Not all data graphs are created equal

When learning about graphs it is important that in the big bad world there are graphs that exist to deceive you.  People intentionally create a biased graph to portray an image to suit their perception or message they want to convey.  This is why it is important to be able to understand the guts of a graph and the minimum requirements for accuracy.

The organization of the data is one of the most important steps towards a readable presentation of a graph.  Here is an example of useless information rendering the graph itself useless.

According to this website I found, the most common way to distort a graph is to adjust the starting point on the scale.  This in return can make the differences between data seem larger.  This is a great scare tactic that people use to represent crime statistics and other things in order to manipulate public opinion.  

I am glad that I have been able to learn how to accurately read graphs so I can avoid falling prey to false statistics.  After all some people say 99% of statistics are made up on the spot! ;)