Misleading Graphs

A common saying
There are three types of
lies
• Lies
•Damn Lies
•Statistics
• When looking at a graph - always look at
the scales used on both axis, the labels,
and the size and shape of graph.
• Find out who ran the study, where did they
get their data from, and what are they
comparing.
• Look to see if they left anything out - did
they take some points of data out of
context?
 Principles of Graphical Excellence
• Well-Designed Presentation of Data that Provides:
– Substance
– Statistics
– Design
• Communicate Complex Ideas with Clarity,
Precision and Efficiency
• Gives the Largest Number of Ideas in the Most
Efficient Manner
• Almost Always Involves Several Dimensions
• Telling the Truth about the Data
 Errors in Presenting Data
• Using ‘Chart Junk’
• No Relative Basis in Comparing Data
between Groups
• Compressing the Vertical Axis
• No Zero Point on the Vertical Axis
 ‘Chart Junk’

Bad Presentation  Good Presentation

Minimum Wage Minimum Wage
1960: $1.00 $
4
1970: $1.60
2
1980: $3.10
0
1990: $3.80 1960 1970 1980 1990
 No Relative Basis

Bad Presentation  Good Presentation

A’s received by A’s received by
Freq. students. students.
300 30 %
200 20
100 10
0 0
FR SO JR SR FR SO JR SR

FR = Freshmen, SO = Sophomore, JR = Junior, SR = Senior

 Compressing Vertical Axis

Bad Presentation Good Presentation

Quarterly Sales Quarterly Sales
$ $
200 50

100 25

0 0
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
No Zero Point on Vertical Axis

Bad Presentation  Good Presentation

Monthly Sales
Monthly Sales $
$ 45
45
42
42
39
39 36
36
J F M A M J 0
J F M A M J
Graphing the first six months of sales.
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Food Votes Instructions:

A survey has been taken to

Pizza 972 determine people's favoritie
food. The results are shown
Hot Dogs 987 in the table above.

Burgers 955 Two graphs have been made

for the same data. Which
graph do you think is better?
More fair? Why?
 Grap h 1 Gr ap h 2

1000 1000
995 900

990 800

985 700

980 600

Number of Votes
Number of Votes

975 500

970 400

965 300

960 200

955 100

950 0
Piz z a Ho t Do g s Burgers Piz z a Hot Dogs Burgers

Fa v o r it e Fo o d Favo r ite Fo o d