The Shape Parameter of a Two-Variable Graph

Abstract The shape parameter of a two-variable graph is the ratio of the horizontal and vertical distances spanned by the data. For at least 70 years this parameter has received much attention in writings on data display, because it is a critical factor on two-variable graphs that show how one variable depends on the other. But despite the attention, there has been little systematic study. In this article the shape parameter and its effect on the visual decoding of slope information are studied through historical, empirical, theoretical, and experimental investigations. These investigations lead to a method for choosing the shape that maximizes the accuracy of slope judgments.

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