Misrepresenting COVID-19: Lying With Charts During the Second Golden Age of Data Design

Sara Doan Kennesaw State University

Abstract

In this second golden age of data design, digital affordances enable the news media to share occasionally misleading charts about COVID-19. Examining data visualizations about COVID-19 highlights three ways that charts can mislead viewers: (a) by displaying inadequate data, (b) by manipulating scales and visual distance, and (c) by omitting contextual labels needed to fully understand a chart’s message. This article provides takeaways for technical communicators about including and displaying adequate data, representing numbers consistently, and humanizing COVID-19’s effects.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2021-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651920958392
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (4)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (1)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
Also cites 4 works outside this index ↓
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