Contents
© 2008 Jenny V. Freeman, Stephen J. Walters, Michael J. Campbell
Published by Blackwell Publishing
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First published 2008
1 2008
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Freeman, Jenny.
How to display data / Jenny Freeman, Stephen J. Walters, Michael J. Campbell.
p. ; cm.
ISBN 978-1-4051-3974-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Medical writing. 2. Medical statistics. 3. Medicine–Research–Statistical methods. I. Walters, Stephen John. II. Campbell, Michael J., PhD. III. Title. [DNLM: 1. Research Design. 2. Data Display. 3. Data Interpretation, Statistical. 4. Statistics. W 20.5 F869h 2007]
R119.F76 2007
610.72′7–dc22
2007032641
ISBN: 978-1-4051-3974-8
A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
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Preface
The best method to convey a message from a piece of research in health is via a figure. The best advice that a statistician can give a researcher is to first plot the data. Despite this, conventional statistics textbooks give only brief details on how to draw figures and display data. The purpose of this book is to give advice on the best methods to display data which have arisen from a variety of different sources. We have tried to make the book concise and easy to read. By displaying data badly one can very easily give misleading messages (or hide inconvenient truths) and we try to highlight how consumers of data have to be aware of these problems. We have also included advice on displaying data for posters and talks.
Researchers who want to display the results of their studies in figures or tables particularly for publication in a journal will find this book useful. Readers of the research literature, who wish to critically appraise a piece of work will find useful tips on interpreting figures that they encounter. People who have to deliver a talk or a conference presentation should also find good advice on displaying their results.
We would like to thank Mary Banks and Simone Dudziak from Blackwell for their patience and advice.
Jenny V. Freeman
Stephen J. Walters
Michael J. Campbell
Medical Statistics Group, ScHARR, Sheffield
June 2007