Re: Visualising data by cleveland

[Patrick Burns <pburns@pburns.seanet.com>]

In general the best way to arrange a table is
not to do it and think of an appropriate graph
instead.  That is a  reasonable (though probably
wrong) explanation of why it is hard to find
suggestions.


Patrick Burns
patrick@burns-stat.com
+44 (0)20 8525 0696
http://www.burns-stat.com
(home of S Poetry and "A Guide for the Unwilling S User")

Austin, Matt wrote:

> Does anyone have any suggestions about books or papers on table design that
> would be the equivalent of the books mentioned for graphics?  I have looked
> at quite a few, but I have found that very few specifically discuss
> describing large complex datasets in tables (such as from clinical trials).
>
>
> Specifically, I have read Lang's "How to Report Statistics in Medicine" and
> Few's "Show me the Numbers", but these seem to focus on simple single
> statistic displays or re-displaying tables as in standard software.  What
> I'm looking for is descriptions of the best way to arrange tables for
> perception and interpretation. 
>
> --Matt
>
> Matt Austin
> Statistician
> Amgen, Inc
> 800 9AMGEN9 x77431
> 805-447-7431
> "The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers" --Richard Hamming
>
>  
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-news-owner@lists.biostat.wustl.edu
> [mailto:s-news-owner@lists.biostat.wustl.edu] On Behalf Of Spencer Graves
> Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 8:57 PM
> To: Thompson, David (MNR)
> Cc: Jonathan Dakin; Splus Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [S] Visualising data by cleveland
>
>           Are there script files for "The Elements of Graphing Data"?
> Before I read David Thompson's email, I didn't know that scripts and data
> for "Visualizing Data" were available.
>
>           I agree with Frank that these are "awesome books", and I'd like to
> explain briefly why I think so.
>
>           For me, the the seminal contribution of "The Elements of Graphing
> Data" is its chapter summarizing research in visual perception:  What can
> you do in designing graphics so people get more information in less time?
> The contents of this chapter have helped me, I believe, develop more
> effective graphics.
>
>           The graphics in the two books seem to be the foundations of
> Trellis / Lattice graphics.  They do not discuss how to create the graphics
> using S-Plus or R, only why those kinds of graphics are useful.  The data
> and script files increase substantially the value of the book(s).  When I
> read the books, I remember being frustrated by not knowing how to create the
> graphics.  Thanks to David Thompson's email, I can now revisit "Visualizing
> Data".
>
>           Spencer Graves        
>
> Thompson, David (MNR) wrote:
>  
>
> > > Frank E Harrell Jr wrote:
> > >
> > > Jonathan Dakin wrote:
> > >      
> > >
> > > > Could anyone comment on the relative merits of two of Cleveland's
> > > >        
> > books: 
> >    
> >
> > > > "Elements of Graphing Data" (94), and "Visualising Data"  (93) ?
> > > >
> > > > I'm looking for fairly basic account of the principles of graphical 
> > > > exploration, with particular reference to Splus, which is not too
> > > >        
> > heavy
> >    
> >
> > > > on statistical theory.  My interest is medical data.  If the scripts
> > > >        
> > and
> >    
> >
> > > > datasets used in either are publicly available that would be a big
> > > >        
> > plus.
> >    
> >
> > > > Many thanks
> > > > Jonathan Dakin
> > > >        
> > > These are awesome books and everyone who looks at data should own them.
> > >      
> > >
> > > The Elements of Graphing Data book is the best how-to for scientific 
> > > graphics.  There is a web site with scripts from the books although 
> > > Cleveland used a few customizations.
> > > --
> > > Frank E Harrell Jr   Professor and Chair           School of Medicine
> > >                     Department of Biostatistics   Vanderbilt 
> > > University
> > >      
> > That scripts link (at least for Visualizing Data) is:
> > http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/ms/departments/sia/wsc/visualizing.datafig.
> > ht
> > ml
> >
> > DaveT.
> > **********************************************************
> > Silviculture Data Analyst
> > Ontario Forest Research Institute
> > Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
> > Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
> > david.thompson@mnr.gov.on.ca
> > **********************************************************
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