Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Surfactant 1
Surfactant 2
Surfactant 3
8.5
8
7.5
7
6.5
6
5.5
5
1
2
3
Fat type
FIGURE 8.13 Volume of a Mixture Based on the Included fat and Surfac-
tant Types. Drawing the bar plot with a more reasonable scale clearly distin-
guishes the values for the reader.
Clearly, there are other illustrations that would work even better for this
particular data. When one subgroup is always greater than the other sub-
group, we can use vertical bars between each measurement instead of two
separate polylines. Such a display not only points out the discrepancies in
the data, but also allows easier inference as to whether the discrepancy is
static or changes over time.
The construction of a table such as Table 8.2 effectively reduces the
number of dimensions from two to one. This presentation makes it more
difficult for the reader to discern the subgroup information that the analy-
sis emphasizes. While this organization matches the input to most statisti-
cal packages for correct analysis, it is not the best presentation for humans
to discern the groups.
Keep in mind that tables are simply text-based graphics. All of the rules
presented for graphical displays apply equally to textual displays.
The proper organization of the table in two dimensions clarifies the sub-
group analysis. Tables may be augmented with decorative elements just as
we augment graphics. Effective additions to the table are judged on their
ability to focus attention on the science; otherwise these additions serve as
distracters. Specific additions to tables include horizontal and vertical lines
to differentiate subgroups, and font/color changes to distinguish headings
from data entries.
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