I don't think I've ever seen a pie chart that conveyed information not more simply conveyed by a simple listing of the numbers. My only guess is that they are popular with crowds that don't have any idea that 14% is half as big as 30%.
I have a small group of students who have fallen in love with the pie chart. They have some piece of add-on software on one of their computers and they turn ANY data they can find into a pie chart, whether it makes the info easier to understand or not.
I admit, I like the colors of such an item, but often just enjoy the break from the otherwise dull sophomore-smarter-than-teacher text that accompanies them.
Can we vote on the graphics? Maybe before any changes are made, a poll could be run. Then the results could be tabulated and a pie chart could be displayed. Then, and only then, would changes be made. At least we'd have a chance to vote. I like voting. I like the sound of the big chain coming down.
I sort of like the mix of good and bad graphics, avatars, etc. Darla and Yaro have the best, of course, but I like the ones that are so blurry that you can't even tell what the object is. Spice of life and all that.
Speaking of pretty graphics like leaves and other seasonal shit... the other day I was looking for a department I'd never visited before and wound up on the wrong floor, and as I was walking down the corridor I thought "HOLY CHRIST! FLASHBACK! Where's my Han Solo action figure?!" I'd apparently stumbled into Elem./Middle School Ed-land, because the entire hall was lined with. . I can't decide if the word is "awesome" or "horrible". . . lovingly-handcrafted festive bulletin boards. Like, you know, "SPRING INTO FALL!" with big colorful bubble letters and corrugated colored paper, and another that said "READING IS HIP!" with silhouettes of afro'ed disco dancers. I'm used to Philosophy Department bulletin boards, with sheets of white letter paper with 14 point black Garamond "Symposium Announcement" so this was aesthetically jarring. Talk about a different set of outcomes objectives.
One comment about the leaves - there's other trees than just maple trees. The majority of leaves I rake up are from oak and beech trees. What's with the under-representation in the graphic? Damn maple-centric crypto-fascists!
Fab, you've got to go with something thematic for the background graphic, like, oh (scans classroom for ideas) a huge pile of human skulls. Courier. Strangely comforting.
DrNathanial: You disrespect the memory of Florence Nightingale with your casual dissing of pie charts. Visual representation of statistics is a wonderful and beautiful field. It is also a field which is far more important in determining policy-makers opinions than the actual numbers (although less important than the numbers associated with the lobbyists).
Only the lobbyist part was tongue-in-cheek. Which, unfortunately, does not detract from its truthiness.
What IS the difference between "R1" and, um, R2? R10? anything else? We don't have these distinctions in up here in Canuckistan. I know what a community college is. We've got those.
The leaves have become huge, doubtless a symbol of their exaggerated importance to our enjoyment of the site. Just think--we could've had giant turkeys instead!
I'm with C. Many College Misery readers aren't working in the States. Your labels for higher educational institutions aren't applicable to us. I think I'm in the "bout a fifth" category but I'm not sure.
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ReplyDeleteI want an option "somewhere else in the world that doesn't have these labels for their high education institutions".
ReplyDeletePie charts? Seriously?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever seen a pie chart that conveyed information not more simply conveyed by a simple listing of the numbers. My only guess is that they are popular with crowds that don't have any idea that 14% is half as big as 30%.
Sigh.
I apologize to Dr. Nathaniel. I sometimes just like the colors.
ReplyDeleteFab, you crack me up! I love the new representation of the datum.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, goodie. Are we allowed to complain about graphics? I don't like Darla's...sorry, hun, but I like Yaro's.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have SNOW on the ground at my house, so get rid of the pretty orange leaves.
This will be just like RYS now!!!
My favorite part of RYS was all the teeth gnashing about the graphics. If we could get that spirit here, I'd be a happy camper.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, hold on, just passed Smokey.
Now, a well made pie chart, one that doesn't take up the entire computer screen is okay. But that one that was here was hideous. I'm with Dr. Nate.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I, too, await a flurry of graphic complaints. It'll be a fuzzy flashback.
I have a small group of students who have fallen in love with the pie chart. They have some piece of add-on software on one of their computers and they turn ANY data they can find into a pie chart, whether it makes the info easier to understand or not.
ReplyDeleteI admit, I like the colors of such an item, but often just enjoy the break from the otherwise dull sophomore-smarter-than-teacher text that accompanies them.
I hate the leaves on the page. It dumbs dwon the page even more than usual.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the decimal points. Instead of suggesting precision, they suggest made-up-edness.
ReplyDeleteWhat pie chart are you talking about? All I see is text.
ReplyDeleteCan we vote on the graphics? Maybe before any changes are made, a poll could be run. Then the results could be tabulated and a pie chart could be displayed. Then, and only then, would changes be made. At least we'd have a chance to vote. I like voting. I like the sound of the big chain coming down.
ReplyDeleteFloyd: Fab changed it, in response to my kvetching.
ReplyDeleteFab: Seriously? Four significant figures? We had 10,000 respondents to the poll?
Data Version 3.0
ReplyDeleteWhere do we teach?
Research Uni: lil more than a third
State School: lil less than a third
Comm College: 'bout a fifth
SLAC: the rest
DrNathniel: Excellent! Full marks!
My prediction: There will be no more surveys on CM...LOL.
ReplyDeleteI sort of like the mix of good and bad graphics, avatars, etc. Darla and Yaro have the best, of course, but I like the ones that are so blurry that you can't even tell what the object is. Spice of life and all that.
ReplyDeleteFab, please don't list to ELS's prediction. Or, rather, contradict it by letting us survey all the time. I like the surveys.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of pretty graphics like leaves and other seasonal shit... the other day I was looking for a department I'd never visited before and wound up on the wrong floor, and as I was walking down the corridor I thought "HOLY CHRIST! FLASHBACK! Where's my Han Solo action figure?!" I'd apparently stumbled into Elem./Middle School Ed-land, because the entire hall was lined with. . I can't decide if the word is "awesome" or "horrible". . . lovingly-handcrafted festive bulletin boards. Like, you know, "SPRING INTO FALL!" with big colorful bubble letters and corrugated colored paper, and another that said "READING IS HIP!" with silhouettes of afro'ed disco dancers. I'm used to Philosophy Department bulletin boards, with sheets of white letter paper with 14 point black Garamond "Symposium Announcement" so this was aesthetically jarring. Talk about a different set of outcomes objectives.
ReplyDelete@ Lemurpants -- At least your colleagues have the good sense to use something other than Times New Roman or Arial.
ReplyDeleteOne comment about the leaves - there's other trees than just maple trees. The majority of leaves I rake up are from oak and beech trees. What's with the under-representation in the graphic? Damn maple-centric crypto-fascists!
ReplyDeleteProffie Poopie took the words right out of my mouth!
ReplyDeleteFab must be having a stroke...the page is devoid of all formatting!!! Courier font. We're being punished for the leaf angst!!! OH NO!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete@ Darla
ReplyDeleteNope, he's still made a style choice by using gray. If it goes all black and white, then we'll know we've finally got him on the ropes.
I thought Fab was from the west coast. Are maple trees shedding there already?
ReplyDeleteFab, you've got to go with something thematic for the background graphic, like, oh (scans classroom for ideas) a huge pile of human skulls.
ReplyDeleteCourier. Strangely comforting.
DrNathanial: You disrespect the memory of Florence Nightingale with your casual dissing of pie charts. Visual representation of statistics is a wonderful and beautiful field. It is also a field which is far more important in determining policy-makers opinions than the actual numbers (although less important than the numbers associated with the lobbyists).
ReplyDeleteOnly the lobbyist part was tongue-in-cheek. Which, unfortunately, does not detract from its truthiness.
Tim (Not Jim), sorry we're dumbing dwon the page. When it gets dwon too low for you, let us know.
ReplyDeleteCourier *is* comforting to us old folks. Now if it were ditto blue and slightly blurry, I'd be right at home.
"Comm College: 'bout a fifth"
ReplyDeleteOnly because that's how much whiskey I need to get through my day.
Actually I like pie charts and find them helpful in certain circumstances... Now bar charts, they ROCK!
ReplyDeleteOh no...I still prefer maple leaves compared to no leaves at all...
ReplyDeleteWhat IS the difference between "R1" and, um, R2? R10? anything else? We don't have these distinctions in up here in Canuckistan. I know what a community college is. We've got those.
ReplyDeleteCan we have the leaves back? They were pretty. But can some of them be pine needles?
ReplyDeleteThe leaves have become huge, doubtless a symbol of their exaggerated importance to our enjoyment of the site. Just think--we could've had giant turkeys instead!
ReplyDeleteI'm with C. Many College Misery readers aren't working in the States. Your labels for higher educational institutions aren't applicable to us. I think I'm in the "bout a fifth" category but I'm not sure.
ReplyDelete