Misuse and Abuse of Graphs & Charts Glen Whitman Dept. of Economics CSUN.

Misuse and Misuse and AbuseAbuse

of Graphs & of Graphs & ChartsChartsGlen WhitmanGlen Whitman

Dept. of EconomicsDept. of Economics

CSUNCSUN

Beware of Pictograms:Beware of Pictograms:America’s Expanding America’s Expanding

WaistlineWaistline

Source:Women’s Health,May 2006

Beware of Pictograms:Beware of Pictograms:The Dominance of The Dominance of

McDonald’sMcDonald’s

Source: http://www.princeton.edu/~ina/infographics/starbucks.html

Beware of Pictograms:Beware of Pictograms:The Growth of StarbucksThe Growth of Starbucks

Source: http://www.princeton.edu/~ina/infographics/starbucks.html

Slicing Up Pie Charts:Slicing Up Pie Charts:Rampant Illegal Rampant Illegal Downloading?Downloading?

1% slice = Estimated capacity of all iPod capacity filled by iTunes songs

99% slice = Estimated capacity of all iPod capacity not filled by iTunes songs

Source: Wired, May 2006

Slicing Up Pie Charts:Slicing Up Pie Charts:World Oil ReservesWorld Oil Reserves

Source: Business Week,May 15, 2006

Slicing Up Pie Charts:Slicing Up Pie Charts:Compared to What?Compared to What?

Source: http://www.samefacts.com/archives/_/2006/06/pita_for_the_second_gilded_age.phpand http://agoraphilia.blogspot.com/2006/07/slicing-up-tax-pie.html

Pay Attention to the Scale:Pay Attention to the Scale:Are CSUN Professors Are CSUN Professors

Underpaid?Underpaid?

Source: A flyer I found in the faculty mailroom

Pay Attention to the Scale:Pay Attention to the Scale:Changing Marital NormsChanging Marital Norms

Source: Business Week, October 20, 2003

Pay Attention to Scale:Pay Attention to Scale:Weight Loss ProductsWeight Loss Products

Source: unknown magazine; same data displayed athttp://www.hydroxycut.com/MEN/PRODUCT_FACTS/HYD_24/index.shtml

Meaningless Line GraphsMeaningless Line Graphs

Source: Unknown, found in faculty mailroom