The elements of graphing data

Graphing data is an indispensable tool for data analysis and communication in science and technology. It is no exaggeration to say that graphs and their legends themselves can be one of the factors which decide the quality of technical papers and journal articles. It is surprising, however, to find that "30% of the graphs in the volume (Science 1980, Vol. 207) had at least one of four types of specific problems:" explanation, discrimination, construction, and degraded image. Such a finding led the author to write this book. Cleveland's book shows many valuable methods and principles not only to eliminate them but also to improve the effectiveness of data analysis and communication. The book is organized into four chapters: