Part 2: Data points

Data points - oh mystery of data points! Hide them well, and don’t confuse the issue by using different symbols for different data sets.

Graph_1Good style is to omit the data points, but only draw a wiggly curve that starts and ends somewhere for no apparent reason. Claim that there once were data points under the curve, but the whiteboard marker pen that you used to draw the curve obviously makes it hard to see the data points which were put in by pencil.

Graph with loopIf you connect the data points, do so in random order. Impress your tutor with your thorough understanding of quantum electrodynamics when you allow data points to go back in time. Having the occasional loop in the your graph looks cool too.

Graph with arbitrary continuationUse wiggly curves to connect the data points; this leaves you room for interpretation. Continue your wiggly curve far beyond the data points, this way you demonstrate that you know what the data would be like if you had measured them, which, in fact, is why you didn’t bother measuring them in the first place.

4 Comments

  1. January 19, 2009 @ 2:12 am

    Megan Funk said,

    This is the dumbest website ever! Why wouldn’t you just try to help someone instead of telling them how not to make a graph because it can get confusi […] more

  2. January 19, 2009 @ 2:17 am

    Drew Simmons said,

    I am so confused this website mocks the way that we have been taught to graph for years? Have we been graphing incorrectly for all these years, or ar […] more

  3. March 12, 2010 @ 7:39 am

    Kyle said,

    And the point of telling someone how not to do something is…

  4. August 10, 2010 @ 9:49 pm

    Jay Reimer said,

    Everytime I need to take a breather from the tedium of teaching I visit this site. I only have to read one page and I quickly happen on one or the ot […] more

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