ABI - Infografiken und Diagramme analysieren
aiMOOCABI - Infografiken und Diagramme analysieren
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ABI - Infografiken und Diagramme analysieren
Einleitung
Mini-description: Describe main findings, trends, comparisons and limitations of a graphic and integrate selected figures meaningfully into analysis and argumentation.
This aiMOOC is for English as a continued foreign language in the Baden-Württemberg upper secondary course, shared by Basisfach (BF) and Leistungsfach (LF). The working language is English. German support comes only after context, word formation, visualisation, an English explanation and dictionary work have been tried.
Core idea: Do not list every number. Select the evidence that helps you answer the task.
Medien-Einstieg
30-second visual challenge: Look at the image above. Without writing full sentences, identify as many chart types as you can. Then answer in English: What can each visual show especially well?
Think – pair – share: Which is easier to understand at a glance: change over time, comparison between categories or parts of a whole?
I-can goals
| I can ... | BF | LF |
|---|---|---|
| identify title, source, axes, units, time frame and categories before interpreting data | ✓ | ✓ |
| describe main findings instead of listing all values | ✓ | ✓ |
| express trends and comparisons accurately | ✓ | ✓ |
| integrate selected figures into an analysis or argument | ✓ | ✓ |
| distinguish percentage change from percentage points | ✓ | ✓ |
| identify important limitations of a visual | guided | independent and differentiated |
| connect a graphic with another text or visual | one clear link | several supported links |
| evaluate framing, scale, source and possible bias | basic | extended AFB II/III |
Abi-Check Baden-Württemberg: Stand 02.10.2026
The most recent published official document is the Facherlass Abitur 2028, Stand 02.07.2026. For English LF, the written examination may include additional material such as image prompts, statistics and diagrams. Discontinuous texts such as diagrams, tables and charts can be analysed with attention to visual features including composition, proportion, scale, symbolism and perspective as well as captions, headings and slogans.
For LF course assessment, AFB II and III are weighted more strongly than AFB I. In BF, AFB I and II are weighted more strongly than AFB III. BF nevertheless covers listening, reading, analysis, mediation and different writing tasks across the qualification phase. The official IQB operator list revised for English applies from examination year 2027.
Important: This course is aligned to the currently published 2027/2028 framework. Before using it for a later examination year, check the annual Facherlass again.
Official Baden-Württemberg Abitur information
IQB operator list for English from examination year 2027
Vorwissen aktivieren
| Quick check | Your answer |
|---|---|
| What does the x-axis show? | category, time or another variable |
| What does the y-axis show? | value and unit |
| What is the difference between 40% and 60%? | 20 percentage points |
| Does correlation prove causation? | no |
| Why does the source matter? | it helps you judge reliability, context and limitations |
BF support: Answer with keywords first.
LF extension: Add one possible limitation for each item.
Visual literacy toolbox
Chart, graph, diagram, infographic
Chart / graph: mainly represents numerical data.
Diagram: often shows a process, structure or relationship.
Infographic: combines data, text, icons and visual design to communicate a message quickly.
The terms overlap in real-world use. In an exam, focus less on the label and more on what the visual does.
Use a bar chart to compare categories.
Use a line graph to show change over time or another continuous sequence.
Visual comparison task: The pie chart and bar plot represent the same data. Which visual makes precise comparison easier? Explain why in two sentences.
Read the visual before reading the message
Use this short routine:
| Step | Question |
|---|---|
| LOOK | What are the title, source, axes, units, legend, categories and time frame? |
| SELECT | What are the two to four most important findings? |
| EXPLAIN | What trend, comparison or relationship matters, and which number proves it? |
| LIMIT | What can this visual not show reliably? |
Micro-task: This visual is a snapshot, not a time series. Identify two comparisons the pyramid allows and one conclusion it does not justify on its own.
Listening and Viewing
Viewing 1: misleading graphs
First viewing: Write down only three warning signs.
Second viewing: Explain how scale, selected time ranges or visual proportions can influence interpretation.
LF extension: Distinguish between an intentionally misleading design and an unintentionally poor design. What evidence would you need before claiming intent?
Viewing 2: language for trends
While watching, collect useful verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs for upward trends, downward trends, stability and fluctuation.
Do not copy a model paragraph. Build your own phrase bank.
Viewing 3: selecting and grouping data
Focus on one transferable idea: group related data instead of reporting every value separately.
BF: Find two similarities and one contrast.
LF: Explain how grouping data improves coherence and analytical focus.
Reading
Short input text
A strong chart analysis is selective. It first establishes what the visual represents and then identifies the most relevant pattern. Numbers are evidence, not the whole argument. A useful sentence therefore links a claim to a precise figure and explains why that figure matters. Good analysis also checks the source, time frame, sample, units and scale. A graph may reveal a correlation, but it cannot automatically explain why the relationship exists. If data are incomplete, outdated or based on a narrow sample, the conclusion must be phrased cautiously.
Reading task: Find one sentence that defines good evidence use and one sentence that warns against overclaiming.
Context vocabulary
Main findings, trends, comparisons, limitations
| Function | Useful English | Example frame |
|---|---|---|
| main finding | overall, the most striking feature, the dominant pattern | Overall, the most striking feature is ... |
| upward trend | rise, increase, grow, climb | X rose from ... to ... |
| downward trend | fall, decline, decrease, drop | X fell by ... |
| stability | remain stable, level off, stay broadly unchanged | X remained broadly stable at ... |
| fluctuation | fluctuate, vary, peak, reach a low | X fluctuated between ... and ... |
| comparison | higher than, lower than, roughly twice as high as, similar to | X was considerably higher than Y ... |
| approximation | about, approximately, roughly, just over, just under | Approximately one third ... |
| limitation | should be interpreted cautiously, does not show, may not represent | The figure should be interpreted cautiously because ... |
| evidence link | supports, illustrates, suggests, is consistent with | The figure supports the claim that ... |
Word formation before translation
| Verb | Noun | Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|---|---|
| increase | increase | increasing | increasingly |
| decrease | decrease | decreasing | increasingly less / at a decreasing rate |
| grow | growth | growing | steadily |
| fluctuate | fluctuation | fluctuating | considerably |
| stabilise | stability | stable | stably |
| compare | comparison | comparable | comparatively |
| differ | difference | different | differently |
| signify | significance | significant | significantly |
Language note: Do not use a strong adverb such as dramatically unless the data justify it.
Dictionary habit
Before asking for German help:
| Order | Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1 | infer from context |
| 2 | identify the word family |
| 3 | use the visual clue |
| 4 | read an English definition or example |
| 5 | check a monolingual or bilingual dictionary |
| 6 | use short German support only if still necessary |
Analysis
What counts as analysis?
| Level | What you do |
|---|---|
| description | state what the graphic shows |
| analysis | explain patterns and visual choices with evidence |
| argumentation | use selected data to support a claim |
| evaluation | judge significance and limitations using criteria |
Rule: number + meaning + relevance is stronger than a number alone.
Fictitious practice data
Fictional school survey: Preferred transport to school
| Year | walking/cycling | public transport | car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 32% | 46% | 22% |
| 2024 | 38% | 45% | 17% |
| 2025 | 43% | 44% | 13% |
Weak: Walking and cycling were 32%, 38% and 43%.
Stronger: Walking and cycling rose from 32% in 2023 to 43% in 2025, an increase of 11 percentage points. This is the clearest change in the survey and suggests a shift away from car use.
Limitation: The data are fictional and give no sample size, survey method or reason for the change.
Percentage or percentage points?
If a share rises from 30% to 45%, the absolute change is 15 percentage points. Relative to the original 30%, this is a 50% increase.
Do not write an increase of 15% if you mean 15 percentage points.
Comparison language
Exact comparison: Category A is 12 percentage points higher than Category B.
Ratio comparison: A is roughly twice as high as B.
Cautious comparison: A appears moderately higher than B.
Integrated comparison: At 46%, public transport remained the largest category in 2023, whereas car use accounted for only 22%.
Limitations checklist
Check whether the visual gives enough information about:
| Check | Possible limitation |
|---|---|
| source | unclear authorship or interest |
| sample | too small, narrow or non-representative |
| time frame | too short, outdated or selectively chosen |
| scale | truncated or visually distorted |
| units | unclear denominator or mixed units |
| method | self-reporting, missing definitions or unknown data collection |
| relationship | correlation presented as causation |
| missing context | relevant comparison group or baseline absent |
Scale check: Before interpreting a steep line, inspect the axis values and spacing.
Correlation check: Two curves can move together without one causing the other.
Speaking
60-second graph talk
Use this speaking path:
What? → Main finding → Evidence → Comparison → Limitation
BF practice: one visual, 60–90 seconds, one main finding, two figures, one limitation.
LF practice: two connected visuals, 2–3 minutes, synthesis of patterns, selected figures, one methodological limitation and one comment on visual framing.
Recordings are optional. If used, keep them local/private unless everyone involved has explicitly agreed to another use. No automatic upload is required.
Writing
Paragraph architecture
A compact analytical paragraph can follow this pattern:
Claim → Evidence → Explanation → Limitation / link
Sentence starter: The most noticeable pattern is ...
Evidence: This can be seen in the rise from ... to ...
Explanation: The change is relevant because ...
Limitation: However, the graphic does not indicate ...
Do not write a replacement essay from a template. The task is to make your own selection and your own reasoning.
Writing task: fictional data
Write 120–160 words for BF or 180–250 words for LF on the fictional transport data above.
BF focus: main trend, one comparison, two or three figures, one limitation.
LF focus: hierarchy of findings, precise numerical integration, cautious interpretation, limitation and connection to a broader argument about mobility choices.
These word ranges are course practice ranges, not official Abitur word limits.
Mediation
Select, do not translate everything
German source for practice – fictional data:
An einer fiktiven Schule wurden 240 Oberstufenschülerinnen und Oberstufenschüler gefragt, wie sie Informationen für Schulprojekte prüfen. 72% vergleichen mindestens zwei Quellen, 44% prüfen das Veröffentlichungsdatum und 31% suchen gezielt nach Angaben zur Autorin oder zum Autor. Mehrfachnennungen waren möglich.
Task: Your English partner school is planning a short workshop on source checking. Mediate the relevant information in 60–80 words. Do not translate sentence by sentence. Explain what the figures suggest and mention one limitation.
BF and LF differentiation
| Dimension | Basisfach | Leistungsfach |
|---|---|---|
| material | one clear chart or infographic | several visuals and/or a short related text |
| selection | guided choice of main findings | independent hierarchy of findings |
| language | reliable B2 phrase bank | flexible B2 with selective C1-oriented precision |
| numbers | two or three carefully chosen figures | selective figures across materials |
| limitations | one obvious limitation | methodological, visual and contextual limitations |
| material links | one supported connection | synthesis and tension between sources |
| AFB | mainly I/II with guided III | stronger II/III and independent evaluation |
The goal is not artificial difficulty. LF means greater breadth, depth, text complexity and independence, not unnecessarily obscure vocabulary.
Help ladder
Use support in this order:
| Stage | Help |
|---|---|
| 1 | context: identify topic, source, unit and time |
| 2 | word formation: rise → rising; compare → comparison |
| 3 | visualisation: point to the relevant line, bar or segment |
| 4 | English explanation: define the idea in simpler English |
| 5 | dictionary: verify meaning and collocation |
| 6 | German help: short clarification only |
Feedback and error analysis
Common errors
| Problem | Why it is weak | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| listing every value | no hierarchy of findings | select evidence for the task |
| X increased by 20% for 40% → 60% | confuses percent and percentage points | say 20 percentage points or a relative increase of 50% |
| The graph proves that X causes Y | correlation is not causation | use suggests, is associated with or explain missing evidence |
| There was a dramatic rise without scale check | language may exaggerate | quantify first, then choose the adverb |
| no source or time reference | weak context and reliability check | mention source/date where relevant |
| data dropped into an argument | figure has no analytical function | explain what the figure supports |
Peer-feedback routine
Highlight four things in a partner's paragraph:
F = main finding
N = useful number
L = logical link to the task
C = caveat or limitation
Then give one concrete next step.
Responsible use of AI, sources and data
Your analysis must remain your own work.
If AI use is permitted by your teacher, verify every factual claim, number and source against the original material. Do not use an AI-generated replacement essay as your submission.
Do not upload classmates' work, recordings, personal data or protected material to an external AI service without explicit permission. Practice data in this course are fictional unless clearly labelled as an authentic Commons visual.
Transfer
Use the method on a new context: media use, migration, environmental data, education, work, technology or another course topic.
Ask: Which two numbers matter most for the argument? What does the visual make easy to see? What remains uncertain?
Folgekurs
Continue with ABI - Multimodale Materialien verknüpfen, ABI - Karikaturen und Bilder analysieren or ABI - Materialgestützt argumentieren in Englisch.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
What should you identify before interpreting a chart? (Title source axes units and time frame) (!Only the largest number) (!Only the colour scheme) (!Only the final data point)
What is the change from 30% to 45% in percentage points? (15 percentage points) (!15 percent) (!45 percentage points) (!50 percentage points)
Which sentence best integrates a number into analysis? (The share rose from 32% to 43%, supporting the view that active travel became more common) (!The numbers are 32 and 43) (!The graph has several percentages) (!There are many changes in the chart)
What is a main finding? (A relevant overall pattern selected from the data) (!Every single value in the chart) (!The colour of the title) (!A translation of the legend)
Which visual is usually suitable for change over time? (A line graph) (!A random icon) (!A decorative photograph) (!A title box)
What does correlation alone allow you to claim? (Two variables are associated in the observed data) (!One variable definitely causes the other) (!The source is automatically reliable) (!The trend will continue forever)
Which phrase expresses a limitation appropriately? (The figure should be interpreted cautiously because the sample size is unknown) (!The graph proves everything) (!The data cannot ever be questioned) (!The scale is irrelevant)
What should you do with numbers in an argument? (Select figures that support a specific claim and explain their relevance) (!Copy every number) (!Avoid all numerical evidence) (!Use numbers without units)
Which operator requires similarities and differences? (Compare) (!Name) (!List) (!Identify)
What is a useful LF extension beyond a basic description? (Evaluate visual framing and methodological limitations) (!Add more adjectives without evidence) (!Repeat the title several times) (!Translate every label into German)
Memory
| main finding | most important overall pattern |
| trend | change over time |
| outlier | unusual data point |
| scale | numerical spacing on an axis |
| source | origin of the data |
| proportion | part of a whole |
| correlation | statistical association |
| limitation | reason for cautious interpretation |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| LOOK | title source axes units and time frame |
| SELECT | choose the most relevant findings |
| EXPLAIN | connect pattern evidence and meaning |
| LIMIT | identify what the visual cannot establish |
| LINK | connect the visual to the task or argument |
Kreuzworträtsel
| Trend | What word describes a general direction of change? |
| Outlier | What do you call an unusual data point? |
| Source | What should you check to identify where data came from? |
| Scale | What axis feature can visually exaggerate a difference? |
| Proportion | What word describes a part in relation to a whole? |
| Correlation | What word describes an association that does not by itself prove causation? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Chart Scan: Choose one Commons chart in this aiMOOC and label title, axes, units, legend, source and time frame.
- Three Findings: Write three short English statements: one main finding, one comparison and one limitation.
- Trend Vocabulary: Build a personal four-column word-family table for rise, fall, stability and fluctuation.
- Number Check: Create five examples that distinguish percentages from percentage points and explain each answer.
Standard
- One-Minute Analysis: Give a 60–90 second English analysis of one chart using What, Main finding, Evidence, Comparison and Limitation.
- Redesign a Graphic: Recreate a simple fictional chart so that its scale and labels are clearer, then explain three design choices.
- Mediation Brief: Use the fictional German school survey from this course and produce a concise English briefing for an exchange school.
- Source Audit: Compare two public graphics on the same topic and examine source, date, units, sample and framing.
Schwer
- Multimodal Synthesis: Combine one graphic with a short non-fiction text and write an argument in which each source has a distinct function.
- Misleading Graph Investigation: Find or create a fictional misleading graph, identify at least three problems and redesign it responsibly.
- LF Evaluation: Evaluate how composition, proportion, scale, captions and source information shape the message of an infographic.
- Oral Defence: Present your analysis and respond to follow-up questions that challenge your choice of evidence, limitations and interpretation.
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Lernkontrolle
- Evidence Selection: You receive a chart with twelve values. Select only three that best support a given claim and justify why the other values are less useful.
- Competing Interpretations: Formulate two plausible interpretations of the same graphic and explain what additional information would be needed to decide between them.
- Scale Transfer: Explain how changing the y-axis can alter visual impact without changing the underlying numbers.
- Data to Argument: Use a main finding and one precise figure to support a broader argument, then add a limitation that prevents overclaiming.
- BF-LF Transfer: Solve the same chart task once with BF scaffolding and once as an LF response with independent synthesis and evaluation. Explain the difference in cognitive demand.
- Correlation Challenge: Given two strongly correlated fictional trends, design a short research plan that could test whether a causal relationship is plausible.
Lernnachweis
For a successful learning record, you should be able to show:
- Visual Reading: correct identification of source, title, axes, units, categories and time frame.
- Main Findings: clear selection and prioritisation instead of data listing.
- Trend Language: accurate use of verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and approximations.
- Numerical Precision: correct use of percentages, percentage points, ratios and units.
- Analysis: explanation of why selected patterns matter.
- Limitations: justified caution about sample, scale, method, source, time frame and causation.
- Argumentation: meaningful integration of figures as evidence.
- Speaking: concise oral explanation with logical sequencing.
- Writing: coherent paragraph structure and task focus.
- Mediation: selective transfer of relevant information rather than full translation.
- Source Checking: verification of data and transparent treatment of AI-assisted information where permitted.
- Differentiation: BF uses reliable structure; LF demonstrates broader synthesis, depth and greater independence.
Quellen und Medienrecht
Official framework checked on 02.10.2026:
- Ministerium für Kultus Baden-Württemberg: Termine und Informationen zum Abitur
- Facherlass Abitur 2028, Stand 02.07.2026
- Facherlass Abitur 2027, Stand 09.09.2025
- IQB: Grundstock von Operatoren Englisch, gültig ab Prüfungsjahr 2027
- Bildungspläne Baden-Württemberg
The embedded images come from Wikimedia Commons and were selected from files carrying free licences or public-domain status on their file pages. The YouTube videos are embedded from their original educational channels; no film sequences are copied or re-uploaded.
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