Table of Contents
Why might someone intentionally use a graph to mislead?
Misleading graphs may be created intentionally to hinder the proper interpretation of data or accidentally due to unfamiliarity with graphing software, misinterpretation of data, or because data cannot be accurately conveyed. Misleading graphs are often used in false advertising.
Where can a graphical display be used incorrectly?
The “classic” types of misleading graphs include cases where: The Vertical scale is too big or too small, or skips numbers, or doesn’t start at zero. The graph isn’t labeled properly. Data is left out.
How statistics can be used for wrong purpose?
The data can be misleading due to the sampling method used to obtain data. For instance, the size and the type of sample used in any statistics play a significant role — many polls and questionnaires target certain audiences that provide specific answers, resulting in small and biased sample sizes.
How can Descriptive statistics be misleading?
Descriptive statistics can be manipulated in many ways that can be misleading. Graphs need to be carefully analyzed, and questions must always be asked about “the story behind the figures. ” Potential manipulations include: changing the scale to change the appearence of a graph. omissions and biased selection of data.
How can histograms be misleading?
A histogram can be misleading if it has a deceptive scale and/or inappropriate starting and ending points on the y-axis. Watch the scale on the y-axis of a histogram. If it goes by large increments and has an ending point that’s much higher than needed, you see a great deal of white space above the histogram.
How data can be manipulated?
Data manipulation is the process of changing or altering data in order to make it more readable and organized. For example, you can arrange data alphabetically to expedite the process of finding useful information. Another example of data manipulation is website management.