How to spot a misleading graph - Lea Gaslowitz
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-spot-a-misleading-graph-lea-gaslowitz When they're used well, graphs can help us intuitively grasp complex data. But as visual software...
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A toothpaste brand claims their product will destroy more plaque than any product ever made. A politician tells you their plan will create the most jobs. We're so used to hearing these kinds of exaggerations in advertising and politics that we might not even bat an eye. But what about when the claim is accompanied by a graph? Afterall, a graph isn't an opinion. It represents cold, hard numbers, and who can argue with those? Yet, as it turns out, there are plenty of ways graphs can mislead and outright manipulate. Here are some things to look out for. In this 1992 ad, Chevy claimed to make the most reliable trucks in America using this graph. Not only does it show that 98% of all Chevy trucks sold in the last ten years are still on the road, but i...
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A toothpaste brand claims their product will destroy more plaque than any product ever made. A politician tells you their plan will create the most jobs. We're so used to hearing these kinds of exaggerations in advertising and politics that we might not even bat an eye. But what about when the claim is accompanied by a graph? Afterall, a graph isn't an opinion. It represents cold, hard numbers, and who can argue with those? Yet, as it turns out, there are plenty of ways graphs can mislead and outright manipulate. Here are some things to look out for. In this 1992 ad, Chevy claimed to make the most reliable trucks in America using this graph. Not only does it show that 98% of all Chevy trucks sold in the last ten years are still on the road, but i...
