading graphics. Models can be anything from scientific charts to maps showing population distribution. Since there is no way to know what you will see on the SAT® Reading Section, it is important to clearly answer the three annotation questions. Because these annotations will be harder and more complex than the other data images, remember to practice them in your SAT® prep.
Step 1 – Circle
For this data graphic, you should circle:
- Title – Orientation of Hatchling Loggerheads Tested in Magnetic Fields
- Things Being Compared – West Atlantic, East Atlantic
- Footnote – “Orientation of hatchling loggerheads tested in a magnetic field”, “The arrow in each circle indicates the mean direction.”
Step 2 – Annotate
1. What are the images representing?
– The direction hatchlings swim in magnetic fields
2. What conclusions do you draw from the image?
– Turtles in West Atlantic swim northeast, turtles in East Atlantic swim southwest
3. What is the image’s relationship to the paired textual passage?
– If the paired passage is…
A.) A study on Loggerhead swimming habits
Annotation: /
B.) An article arguing Loggerheads always swim to the magnetic north
Annotation: –
C.) A research paper arguing that Loggerheads change their migration pattern based on magnetic fields
Annotation: +
What Questions will I be Asked?
Now that you understand the different SAT® Reading graphics, the next step in your SAT® Prep is to practice the specific question types you will see on the SAT® Reading Section. Because data images appear with a paired passage, you will be asked to demonstrate your ability to analyze quantitative information and synthesize that knowledge with the analysis of a textual passage. Although this may seem like a daunting task, if you’ve taken the time to annotate your graphics, you should have already highlighted the key details for the question. Listed below are some of the question types you will see,
Support Questions
Data in the graph provides the most support for which idea in the text?
Similar to the textual evidence questions found throughout the SAT® Reading Section, this question type wants you to identify the conclusions you’ve drawn from the data image and apply them to an idea from the paired textual passage. In answering this question type, reference your annotation to the question, “What conclusions can be drawn from the image?” Although you should read every answer choice throughout the SAT® test, it is especially important to look at each option for support questions. Since the question is asking you which representation provides the most support, there may be other answer choices that make some sense. Don’t get distracted by answer choices that require high levels of inference! You should always pick the answer choice that is most directly supported by the data image.
Data in the graph provides the most support for which idea in the text?
A. ) Givers perceive a lower level of appreciation for a less expensive gift, while recipients display a higher level of appreciation for more expensive gifts.
B.) Although givers perceive that more expensive gifts will result in higher appreciation, recipients show a higher appreciation for less expensive gifts. (Correct Answer)
C.) Givers’ anticipated appreciation levels are identical to the receivers actual appreciation
D.) Receivers don’t appreciate expensive gifts.
Explicit Meaning Questions
According to the graph, which statement is true about the amount of… in….?
These question types ask you to prove your ability to correctly read information from the visual data representation. Put simply, these questions ask you to look at the graph and deduce a specific piece of information and relate it to an idea or line from the paired textual passage.
According to the graph, which statement is true about coffee profits between 2004 and 2005? (Note: draw lines from 2004 and 2005 to the top of the graph)
A.) Regular coffee recorded a profit of 60 cents per pound
B.) Fair trade coffee vastly exceeded its previous profits
C.) Fair trade coffee profits remained steady (Correct Answer)
D.) Tanzania experienced an especially hot summer
Response Questions
The authors would most likely attribute the…. in the graph as…
Response questions require students to utilize their inference skills to deduce how one author would respond to the other. Typically, the question will ask you how the author of the textual passage would respond to the data or conclusions drawn by the SAT® Reading Graphic. Make sure to be straightforward with your answer choices. The SAT® will always provide you with clear textual support for inferences.
The author of Passage 1 would most like attribute the data for IAPV Pathogens as… (Assume Passage 1 is a research paper showing the relationship between pathogens and CCD)
A.) Evidence that viruses are a primary cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (Correct Answer)
B.) A statistical anomaly
C.) Evidence that viruses are pathogens
D.) Evidence that bees are going extinct
What now?
Because SAT® Reading graphics are a new addition to the reading section, it is extremely important to practice them in your SAT® review. By incorporating the knowledge and strategies explained in this article in your test prep, you are taking huge strides towards achieving your SAT® test score goals. If you have any other SAT® Reading graph strategies, please feel free to put them in the comment section below.
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