Class 8 · Class project
Two charts from one dataset
Can the same numbers tell two different stories? Make one honest chart and one that exaggerates, then show how to tell them apart.
What you will do: Make a fair and a misleading chart from the same data and explain the difference.
Long project. Do it in two sessions: collect or choose the data and make both charts; then write the explanation and test it on a reader.
Jump to: How it is reviewed · For grown-ups · For teachers
Safety first
Count things, not people's names or private details.
- Collect no personal data: count things (books, cars passing, rainy days), not people's names or private details.
You will need
- A small datasetThe table on this page, or your own count of something.
- Squared paper, ruler and pencil
The project, step by step
Choose the data.
Use the books table, or count something for 4 to 6 days.
Make the fair chart.
A bar chart with the y-axis starting at zero and equal steps.
Make the misleading chart.
Same data, but start the y-axis just below the smallest value.
Write the explanation.
Say what each chart seems to show, what the numbers really show, and which trick was used.
Test it on a reader.
Show the misleading chart to someone first. What do they think? Then show the fair one and your explanation. Revise anything unclear.
What you hand in or show
Your two-chart report
The data table.
A fair chart and a misleading chart of the same data.
Your written explanation, and what your reader thought.
Make it on paper. Keep it with you. Nothing to upload.
How it is reviewed
Use this guide to check your own work first, then with a teacher or partner. There are no marks for neatness, spelling or drawing skill.
| What we look at | Starting | Growing | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Draws two charts. | Both charts use the same data; the fair one starts at zero. | Charts are accurate, labelled, and the misleading trick is one clear change. |
| Evidence | Shows the data. | Gives the data table and the values on each chart. | Records what a real reader thought from each chart. |
| Explanation | Says one chart is misleading. | Explains how the axis changes the impression. | Explains the real size of the change with numbers, and when a non-zero axis can be fair. |
| Revision | Keeps the first draft. | Improves one unclear part after the reader test. | Revises the explanation based on what the reader misunderstood. |
Think back
Did your reader believe the misleading chart?
How would you warn someone about this trick in one sentence?
Investigate further
- Find a real misleading chart and redraw it fairly.
- Try another trick: uneven steps on the axis. What happens?
For grown-upsTap a heading to open it. The safety notes are at the top of the page.
Before you start
- Squared paper. Be the first reader of the misleading chart.
Questions that help
- "What does this chart make you think?"
- "What are the real numbers?"
What's really going on
Making a misleading chart on purpose is a powerful way to learn to spot one.
Testing on a reader shows whether the explanation really works.
Other ways to do it
- Use daily temperatures or the number of vehicles passing in 5 minutes.
For teachersLearning aims, classroom ideas and what to look for.
Learning aims
- Represent the same data fairly and misleadingly.
- Explain the effect of axis choices and test communication with a reader.
Subject links
- Mathematics: data handling.
- Language: explanation.
- Social science: media literacy.
These links are general. They have not been checked against a specific board syllabus.
In the classroom
- Display charts in pairs; classmates guess which is misleading and why.
What to look for
- Same data in both charts.
- Explanation uses numbers, not just "looks bigger".