Unpacking charts

We will start investigating charts by looking at existing graphics, and determining things about them.

Specifically, I would like you to consider:

• how many variables appear in the chart?
• are the variables categorical or quantitative? How can you tell?
• who was the intended audience for the chart?

Here are some graphics that have caught my eye recently:

Tweets:

• Energy usage in the UK (twitter thread)
• Milk consumption in Hennepin county
• January temperature
• Student performance

Longer-form:

• Guessing names based on what they start with
• The Deadly Lure of City Lights
• Success is in the cards for Nintendo (bonus 3D chart)
• Beating the odds
• How unpredictable is your subway commute?

After that, we’ll discuss this flowchart:

• Choosing a good chart