School learnersInspect and challengeExample · 4 steps · 8 min

Misleading Graph Detective

Four charts, four tricks: cut axes, loud headlines, fair exceptions and tiny samples. Find out what the numbers really say.

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Your example

School survey: mean satisfaction score

Time point · Mean score · points (0–100)

The y-axis runs from 90 to 100 points. Mean scores: start 92, week 4 94, week 8 96, week 12 98. 120 pupils answered each time.

Show data as a table

Time point	Mean score
Start	92
Week 4	94
Week 8	96
Week 12	98

Step 1 of 4

The last bar is about four times as long as the first. How big is the real difference?

About four times as much8 points, from 90 to 986 points, from 92 to 98

Show a hint

Check where the y-axis starts.

About this activity

What you practise: You read real differences from cut axes, chose honest headlines, decided when a cut axis is fair, and spotted samples that are too small or one-sided.

A hand-written example with a fixed sequence. It shows what working on a Klarisma activity feels like; your own activities follow your goals and material.

An example with fictional data. Your answers stay on this page and are cleared when you restart or leave.

The last bar is about four times as long as the first. How big is the real difference? The y-axis runs from 90 to 100 points. Mean scores: start 92, week 4 94, week 8 96, week 12 98. 120 pupils answered each time. 98 − 92 = 6 points. The axis starts at 90, so the bars only show the part above 90 and the gap looks huge.