Dramatic FTSE 100 graph

From pages 2-3 of the 11th October 2008 edition.

Graphs like this, with y-axes that don't start at zero, are really starting to annoy me. I've corrected it in the next image.

Read more here.
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Comments

Paul Robert Lloyd says:

Wait, the graphs are ignoring you? Damn graphs, now they are so popular, I guess they've become arrogant ;-)
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Phil Gyford says:

Whoops. It was late :) s/ignore/annoy/
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

How is this any different than staining a sample in a Petri dish or bumping up contrast in a photo of the sky?

When expressing small changes in really big or really small stuff, I think zooming in or out on the y-axis is legitimate, as long as the drama of the resulting shape reflects the effect or significance felt by people.

But sure enough, I've seen this abused a lot as well. Actually, I'd be interested to know if any rule of thumb exists among information designers on how much is too much.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Phil Gyford says:

The difference is that even if the ups and downs of the market that day had been miniscule, but the graph had been zoomed in to fill the same space, it would look just as dramatic. The only difference would be the range of numbers in the y-axis would be smaller.

So as a way to quickly get a sensation of how volatile the market has been, the graph fails.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

cpalmieri says:

maybe the problem is actually in the x-axis. If they showed the previous week or the same week one year earlier, we'd have a better sense of how exceptional the volatility was.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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Dramatic FTSE 100 graph

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Paul Robert Lloyd says:

Phil Gyford says:

cpalmieri says:

Phil Gyford says:

cpalmieri says:

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