How to Lie with Graphs

A handy video from Ted Education gives some pointers on spotting misleading graphs. Pay close attention to their warnings about meddling with the y-axis. Believe it or not, this sort of thing happens frequently in the world of science publishing.

(If you’re interested in visual representation of data, I encourage you to look up the work of Edward Tufte. He’s written some amazing books, and is a fun and provocative thinker.)

One note about the Ted Ed video: its has clear political leanings–so clear, in fact, that I’ve hesitated in linking to it. I hope that you will watch it, because its suggestions are both both important and useful.  Rest assured: my goal is not to sway your political views, but to give you a helpful tool in analyzing scientific information.