Practice question · Sort into groups
Sort each graphing practice as honest or misleading.
Groups: Honest practice · Misleading technique
- Truncating the y-axis to exaggerate a small difference
- Starting a bar chart's y-axis at zero
- Choosing a scatterplot to show two continuous variables
- Using 3D effects that distort area and volume perception
- Cherry-picking a narrow time window that hides the overall trend
Hints
- Ask whether the choice represents the data faithfully or visually inflates a pattern.
- Truncated axes, distorting 3D, and cherry-picked windows all exaggerate beyond what the numbers support.
Show the answer
Honest practice: Starting a bar chart's y-axis at zero, Choosing a scatterplot to show two continuous variables
Misleading technique: Truncating the y-axis to exaggerate a small difference, Using 3D effects that distort area and volume perception, Cherry-picking a narrow time window that hides the overall trend
Why
Zero-based axes and matching the chart to the data are honest; truncated axes, distorting 3D, and cherry-picked windows all inflate a pattern beyond the actual numbers. The distinction is faithfulness to the data, not visual impact.
Practise Data Visualization
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