Project 1 – Misleading Graphs 20 points Due:______

Pick ONE of the following to complete.

(A) USA Today regularly includes graphical representations called “Snapshots” to emphasize or survey results. They are often very colorful and eye catching. They are also often misleading. Go to USA Today at http://www.usatoday.com/news/snapshot.htm to see a collection of these “Snapshots.” Not all of them are misleading. From them, select an example of a graph that uses at least two misleading techniques.

1. Copy the graph from the webpage and paste it into a document. 2. In a few complete sentences, describe what the graph conveys. 3. Describe all of the misleading techniques used in the graph. 4. Using the information from the graph, design a new graph that is not misleading. You can produce your new graph using a computer program or you can create a hand-drawn graph…but make it very neat and colorful. 5. Describe what changes you made to create the non-misleading graph.

(B) Look through the newspaper or other source to find a bar graph, pie or other type of graph that does NOT appear to be misleading. For the graph you select do the following:

1. Cut it out or make a copy of it to include with your project. 2. In a few complete sentences, describe what information the graph provides. 3. Using the information from the graph, design a new and very misleading graph that uses at least two misleading features that we discussed in class or that were discussed in the text. You can produce your new graph using a computer program or you can create a hand-drawn graph…but make it very neat and colorful. 4. Describe which misleading features you incorporated into your new graph. 5. Describe the effect you expect the misleading features to have on the reader.

(C) Look through the newspaper, magazine, or other source to find a bar graph, , or other graph that is misleading. For the graph you select do the following:

1. Cut it out or make a copy of it to include with your project. 2. In a few complete sentences, describe what information the graph provides, explain who produced the graph, and why it might have been designed to be misleading. 3. Explain what feature(s) of the graph make it misleading. 4. Using the information from the graph, design a new graph that is not misleading. You can produce your new graph using a computer program or you can create a hand-drawn graph…but make it neat and colorful. 5. Describe what changes you made to create the non-misleading graph.

(D) In your textbook, use the on page 778 involving children’s movies and tobacco use. Use the tobacco use data for the following movies: Oliver and Company, All Dogs go to Heaven, Cats Don’t Dance, Fievel Goes West, and Anastasia.

1. Imagine that you are an MGM publicist and construct a misleading graph that downplays the alcohol use in All Dogs Go to Heaven compared to the other four movies. Use at least two features designed to mislead in your graph. You may use a computer program to construct your graph or create a hand-drawn graph…but make it neat and colorful. 2. Explain using complete sentences what feature(s) of the graph make it misleading. 3. Using the same tobacco use data, construct a neat and colorful graph that is not designed to be misleading. 4. Describe what changes you made to create the non-misleading graph.