How (not) to present data
Paula Surridge
School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
University of Bristol
Presenting data using graphs
 Good graphs should:
 Convey the data visually without the need for further
explanation
 Be appropriate for the type of data
 Have appropriate scales and labels
 Be as simple as possible to convey the data
 Avoid 3D effects and complex colour schemes
 Just because Excel can do it doesn’t mean you should do it
Bad pie chart: Example 1
Source: http://www.researchwallofshame.com/
Bad pie chart: Example 2
Voting intentions
HUCKABEE
63%
PALIN
70%
ROMNEY
60%
Based on an actual pie chart used by a Fox TV station in the USA. See
http://flowingdata.com/2009/11/26/fox-news-makes-the-best-pie-chart-ever/
Bad bar chart
[Graph removed for copyright reasons. Original on page
17 of “The social situation in the European Union
2005-2006” The European Commission]
Example: Good column chart
Intention to remain in full-time education by social class,
2005
100
90
80
Percentage
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Higher professional Lower professional
Intermediate
Lower supervisory
Social Class
Routine
Other4
Intention to remain in full-time education by social class, 2005
94
92
Percentage
90
88
86
84
82
80
Higher
professional
Lower
professional
Intermediate
Lower
supervisory
Routine
Other4
Social Class
Sources and further reading
 Reading
 Bryman, A. (2008) Social Research Methods
 De Vaus, D. (1996) Surveys in Social Research
 Bad graphs examples:
 http://flowingdata.com/category/statistics/mistaken-data/
 http://www.researchwallofshame.com/
 Data used for tables and charts:
 Social Trends 39
 British Social Attitudes Survey 2007