Best Data Visualizations of 2013
It’s that time of year, when the “Best of” lists are published… so why shouldn’t data visualization get some love, too? We love discovering data visualizations that pack a punch, bringing obscure or complex topics into vivid clarity, and we’ll bring them to you whenever we see examples that show the power of a good viz. You’ll find several in this list by Gizmodo (not your usual academic journal, we admit!). […]
Does Pretty = True?
Infographics–and their high-octane brethren data visualizations– can seem pretty darned authoritative. Sometimes they look so elegant and compelling that they just short-circuit your logical abilities and trigger your gullibilities.
But just because they’re pretty doesn’t make […]
Digesting your data
Before the tryptophan sets in, you’ll want to take a look at this fun data visualization from Powerhouse.
Want to eat that extra helping of sweet potatoes? Love that pecan pie? […]
Surveying the future of survey techniques
I’m still sifting through the aftermath of the Presidential election and the controversial accusations of bias in polling and predictions leveled against various pollsters on all sides of the political spectrum. For data geeks, the question of bias in polling is a source of endless fascination. As someone whose profession involves mostly non-political surveys, however, I zeroed in on a basic methodological question:
Regardless of polling firm, what polling method showed the least bias in predicting the election?
According to a detailed post by Nate Silver, the answer is clear, and should make anyone who relies on survey or polling data sit up and take notice:
All things being equal, online surveys showed 40 percent less bias than live telephone interviewers, and an astonishing 72 percent less bias than automated telephone “robopolls.”
What scientists say in research papers versus what they actually mean
This graphic uses humor to communicate a widely held public view of research; that the reality isn’t all it appears to be (a good illustration of Erving Goffman’s ‘front stage – back stage’ role performance). […]
Demo: Stunning data visualization in the AlloSphere
An entirely different level of data visualization– based on real-time data– brain fMRI data yields a fully interactive model!
