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Editing graphics

Editing graphics. July 16, 2008 Bill Cloud University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The agenda. Game 1: Find the error. A quick look at graphics. Discussion: How can we reduce errors?. A good map or chart:. Is free of errors. Is easily understood by the readers.

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Editing graphics

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  1. Editing graphics July 16, 2008 Bill Cloud University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  2. The agenda • Game 1: Find the error. • A quick look at graphics. • Discussion: How can we reduce errors?

  3. A good map or chart: • Is free of errors. • Is easily understood by the readers. • Makes good use of its allotted space. • Is clearly connected to the story. • Has text elements that complement, rather than repeat, accompanying headlines.

  4. A good map … • Includes, in most cases, both a north pointer and a distance scale. • Clearly labels the significant elements on the map. • Labels streets and other landmarks mentioned in the story.

  5. A good chart … • Presents information clearly without wasting space. • Reflects changes in the value of the dollar. • Reflects changes in the population. • Puts numbers into perspective.

  6. A map should be clear and uncluttered (Unlike this one.)

  7. Does this work?

  8. Would numbers and a legend (as done here) be more clear?

  9. Distance scales:Needed or not? Almost every map, including this one, needs to show distances.

  10. Distance scales:Needed or not? This is probably a reasonable exception because we’re showing the entire United States and aren’t concerned with distances.

  11. Have we puzzled the reader? Why is Palawan highlighted? Readers shouldn’t be forced to search through a story to understand a map.

  12. Do story and map connect? Here, the cutline with the map makes the difference.

  13. Does the map aid the reader? Where is Eighth Avenue? How will traffic detour? Can we show the route?

  14. When AP steals the good words Strive to avoid word repetition between the headline and the graphic. Rewrite the graphic text, if necessary.

  15. When we use the wrong words

  16. Accounting for inflation Stamp prices shown are misleading …

  17. Accounting for inflation …unless you consider the changing value of the dollar, as indicated by the lengthened lines. Check inflation at bls.gov

  18. Accounting for inflation Here’s an interesting chart showing the growth of the Maine lobster business. The problem is …

  19. Accounting for inflation Value of lobsters in 2000 dollars … It doesn’t reflect the change in the value of the dollar

  20. Accounting for inflation 6.00 Price Per Pound in 2000 dollars $3.00 Actually, the price peaked in 1973! 1950 2002

  21. Controlling for population The chart shows differences in funding amounts among states and some cities, but those differences mainly reflect population differences. Compare it with a graph of the state populations.

  22. Controlling for population A per-capita comparison presents a very different picture.

  23. Worth the space?

  24. Worth the space? In this case, a table presents the infor-mation more clearly and allows us to add a crucial figure: the elec-toral votes available in each state.

  25. Be wary of pie charts • They do a poor job in ranking proportions. • The numbers and the slices can be hard to connect. • The slices get to be too thin for nourishment.

  26. What to do instead? • Often, simple tables are best. • Consider the “cake” chart. • Shares are more clear. • Rank ordering is simpler. But: What about the number of accidents?

  27. Car safety experts shift focus to side impact As highway deaths have declined, the share of deaths blamed on side impact crashes has risen. A lot more information in the same space. Front Impact Other Side Impact 86 (52%) 62(53%) Car fatalities, by direction of impact – 1980-2001 Driver deaths in cars 1-3 years old, per million cars registered 41 (46%) 36 (22%) 18(15%) 14(17%) 42 (26%) 37 (32%) 32 (37%)

  28. A Clear Comparison But can the graph show more?

  29. Accounting for the change in population

  30. Linear deception? Does something look wrong here?

  31. Linear deception? Why are injuries rising and deaths falling? Deaths are reported deaths; accident figures are estimates, based on a survey of 100 emergency rooms. CPSC estimates actual deaths at figures higher than the reported deaths. Should chart use those numbers? Should we include the 2004 figures at all?

  32. Linear deception

  33. Linear deception Is the footnote enough here? Shouldn’t we do something else to show readers that the ’04 figures are for part of a year?

  34. Here, change is clearly labeled • But should we graph such a tentative number?

  35. Linear deception

  36. Out of? For perspective, we should be told how many people are employed in each office and in the state as a whole.

  37. Out of? Again, we need the totals for the district and for each school to understand the scope of the problem.

  38. Out of? With the recent round of corporate layoffs in the news, we remind everyone to include what percentage of the work force the cutbacks represent. This adds the needed context. Saying, for example, that “Boeing will lay off 750 employees in Southern California after losing a lucrative military-satellite contract” leaves the reader wondering how many will remain on the job. For large conglomerates, it is most useful to give the percentage of the work force of the unit involved. — Paul Martin, stylebook editor, Wall Street Journal

  39. What’s my question? • North Carolina ranks 28th in area (Wikipedia). • 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65)

  40. What’s my question? • North Carolina ranks 28th in area (Wikipedia). • 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65) 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65)

  41. What’s my question? • North Carolina ranks 28th i area (Wikipedia). • 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65) North Carolina ranks 28th in area

  42. Why? “N.C. has over 215 Medicare-certified home health agencies, 250 hospices, and over 1,000 licensed home care or companion agencies that provide Medicaid PCS, PDN or non-Medicaid senior sitter type services. “Just in Medicare and Medicaid alone, over 400,000 citizens received in home care last year … • North Carolina ranks 28th i area (Wikipedia). • 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65)

  43. Why? “Plus over 1 in 8 North Carolinians are on Medicaid, and our Medicaid Home Care benefit is a positive benefit. Rural counties, distances between patients etc. …” —Tim Rogers, executive vice president, Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina • North Carolina ranks 28th i area (Wikipedia). • 11th by population World Atlas.com (also 11th in population over 65)

  44. The McGehee List • No. 1 (a tie). • A. Spelling, grammar and style. Graphics come to us with gajillions of these mistakes. • B. Reporters and/or their editors, 95% of the time, never see the graphics that accompany their stories. • 2. Fonts and type sizes are inconsistent within their categories. • 3. Factual inaccuracies and/or information in the graphic and the story don’t match. • 4. Incomplete or irrelevant information. • 5. The method for compiling the info differs from how it is compiled in the story--centimeters in the graphic, inches in the story.

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