Observations on graphing paleozoological data: Suggestions for better graphs - 15/10/18
Abstract |
Paleozoologists have long used graphs of diverse styles to describe, analyze, and summarize their data. Some of these graphs provide excellent visual representations of complex data and are readily deciphered. Other graph styles require close study to be interpreted. Ease of visual decoding of information contained in a graph – graph perception – varies from graph style to graph style. Historical instances of graphing paleozoological data indicate some difficult to decipher graph styles have been used for at least a century. Graphs with three-dimensions, moiré effects, superimposed lines, or segmented bars, or which demand simultaneous decipherment of position and magnitude, are ill-advised. Temporal trends in data are best graphed following the principle of superposition such that data from old material is graphed at the bottom and data from younger material is graphed at the top of the diagram.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Bar graphs, Line graphs, Pie graphs, Spindle diagrams, Graph perception, Paleozoology
Plan
☆ | Corresponding editor: Gilles Escarguel. |
Vol 51 - N° 5
P. 435-451 - octobre 2018 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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