Better graphs in seven steps

1. Select your story and decide on type of chart

3. Directly label (no unnecessary legends)

2. Reduce the clutter

4. Emphasize your message with color

5. Summarize your story in the title

6. Check your work

7. Share

Adapted from Ann K. Emeryannkemery.com

(Powerpoint and Excel are OK!)

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 40%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

UIDRSBY

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

2. Reduce the clutter

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

UIDRSBY

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

2. Reduce the clutter

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

UIDRSBY

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

2. Reduce the clutter

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

UIDRSBY

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

2. Reduce the clutter

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

2. Reduce the clutter (don’t worry)

IQ 1 IQ 2 IQ 3 IQ 4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

3. Directly label

RSBY

UID

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

3. Directly label

RSBY

UID

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

4. Emphasize your message with color

RSBY

UID

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID and RSBY coverage rates, as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

4. Emphasize your message with color

RSBY

UID

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

5. Summarize your story in the title

RSBY

UID

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

Figure 1: UID coverage in poor states lags far behind rich states; the same is not true for RSBY.Rates as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

Before After

6. Check your work (pt 1: the squint test)

UID

6. Check your work (pt 2: second opinions)

506px

285px

7. Share

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%

14%

2%

Figure 1: UID coverage rates in poor states are far behind those in rich states; the same is not true for RSBY.Rates as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

RSBY

UID

7. Share

25%

44%

58%

77%

21% 22%14%

2%

Figure 1: UID coverage rates in poor states are far behind those in rich states; the same is not true for RSBY.Rates as of 2013 (not weighted for population size)

Income quartile1

Income quartile2

Income quartile3

Income quartile4

RSBY

UID

7. Share

7. Share

Aaron Fulkerson / Wikimedia Commons

Graphical excellence is nearly always multivariate

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,0000%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Quartile 1

Quartile 2

Quartile 3

Quartile 4

GDP per capita

Tufte-esque

UID enrollment is high in rich states, but poor—and populous— states are lagging behind

Samples

Before After

Samples

Before After

Samples

Before After

Resources

CGD colors: teal 0, 107, 119 RGB yellow 255, 187, 54 RGB

Ann K. Emeryannkemery.com

www.storytellingwithdata.com

www.edwardtufte.com/tufte

Excel graph