Part 1: Graph formats
Make your graphs as big as possible. Preferably use the whole page, with the edges of the paper actually being the axes, so you don’t need to draw the axes and everything is as clear and big as possible.
Obviously there is no room left for any captions or legends, so don’t bother putting them in, after all the graph is big enough.
If you fail to make the figures full-scale, you can alternatively make them really small. Label everything (you have been told often enough), but use either large, indecipherable handwriting or microscopic print.
General Tip #1:
If you draw your figures by hand, do not use a ruler. If you had wanted to draw a sterile, clinical looking graph, you would have used a computer!
General Tip #2:
Make the data points as small as possible. You know you have succeeded when your data points are indistinguishable from fly faeces.
In this case it also helps to not connect the data points. After all, that’s why they are called data points, not data lines!
General Tip #3:
If the graph’s purpose is to identify trends, do not draw a trend line. Even better, do not mention any trends in your whole report. If you have to draw a trend line, make it totally arbitrary. It looks professional to mark a few data points as outliers. Choose your outliers randomly. Avoid explaining why you consider them being outliers.
General Tip #4:
Always demonstrate your artistic talent and produce graphs unique in format, expression and content. By all means, avoid boring, square graph formats. For example, make one axis much longer than the other.
March 22, 2006 @ 7:46 pm
Mariana said,
This is a really good website of how NOT to do graphs! I enjoyed that! I think this is the first time I learn how not to do something =)
May 1, 2006 @ 9:43 pm
greg said,
thanks! i’ve done just as you said, i hope i do well