Graphic organizers: types, characteristics and examples

A summary of the types of graphic organizers used in education or training.

Graphic organizers are tools that allow to organize information in a visual way, facilitating learning, since they allow to express the educational or instructional content in a more dynamic way.They facilitate learning, since they allow the educational or instructional content to be presented in a more dynamic way, helping the learner to organize the information.

They are easy and quick to consult, besides helping to a better understanding of the explained content. Their elaboration allows putting into practice different skills: comparing data, ordering events and structuring information.

Below are the 15 most common types of graphic organizers, their characteristics and what type of content they usually contain.

The main graphic organizers

There are multiple types of graphic organizersdepending on the subject to be studied or the problem to be solved. These are some of the most commonly used:

1. Concept maps.

They allow showing relationships between different concepts. The data are presented in a synthetic way, but relating them to other ideas in a clear way..

A good concept map is one that starts with broader information and progressively moves towards more concrete details.

This type of graphic organizers require the use of connectors and prepositions that relate their ideas, since they facilitate an agile reading when reviewing the content.

2. Organizational charts

This type of graphic organizers show the hierarchical organization of an entity, such as a companyThey can also be used to plan the tasks to be carried out in a company, the staff of a hospital or the teaching staff of an institute.

They can also be used to plan the tasks to be performed by the members of a group.

3. Venn diagrams

Typically, Venn diagrams show several circles that partially overlap.. Each of them represents a category and is called a set.

When two sets visually coincide, it means that they share characteristics in some respect. The non-overlapping area represents that which is unique to each set.

This graphic organizer was created by John Venn, and was originally used in the field of mathematics, although it can be used in any discipline.although it can be used in any discipline.

4. Comparative tables

They consist of tables in which the main differences and similarities between two or more elements are to be found..

In the comparative tables there are columns, where the subjects are usually placed, and rows, where the aspects to be evaluated are indicated.

They are very useful when indicating the advantages and disadvantages of two or more ideas, or those aspects that they have in common and those in which they differ.

5. Synoptic tables

They are used to order the information on a subject following a hierarchy. The form in which they can be elaborated is varied, either in the form of keys, matrices or diagrams.

They are similar to organization charts, but they do not they do not describe the organization of a group of people, but rather how the subject matter is organized, and they make it easier to see which ideas are the most important.They also make it easier to see which ideas are the main ones.

6. Map of ideas

They are also called mind maps. They show ideas visually, similar to concept maps, but without following a hierarchy. The main ideas are simply indicated.

They are very useful at an early stage of the study, since they allow to clarify the basics of the content and gradually put it together to make a concept map later.

Colors, images, key words and even graphics can be used to understand the subject matter.

7. Spider webs

These graphic organizers are little known, but very useful for teaching topics such as, for example, trophic webs or the relationships between a group of friends.

They are used to show the relationship between a category, which is placed in the center of the spider web, and others that are placed around it.. Both the main category and the secondary categories interact with each other, forming a spider web.

Spider webs are different from concept maps because they are very schematic, without resorting to connectors to facilitate their reading aloud. They are also different from idea maps because there is a hierarchy in the spider webs.

8. Timelines

They allow you to see in a schematic way when events occurred, sorted according to their chronological dates.. They make it easier to understand the time elapsed between each event, as well as to learn their order.

These graphic organizers are widely used in disciplines related to history and history-related subjects..

9. Schemes

They are basically visual summaries of a topic. They indicate the order of the concepts that make up an idea, making it easier to understand the relationship between them. They also allow establishing and differentiating between primary and secondary ideas.

The schemes are very useful to begin to review a content, since, like the maps of ideas, they can be used as the first phase of the study.

10. Chain of sequences

It is a tool that represents a series of events, such as those occurring in a process. These events are represented in circles and are related to each other by arrows.. They are usually read clockwise.

They are very useful when studying historical events or Biological processes, such as the Krebs cycle or photosynthesis.

11. Character map

Used to analyze the character of a historical or literary character.. First, the traits of the person are identified and then exemplified by showing facts or words that the character has said.

12. Attribute wheel

A circle representing a wheel is drawn and the topic being discussed is placed in the center of the circle. The main attributes are described around it.

This type of graphic organizer is very useful in the field of education.If it is presented blank, it helps students feel motivated to fill it in and learning takes place in an enjoyable way.

13. The main idea table

It serves to visually represent the relationship of a main idea and its details. The surface of the table is where the main topic is placed, and each leg is where the main idea is placed. each of the legs is where the secondary ideas are placed..

In spite of being quite simple, it is useful, since it does not require much time to elaborate it and allows to make a sketch of the studied content in an agile way.

14. Cause-effect or Ishikawa diagrams

These diagrams are a tool that makes it easier to find the roots of a given problem by analyzing everything that is involved in it.by analyzing everything that is involved.

It consists of a main line or "spine" that points to the problem on the right side. Above and below the thorn are shown the different causes that have influenced the appearance of the problem.

15. Flow chart

Se trata de una representación gráfica de un proceso lineal. Cada paso del proceso es descrito de forma muy sintética y se indican sus relaciones mediante flechas. Permite tener una idea rápida de los pasos implicados en un proceso.

Referencias bibliográficas:

• Egan, M. (1999). Reflections on Effective Use of Graphic Organizers. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 42(8), 641-645.
• Clarke, J. H. (1991). Using Visual Organizers to Focus on Thinking. Journal of Reading, 34(7), 526-534.
• Kim, A. H., Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., & Wei, S. (2004). Graphic organizers and their effects on the reading comprehension of students with LD: A synthesis of research. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(2), 105-118.