Visual Revelations - Howard Wainer

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Résumé :
This extraordinary book provides a journey through the jungle of good and bad graphical devices used to illustrate and mystify data. The diversity of examples ranges from Napoleons retreat from Moscow to the O-rings on the space shuttle, and from mortalities in hospitals to bus schedules. The author illustrates how a well-chosen graphic can reveal in an instant the essential truth behind some data, whilst a poorly designed representation can be used to conceal the awful truth. As well as providing numerous examples of both, the author includes numerous suggestions to make us all better producers and consumers of graphics.

Sommaire:
Section I Graphical Failures.- 1 How to Display Data Badly.- 2 Graphical Mysteries.- Section II Graphical Triumphs.- 3 Graphical Answers to Scientific Questions.- 4 Three Graphic Memorials.- 5 A Nobel Graph.- 6 Todai Moto Kurashi.- 7 Picturing an L.A. Bus Schedule.- Section III Graphical Forms.- 8 Humble Pie.- 9 Double Y-Axis Graphs.- 10 Tabular Presentation.- 11 A Rose by Another Name.- 12 Trilinear Plots.- 13 Implicit Graphs.- Section IV Using Graphical Methods.- 14 Measuring Graphicacy.- 15 Graphs in the Presidential Campaign: Why Weren't They Used More Broadly?.- 16 Visual Aids When Comparing an Apple to the Stars.- Section V Improving Graphical Presentations.- 17 Integrating Figures and Text.- 18 Elegance, Grace, Impact, and Graphical Displays.- 19 Sense-Lining.- 20 Making Readable Overhead Displays.- Finally.- Notes.- References.- Credits.