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In statistics, a misleading graph, also known as a distorted graph, is a graph that misrepresents data, constituting a misuse of statistics and with the result that an incorrect conclusion may be derived from it. Graphs may be misleading by being excessively complex or poorly constructed.
Manipulation of the graph's X-axis can also mislead; see the graph to the right. Both graphs are technically accurate depictions of the data they depict, and do use 0 as the base value of the Y-axis; but the rightmost graph only shows the "trough"; so it would be misleading to claim it depicts typical data over that time period.
Another kind of chartjunk skews the depiction and makes it difficult to understand the real data being displayed. Examples of this type include items depicted out of scale to one another, noisy backgrounds making comparison between elements difficult in a chart or graph, and 3-D simulations in line and bar charts.
It also shows how statistical graphs can be used to distort reality. For example, by truncating the bottom of a line or bar chart so that differences seem larger than they are. Or, by representing one-dimensional quantities on a pictogram by two- or three-dimensional objects to compare their sizes so that the reader forgets that the images do ...
Some graphs include several orders of magnitude, showing both very small and very large numbers. Small numbers disappear in the shadow of the large numbers. Examples: Solar_power#Development_and_deployment and Offshore_wind_power#History. Same graph in logarithmic (hand calculated, and showing logarithmic numbers, not original data) :
Statistics, when used in a misleading fashion, can trick the casual observer into believing something other than what the data shows. That is, a misuse of statistics occurs when a statistical argument asserts a falsehood. In some cases, the misuse may be accidental. In others, it is purposeful and for the gain of the perpetrator.
Simpson's paradox has been used to illustrate the kind of misleading results that the misuse of statistics can generate. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] Edward H. Simpson first described this phenomenon in a technical paper in 1951, [ 9 ] but the statisticians Karl Pearson (in 1899 [ 10 ] ) and Udny Yule (in 1903 [ 11 ] ) had mentioned similar effects earlier.
A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". [1] A chart can represent tabular numeric data, functions or some kinds of quality structure and provides different info.