This document discusses the importance of being able to critically interpret graphs and data visualizations. It notes that the ability to do so is a key indicator of college readiness, while an inability can lead to easy manipulation. The document cautions that graphs only represent interpretations of data, not the data itself, and provides examples of graphs depicting the same data in different ways to show different stories. It discusses why scientists use graphs to organize and emphasize patterns in data in a visual and easier to understand representation.

1. Every
graph tells
a story

2. Why should you care
about graphing?
The ability to critically interpret graphs is one of
the main indicators of college readiness.
The inability to critically interpret graphs leads to
people being being easily manipulated by
advertisements and interest groups
Remember, graphs are only interpretations of
data, not the data itself.

4. These two graphs represent the same data (#1)

5. These two graphs represent the same data (#2)

6. Which graph do you think
is “better” at displaying
the data?
Why?
Why?
Why?

7. What wrong with this picture???

8. Why is it unwise to draw
final conclusions from
graphs?

9. Why do scientists graph their data?
to organize and emphasize the pertinent patterns
from their data tables into a visual representation
that is easier to understand.
Although data tables themselves can hold all the
experimental information, a graph usually
minimizes the number of comparisons that can be
made.
Graphs help the viewer to visualize the results
that answer the researchers original question.
Otherwise your graph can be more confusing
than the raw data.

10. Assignment: For each of the
following graphs, discuss these
questions with your partner.
1. What story is this graph telling you?
2. What is it NOT telling you?
3. What information would you like to see
included?

12. Earnings and Unemployment versus Level of Education

13. 13

14. 14
Climate Change- The Hockey Stick
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