THE WHY AND HOW OF CREATING DATA DISPLAYS

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THE WHY AND HOW OF CREATING DATA DISPLAYS

• Charlotte Y. Alverson
• National Post-School Outcomes Center
• 2009 OSEP Overlapping IDEA Part B Data Meeting
• June 22 24, 2009
• Washington, DC

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PURPOSES OF TRAINING

• Discuss why data displays are useful in
  responding to Indicator 14 of the SPP/APR
• Provide examples of making effective and useful
  data displays for Indicator 14
• Provide a tool for data managers to use with
  transition specialists for
• Understanding how to create clear accurate data
  displays
• Developing data displays for other audiences
• Encouraging a deeper understanding of PSO data
  for program improvement by various audiences

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WHY USE DATA DISPLAYS?

• To convey data information clearly accurately
  
• To provide both descriptive data analyses of
  data
• Many individuals learn better through pictures
  than words

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WHY USE DATA DISPLAYS?(contd)

• To show patterns in data
• To motivate an audience to access data
• To facilitate accurate efficient
  interpretations of data while minimizing the
  likelihood of misrepresenting the data

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HOW IS THE RIGHT DATA DISPLAY CHOSEN?

• What is the question(s)?
• Work with your transition program specialist to
  identify the question(s) to be answered and the
  message to convey
• Know how your display will answer the question(s)
  and inform the reader
• Consider the amount of data needed to answer the
  question
• Decide which question(s) need to be answered for
  APR/SPP Indicator 14 program improvement

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WHAT IS BEING COMPARED?

• Data displays must answer the question
  Compared to what?
• Conclusions depend on the comparisons made among
  your data
• Using data over time for policy making
• Using district and school data to drill down

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WHAT IS BEING COMPARED?(contd)

• What is being compared in data displays used for
  SPP/APR Indicator 14?
• What measures should be used to make the data
  collected for SPP/APR Indicator 14 meaningful?
• What conclusions for future policy making can be
  drawn from the comparisons presented to respond
  to SPP/APR Indicator 14?

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WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? (contd)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the 2,500
respondents to the Postsecondary Experiences of
Students with Disabilities Survey. bCompetitive
employment is defined by Sections 7(11) and 12(c)
of the Rehabilitation Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and
709(cc). cPostsecondary schools included 4-year
universities and colleges community colleges
and business, trade, and technical training.
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WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? (contd)
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WHAT IS BEING COMPARED? (contd)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the number
of students competitively employed, enrolled in
postsecondary school, or both divided by the
total number of respondents to the (State)
Postsecondary Survey on Engagement One Year After
Leaving Secondary School. The number of
respondents was 525 in 2006 and 602 in
2007. bCompetitive employment is defined by
Sections 7(11) and 12(c) of the Rehabilitation
Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and 709(cc). cPostsecondary
schools included 4-year universities and
colleges community colleges and business,
trade, and technical training.
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WHO IS THE AUDIENCE?

• Policymakers
• Other audiences
• Parents
• Advocates
• Service providers and administrators
• Media
• Implications of the audience for the use of
  different types of data displays for SPP/APR
  Indicator 14 data

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WHAT DATA ARE AVAILABLE?

• Data needed to respond to SPP/APR Indicator 14
• Cross tabulations of data
• Data over time
• Data on regions, districts, etc.
• Counts, proportions, per capita counts

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WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DATA DISPLAYS?

• Pie Charts
• Bar Charts
• Trend Lines

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WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DATA DISPLAYS?
(contd)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the 1,000
minority respondents to the Postsecondary
Experiences of Students with Disabilities
Survey. bCompetitve employment is defined by
Sections 7(11) and 12(c) of the Rehabilitation
Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and 709(cc). cPostsecondary
schools included 4-year universities and
colleges community colleges and business,
trade, and technical training.
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WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DATA DISPLAYS?
(contd)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the 2,500
respondents to the Postsecondary Experiences of
Students with Disabilities Survey. bPostsecondary
schools include 4-year universities and colleges
community colleges and business, trade, and
technical training.
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WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DATA DISPLAYS?
(CONTD)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the 500
respondents to the (State) Postsecondary
Experiences of Students with Disabilities Survey
in 2006 and 678 respondents in 2007. bThese
percentages are based on the 2,500 respondents to
the 2006 Postsecondary Experiences of Students
with Disabilities Survey, and 2,657 respondents
in 2007.
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WHAT ARE THE PROs AND CONs OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF
DATA DISPLAYS?

• Pie Chart
• Bar Chart
• Trend Line

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WHEN DO YOU USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA DISPLAYS?
(contd)

• Use the data displays most suited to the
  question(s) that are to be answered
• Use pie charts when
• Use bar charts when
• Use trend lines when

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD DATA DISPLAY?

• Self explanatory
• Clearly represents data
• Provides accurate data
• Defines acronyms technical terms
• Uses descriptive titles
• Uses clear appropriate labels

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD DATA DISPLAY? (contd)

• Ensures readability
• Uses notes to explain calculations
• Uses color sparingly
• Complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
  Act
• Avoids using a three-dimensional display with
  one-dimensional data
• Are checked by someone knowledgeable about the
  principles of good data displays

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD DATA DISPLAY? (contd)
Notes aThese percentages are based on the 376
respondents to the Postsecondary Experiences of
Students with Disabilities Survey. bCompetitive
employment is defined by Sections 7(11) and 12(c)
of the Rehabilitation Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and
709(cc). cPostsecondary schools included 4-year
universities and colleges community colleges
and business, trade, and technical training.
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WHAT MAKES A GOOD DATA DISPLAY? (contd)
Notes aPercentages are based on the 2,500
respondents to the Postsecondary Experiences of
Students with Disabilities Survey. bCompetitive
employment is defined by Sections 7(11) and 12(c)
of the Rehabilitation Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and
709(cc). cPostsecondary schools included 4-year
universities and colleges community colleges
and business, trade, and technical training.
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Quotes from State Administrators

• Im just not accustomed to reading graphs
  horizontally.
• I dont relate too well to horizontal ones, so
  when I look at it, I have to turn it to the side,
  90 degrees, so I can see it up and down.I find
  it difficult to just quickly pick up on the
  datait is just not comfortable for me visually.
  

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD DATA DISPLAY? (contd)
Notes aPercentages are based on the following
number of respondents to the Postsecondary
Experience of Students with Disabilities Survey
by year 2003, 475 2004, 529 2005, 630 2006,
589 2007, 645. bCompetitive employment is
defined by Sections 7(11) and 12(c) of the
Rehabilitation Act 29 U.S.C. 705(11) and
709(cc). cPostsecondary schools include 4-year
universities and colleges community colleges
and business, trade, and technical training.
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APPENDIX A. CHECKLIST FOR SEA PERSONNEL ON THE
CREATION OF DATA DISPLAYS

• 1. Remember when creating data displays you want
  to facilitate accurate efficient interpretation
  of data while minimizing misinterpretation of
  data.
• 2. Specifying the question you want to answer is
  key to developing an effective data display.
• 3. Make sure you have identified the message you
  want to convey.
• 4. Identify the data you will need to answer your
  question.
• 5. Remember that data displays must compare data.
  

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APPENDIX A. CHECKLIST FOR SEA PERSONNEL ON THE
CREATION OF DATA DISPLAYS (contd)

• 6. Specify your audience(s) consider how best
  to display data for each audience or multiple
  audiences.
• 7. Pick the type of data display you will used
  based on the question you want to answer, the
  message you want to convey, the audience(s) you
  are trying to reach, and the pros and cons of
  different types of data displays.
• 8. Answer the following questions to assess
  whether you have created a data display that
  meets checklist item 1

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APPENDIX A. CHECKLIST FOR SEA PERSONNEL ON THE
CREATION OF DATA DISPLAYS (contd)

• Is the display self explanatory?
• Does it clearly represent the data?
• Does it provide accurate data?
• Does it define acronyms, technical terms, and any
  calculations used?
• Are the titles descriptive of the data presented?
• Are the labels clear and descriptive of the data
  used?
• Does the display ensure readability?

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APPENDIX A. CHECKLIST FOR SEA PERSONNEL ON THE
CREATION OF DATA DISPLAYS (contd)

• Does it comply with Section 508 of the
  Rehabilitation Act?
• Does it avoid using 3-dimensional displays?
• Was the display checked by someone who knows the
  principles of good data display?

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APPENDIX B. REFERENCES

• Henry, G.T. (1993). Using graphical displays for
  evaluation data. Evaluation Review, 17(60),
  60-78.
• Henry, G.T. (1995). Graphing data Techniques for
  display and analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA Sage.
• Henry, G.T. (Ed.). (1997). Creating effective
  graphs Solutions for a variety of evaluation
  data (Vol. 73). San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass
  Publishers.
• Schmid, C.F. (1983). Statistical graphics Design
  principles and practices. New York, NY John
  Wiley Son, Inc.
• Tufte, E.R. (2001). Visual display of
  quantitative information (2nd ed.). Cheshire, CT
  Graphics Press.
• Wainer, H. (1984). How to display data badly. The
  American Statistician, 38(2), 137-147.
• Wainer, H. (1997c). Visual revelations Graphical
  tales of fate and deception from Napoleon
  Bonaparte to Ross Perot. New York Copernicus.

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Contact Information

• Marsha L. Brauen, Ph.D. Vice President, Westat
  301-738-3668
• marshabrauen_at_westat.com
• www.westat.com/

• Charlotte Y. Alverson, Ph.D.
• NPSO Center
• 541-346-1390
• calverso_at_uoregon.edu
• www.psocenter.org/