What once took hours with ruler and graph paper can be done in seconds from simple spreadsheet entries. This segment is a very brief introduction to a vast and often poorly grasped body of material. Computers impose a set of standard forms and aesthetic judgments which often result in second rate images. Some maintain that hand-drawn graphics done prior to the 1960s showed a diversity that is not as evident today despite the computer assistance available. First is presentation.
Statistical graphics help clarify and swiftly communicate the essence of a study.
Analysis seeks to interpret gathered information, to find its underlying pattern or relationship to other events. By doing this step well, you may greatly improve the ease an audience has in understanding your story's main points and conclusions. With the competitive pressure of news and information on one's available time, proper charting and graphs are an essential part of investigative journalism. To a large degree, this is an aesthetic judgment tempered by several basic rules. Charts and graphs have a nasty way of tripping-up their creators with unintended distortions.