Question

Graph can be misleading! Distorting the truth unfortunately does happen within the field of Statistics through distorting data. Some graphs are misleading and other deceive! The misrepresentation may be intentional or purely innocent on the behalf of the researcher/statistician. When reviewing graphs, it is important to have an eye for characteristics that may manipulate the facts and in turn the data. For example, incorrect depiction of size of graphics. Please review a few graphs from a local newspaper, magazine or professional journal. Please describe the graph, provide the source and why you chose this particular one. Please provide 3 to 4 characteristics of a good graph.

Answer 1

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD GRAPH

1, GRAPHS ARE DONE ON A GRAPH PAPER ON OR A COMPUTER

2,GOOD SCALING

3,IF YOU ARE MAKING YOUR GRAPH ON GRAPH PAPER,USE A RULER OR STRAIGHT EDGE TO DRAW YOUR LINES

4,THE DEPENDENT VALUE IS USUALLY PLOTTED ON THE Y-AXIS AND INDEPENDENT VARIABLE IS PLOTTED ON THE X-AXIS

DESCRIBING GRAPH,

UPWARD TREND VERBS

• TO INCREASE
• TO RISE
• TO GO UP
• TO CLIMB
• TO SHOOT UP
• TO ROCKET
• TO SOAR

  DOWNWARD TREND VERBS

• TO DECREASE
• TO FALL
• TO GO DOWN
• TO DECLINE
• TO DROP
• TO PLUNGE
• TO PLUMMET

  ADVERBS TO DESCRIBE BIG CHANGES

• DRAMATICALLY
• SHARPLY
• SUDDENLY
• SIGNIFICANTLY
• DRASTICALLY
• NOTICEABLY
• STEEPLY

  ADVERBS TO DESCRIBE SMALL CHANGES

• GRADUALLY
• SLIGHTLY
• STEADILY
• GENTLY
• MODERATELY
• LITTILE BY LITTLE
• STEP BY STEP

  HOW TO DESCRIBE NO CHANGE

• REMAINED THE SAME
• REMAINED CONSTANT
• STABILISED
• LEVELLED OFF
• MODERATLY
• LITTLE BY LITTLE
• STEP BY STEP