Instructions

1. Read Alberto Cairo’s work, Graphics Lies, Misleading Visuals

2. Locate an example of a misleading visual that uses one or more of the mechanisms for misleading that Cairo outlines in his book chapter: hiding relevant data, displaying too much data and obscuring reality, and distorting data through graphic forms

Data Citation

The answers and data collected are based from the document below.

Cairo, A. (2015). Graphics Lies, Misleading Visuals. Retrieved from https://faculty.ucmerced.edu/jvevea/classes/Spark/readings/Cairo2015_Chapter_GraphicsLiesMisleadingVisuals.pdf

Questions

Part 1

  1. What is the source of the visual? (e.g., URL or bibliographic citation)
  2. Who is the intended audience (i.e., decoders)? How do you know this?

Part 2

  1. Identify the specific component(s) of the visual that is/are misleading
  2. For each part(s) of the visualization that is/are misleading, identify the mechanism that is used: hiding relevant data to highlight what benefits us; displaying too much data to obscure reality; using graphic forms in inappropriate ways (distorting the data)
  3. Explain how the mechanisms are used to mislead

Visual (Part 1)

Misleading Example: Showing the difference between two data visualizations

Answering the Part 1 Questions

  1. Bibliographic Citation (APA):

Hogle, P. (2018, August 15). Misleading Data Visualizations Can Confuse, Deceive Learners. Retrieved from Learning Solutions: https://learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/misleading-data-visualizations-can-confuse-deceive-learners

  1. The graph shown is written and created by a writer and editor professional that owns her own writing and editing business called PSH Edits.

On the other hand, this article discusses the cases of misleading data visualizations, which is alternatively formed as a guideline for designers to avoid confusing or misinforming their learners.

I was able to know this due to the statement introduced by the author that is displayed in the first part of the article.

Descriptions (Part 2)

Answering the Part 2 Questions

  1. This chart contains one misleading characteristics: distorting the presentation of data within visualization.

2-3. The graph shows how the Y axis creates a significant difference when the readers will try to analyze and study the given data visualization. In a case of where the data given is for instance, on the journal of Cairo, the author concealed the size of an increase by presenting it in smaller scale (he only used six months for a yearly to monthly interval to an unemployment data), graphed next to larger annual increases. Thus, showing a distortion of data. However, Hogle somewhat contradicted that this misleading data can be strategic in a way, wherein the “example could appear to show a large increase in unemployment while actually reflecting an expected annual cycle”, she said.