Home / Brinton, Willard C. Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts. New York: The Engineering Magazine Company, 1914. Internet Archive identifier: cu31924032626792 (Cornell University Library copy). The first American textbook on what we now call data visualization. / Passage

Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts

Brinton, Willard C. Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts. New York: The Engineering Magazine Company, 1914. Internet Archive identifier: cu31924032626792 (Cornell University Library copy). The first American textbook on what we now call data visualization. 275 words

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Courtesy of "Motor"

Fig. 241. Comparison of American Automobiles for Four Years, in Cylinder Bore, Valve Arrangement, and Ignition System

There is no necessity for plotting curves in the vertical position shown here for it is only confusing to the reader. These curves cannot be read conveniently even by turning the book to read from the left because some of the type would then be upside down. See Fig. U'i

GRAPHIC METHODS

real reason why Fig. 241 should have the curves arranged in the vertical direction. The vertical arrangement confuses the reader until he ascertains how the curves may be read by turning the book so that the curves may be read from the left in their proper position.

Fig. 242 shows the data of Fig. 241 plotted in standard manner Fig. 242 is also of interest because it shows curves plotted from only a few points for each curve. Though one may be tempted to use some other method than curve presentation when only few points

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Fig. 242. Comparison of American Automobiles for Four Years, in Cylinder Bore, Valve Arrangement, and Ignition System

The standard arrangement of the curves on this chart permits easy reading. Notice that curves are perfectly feasible as a method of presentation even though the^re are only a few points available for each curve