98 ways to visualise data

Economists tend to focus on sophisticated econometric methods, but often ignore the quality of the underlying data they're using, along with simpler methods of analysis - such as visualisations. This week I will be including a few posts on data, statistics and alternative quantitative methods.

Let's start with the visualisation of data. Aleks Jakulins at the Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science blog points us to a stunning periodic table of visualisation methods. The table provides 98 methods of visualising information.

Go to the original table here (or click the table below), and hover your mouse over some of the 'elements'. While you may be familiar with mindmaps, fishbone diagrams and even Chernoff faces, I'll bet you find some methods new to you.

Comments

[claus vistesen]

Oh my god ... this is exceptional. Really a 'must bookmark' for any academic.

Thanks for this.

[luis_enrique]

I don't suppose, on this topic, anyone can recall the name of some relatively new data presentation software, which I noticed a while ago on a widely posted video of a Swedish professor presenting changes in the world income distribution, using this software. I think it's open source. I have been racking my brains/googling but can't find it. Ring a bell with anyone?

[Rob]

I think that this is the link that you want.

http://tools.google.com/gapminder

Regards,