TIMESBLOG-HOW BAD IS IT. Available at: http://swampland.blogs.time.

com/2009/02/06/howbad-is-it/ ACCESSED 17/11/2010

Examples of Descriptive Statistics The Example used for this discussion is a Line Graph showing the Job Losses in Recent Recessions for 1990, 2001 and 2009. This example is consider a good example of descriptive statistics as it has the following attributes:

It has a title and it is written in a correct way. In a title, it must contain the dependent variable and independent variable of the data. This graph is a good example as the title has the dependent variable and independent variable in it. The Number of job losses is the dependent variable while recent recessions (number of months) are the independent variable. The title of the graph is very important

because without it, people who look at the graph might not be able to identify the dependent and independent variable. If the dependent and independent variables are identified wrongly, this may lead to wrong calculations of central tendency, mean and median.

The vertical and horizontal axes are labeled properly. It is important to label the axes as people who read the graph will not know which value represent which data. People will get confuse with the graph and this could mislead someone who is using the graph to do their research or any other form of work. Using this graph as an example, if there are no labels on the axes, we will not know which axes are the number of job losses and the number of months and we might think the other way round. This will cause a lot of problems, for example: giving wrong commentary about the graph.

The scale on vertical axis begins at zero. It is advised that the scale on the vertical axis should starts from zero because readers normally want to see the visible length of the graph to relate with the data given. If the graph starts from other number apart from zero, the true length of the graph cannot be known; therefore the reader will be misled. In this graph, the y-axis start from zero and it shows the true length of job losses in 1990, 2001 and the most recent one, 2009. By showing the true length of the job losses, it will have a greater impact on the readers as this will make them more alert on the recession issues.

No chart junk or unnecessary adornments contain on the graph. Chart junk is visual elements and information contains in the graph or chart that are not necessary in the graph. Chart junks are normally used to make the graph or chart more attractive but this might distract the reader to read the graph. In this chart, there is no

additional graphics on it, just 3 different colour lines representing 1990, 2001 and 2009. This will make the users easier to read the graph. Try to imagine the graph with colourful graphics; it might make a difficult for the reader to understand the real data the graph is trying to convey.

The scale in both axes is correct. There are many graphs misuse the scale nowadays. The scale is to help the readers to read the graph. If the scale is not correct, the data plotted on the graph might be wrong and the whole graph will be wrong. In this graph, the scale on the horizontal axes (y axes) and vertical axes (x axes) have the same difference in the values. By using the correct scales, readers wont have problems reading the graph and also make the graph look more standardized.

Conclusion This graph on Job losses in recent recessions is a good graph as it has all the good qualities that a good graph should have. The use of a graph or chart is to represent the data without having any weird graphics around the graph.. It should look professional and easy to understand. The most important point is that this graph does not distort the data. It represents the data in a very straightforward way and it is very clear. Therefore, this graph is a very good example of a descriptive statistics.

References Graphing guidelines- Six steps to wonderful graph. Available at: http://misterguch.brinkster.net/graph.html Accessed 17/11/2010 PeltierTech- Tax the rich or Descriptive axis scales. Available at: http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/tax-the-rich-or-deceptive-axisscales/ Accessed 17/11/2010