Comments on: Making Charts Say What You Want Them to Say http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:00:57 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Mike http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-333874 Mike Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:31:03 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-333874 I love it when I see a graph with NO scale. Yea, okay. I love it when I see a graph with NO scale. Yea, okay.

]]> By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331581 JLP Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:05:27 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331581 Bobby, That's a very good point! Thanks for sharing. Bobby,

That’s a very good point! Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Bobby http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331579 Bobby Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:00:05 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331579 Another favorite is with bar charts. One graph shows entire bar chart with a 10% difference between two values and second version shows just the upper portion of the bar chart. 10% difference can then look like 50%+ difference with the same numbers. Another favorite is with bar charts. One graph shows entire bar chart with a 10% difference between two values and second version shows just the upper portion of the bar chart. 10% difference can then look like 50%+ difference with the same numbers.

]]> By: Steve Heath http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331577 Steve Heath Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:50:08 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331577 Ok, finally got it, you're using two different y-axis on the charts. It's a good thing I'm more of a numbers man than a chart man, because I've never noticed that trick before. Ok, finally got it, you’re using two different y-axis on the charts.

It’s a good thing I’m more of a numbers man than a chart man, because I’ve never noticed that trick before.

]]> By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331576 JLP Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:48:10 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331576 Jeff, I promise you, the same data is in both charts. Jeff,

I promise you, the same data is in both charts.

]]> By: jeff http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331574 jeff Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:44:43 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331574 agreed steve, 1/31/08 info shows that they are not the same. still point taken about lies and statistics. agreed steve, 1/31/08 info shows that they are not the same. still point taken about lies and statistics.

]]> By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331573 JLP Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331573 Steve, I put the charts together myself. I can assure you that the only thing that is different between the two charts are the axes. Keep in mind that the first chart's values are a lot closer together, which puts the lines closer together. Steve,

I put the charts together myself. I can assure you that the only thing that is different between the two charts are the axes.

Keep in mind that the first chart’s values are a lot closer together, which puts the lines closer together.

]]> By: Steve Heath http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331567 Steve Heath Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:34:04 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331567 Ok.. is it just me, or is it not just the scale that is different, but the numbers for the Daily values are different. Scale wouldn't adjust the shape of the pattern, and it's gone from two lines that occasionally touch to two perfect duplicates, one just offset from the other. Ok.. is it just me, or is it not just the scale that is different, but the numbers for the Daily values are different. Scale wouldn’t adjust the shape of the pattern, and it’s gone from two lines that occasionally touch to two perfect duplicates, one just offset from the other.

]]> By: Jonathan http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331551 Jonathan Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:40:25 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331551 There is a good book that outlines some of the key ways to do this called How to Lie with Statistics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Lie_with_Statistics) There is a good book that outlines some of the key ways to do this called How to Lie with Statistics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Lie_with_Statistics)

]]> By: M M http://allfinancialmatters.com/2008/07/10/making-charts-say-what-you-want-them-to-say/comment-page-1/#comment-331548 M M Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:29:41 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=2652#comment-331548 "Well, you have to be aware that authors can easily make something look better or worse than it really is just by altering the numbers." ... or rather, *WITHOUT* altering the numbers. “Well, you have to be aware that authors can easily make something look better or worse than it really is just by altering the numbers.”

… or rather, *WITHOUT* altering the numbers.

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