Working With Quantitative Visual Evidence
February 16, 2010
The bulk of your thesis projects will likely include some kind of quantitative visual evidence–that is, a graph or chart illustrating the statistical data which either supports your claims or shapes your research questions.
Finding The Best Mode of Presentation for Your Data
When determining how best to present what information you have, The Craft of Research‘s Table 15.7 (pp. 230-31) is probably the best place to start–because it is usefully comparative. If your data is contained within a spreadsheet, you can also readily explore the various graph options offered by Excel. Try out several and see how they compare. As the writers of your textbook note:
…different ways of showing the same data can be confusing. To cut through that confusion, test different ways of representing the same data. Construct alternative graphics; then ask someone unfamiliar with the data to judge them for impact and clarity. Be sure to introduce the figures with a sentence that states the claim you want the figure to support. (226)
Ultimately, choose the mode of presentation which makes the most sense to you, or which best illustrates either the trends or outliers you find important.
(Note: If you are unable to create graphs and charts in Excel, please make an appointment for my office hours. I will help you find the best method of presenting your data and show you how to create and export a chart for use in PowerPoint/Keynote.)
Designing Your Figures
According to consultants at Strategic Communications (see their page on the use of charts here), there are ten items to consider when designing your charts and graphs:
- Convey one message per chart. Make the message the heading.
- Make the chart easy to read. Label the X and Y axes and label the lines, bars, or pie wedges. Make the most important text largest, the most important data lines or sections darkest.
- Be accurate. Always start a numerical axis at zero. Compare only like variables.
- Eliminate all unnecessary details. Avoid grid lines, data points, boxes, and other devices unless they relate to the message.
- Use no more than four colors per visual.
- Avoid vibrating fill patterns, such as contrasting lines, wave patterns, and crisscrosses.
- To focus attention, use color, shading, or images such as arrows to highlight key words or concepts.
- Write in upper and lower case. Words written in all capital letters are hard to read.
- Make bars and columns wider than the spaces between them.
- Use presentation software sensibly. When necessary, adjust the default mode to simplify a visual.
While these tips are designed for business presentations, I think they are readily applicable in an academic context. In the VoiceThread below, I have gone through all ten of these, providing examples and adding my own comments regarding their relevance to your own projects. (This has an audio voiceover, so be sure to turn on your speakers!)
You can view this VoiceThread on its own here.
Entry Filed under: Macaulay,Pedagogy. Posted in Macaulay ,Pedagogy .
