Percentage of Graduates with Various Degrees in 1980 and 2008

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Pie Chart

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Question

Two charts below show the percentage of qualified graduates in a particular country. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

150 - Percentage of Graduates with Various Degrees in 1980 and 2008

Common Questions for Data Summary

1. Graph Type: Pie Chart

2. Title: Percentage of Graduates with Various Degrees in 1980 and 2008

3. What are the units of measurement? Percentage

4. Who: Graduates in a particular country (1980 and 2008)

5. When: 1980 and 2008

6. Where: A specific country (unspecified)

7. Topic: Proportion of graduates holding different degrees (First, Masters, and PhD) in 1980 and 2008

Comparison Showing and Trends

Comparison 1: First Degrees in Arts and Sciences

In 1980, a quarter of graduates held a first degree in Arts, while about a fifth held a first degree in Science. By 2008, the proportion of graduates with first degrees in both Arts and Science decreased significantly.

Comparison 2: Masters Degrees

In 1980, around 12% of graduates had a Masters in Arts, and 30% had a Masters in Science. By 2008, these figures dropped, with only 11% and 10% of graduates holding Masters in Arts and Science, respectively.

Comparison 3: PhD Degrees

In 1980, PhD graduates in Arts and Science made up a very small percentage (2% and 13%, respectively). However, by 2008, PhD graduates in Arts rose to 7%, while PhD graduates in Science grew significantly to 30%.

Sample Answer

The pie charts given illustrate the distribution of graduates holding various degrees in a particular country in 1980 and 2008.

In conclusion, the data reveals a shift towards graduate studies over time, with more graduates pursuing Masters and PhD courses compared to first-degree courses.

In 1980, 25% of graduates held a first degree in Arts, and 19% held a first degree in Science. Meanwhile, the percentage of graduates with Masters degrees in Arts and Science was 12% and 30%, respectively. A small percentage (2%) held a PhD in Arts, and 13% had a PhD in Science.

By 2008, the proportion of graduates with first degrees in Arts and Science had decreased significantly. The percentage of graduates with Masters in Arts and Science dropped to 11% and 10%, respectively. However, the proportion of PhD holders in both Arts and Science rose, with PhD in Arts growing to 7%, and PhD in Science increasing sharply to 30%.

Top 27 Vocabularies

Vocabulary	Meaning	Synonyms	Examples	Type
Proportion	A part or share of a whole	Percentage, share	The proportion of PhD graduates in Science increased significantly.	Noun
Undergraduate	A student pursuing a first degree	Bachelor’s, first-degree	The number of undergraduates in Arts decreased by 2008.	Noun
Graduate	A person who has completed a degree course	Postgraduate, degree holder	More graduates chose to pursue Masters or PhD courses.	Noun
Significantly	To a large extent or degree	Considerably, markedly	The proportion of PhD graduates in Science rose significantly.	Adjective
Proportion	The comparative amount of something	Fraction, ratio	The proportion of Masters graduates decreased over time.	Noun
Distribution	The way something is shared or spread out	Allocation, division	“The distribution of graduates changed significantly over time.”	Noun
Degree	A qualification awarded by a university	Qualification, diploma	“The number of students earning higher degrees increased.”	Noun
Attainment	The process of achieving something	Achievement, accomplishment	“Higher educational attainment became more common in 2008.”	Noun
Enrollment	The process of signing up for an educational course	Registration, admission	“The enrollment in PhD programs saw a rise.”	Noun
Academic	Related to education or scholarship	Educational, scholarly	“The academic landscape changed significantly over 28 years.”	Adjective
Trend	A general direction in which something is changing	Pattern, tendency	“A noticeable trend towards postgraduate studies was observed.”	Noun
Postgraduate	A person studying after completing a degree	Graduate student, researcher	“More students opted for postgraduate degrees.”	Noun
Decline	A decrease in quantity or quality	Reduction, drop	“There was a decline in the number of first-degree holders.”	Noun/Verb
Sharp	Sudden and intense	Steep, significant	“There was a sharp rise in PhD holders in Science.”	Adjective
Increase	A rise in number or amount	Growth, surge	“The increase in PhD holders was remarkable.”	Noun/Verb
Fluctuation	Continuous variation or change	Variation, inconsistency	“There was a fluctuation in the percentage of Master’s students.”	Noun
Academic field	A specific area of study	Discipline, subject	“Graduates pursued different academic fields over the years.”	Noun
Shift	A change in position or direction	Transition, movement	“A shift towards higher education was evident in the data.”	Noun/Verb
Dominance	The state of being the most influential	Prevalence, control	“Science degrees gained dominance over the years.”	Noun
Preference	A greater liking for one alternative	Inclination, choice	“There was a preference for PhD degrees in 2008.”	Noun
Evident	Clearly seen or understood	Obvious, noticeable	“The shift in degree preferences was evident in the charts.”	Adjective
Outnumber	To be more in number than another group	Surpass, exceed	“Master’s degree holders outnumbered undergraduate students.”	Verb
Peak	The highest level reached	Summit, pinnacle	“The number of PhD graduates peaked in 2008.”	Noun/Verb
Noteworthy	Deserving attention or notice	Remarkable, significant	“A noteworthy change occurred in higher education trends.”	Adjective
Comparison	Examining similarities and differences	Contrast, evaluation	“A comparison between the two years shows drastic changes.”	Noun
Dominant	Having more power or influence	Leading, prevalent	“Science became the dominant field of study over time.”	Adjective
Expansion	An increase in size, number, or importance	Growth, extension	“There was an expansion in postgraduate education.”	Noun

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