As you read about studies in newspapers and magazines, the actual data that was collected, which could be thousands of data entries, are not included in the article. Rather, you will likely find a visual representation or graph of the data. Many times, these displays can be misleading or exaggerated to get you to think a certain way. For this discussion, you will conduct an internet search to find an article that includes a graph or visual display. You will analyze the graph or visual display to determine whether the graph is misleading, exaggerated, or misrepresents the data. You may want to review the reading in Section 2.3 under the heading of Misleading Graphs in your digital book. Then you will write a descriptive essay with a minimum of 5 paragraphs to address the following questions:

Consider what you know about misleading or exaggerated graphs.

· When you looked at the graph for the first time, do you think it effectively showed the intended information? Why or why not?

· Answer one of the two questions below.

· Do you feel this graph was misleading in any way? Explain.

· If you feel the graph is not misleading, why do you feel it is appropriate? Explain.

· Would you have designed this graph differently? Such as design a different type, including other variables, or provide different labels? Why or why not?

Post 1: Initial Response

After you have found a graph or visual display in a news article, magazine, or internet story, draft your descriptive essay using the questions above as a guide. Do not simply answer each question, but put these ideas together into a cohesive descriptive essay with five paragraphs using the guidelines below. Once you have written your essay in a Word document, start a new thread post that includes a snippet of the graph you used, or a web link to the news article. Here is a video on how to use a snipping tool. Copy and paste the body of your essay, and attach the final version of your Word document as your initial response to this discussion.

Post 2: Reply to Classmate

Review both the visual display and writing your classmate posted. What are the similarities and differences between their view and your view? Explain.

Post 3: Reply to Another Classmate

Review the visual display that they found and discussed. Did you notice anything that they did not mention? What are two or three things that you will keep in mind when viewing visual displays from now on?

The essay should include: 1. Title page 2. Reference page 3. Be double-spaced 4. Written in 12- point Times New Roman font. 5. You are expected to use at least one outside source for this essay 6. Cite outside sources in proper APA format 7. Include a snippet of your graph or a link to your article along with your essay.

POST 1

The article I choose for this discussion is A Spike in Lightning Strikes May Be Linked to Climate Change. I choose to look up lightning as I am fascinated with thunderstorms and this article is what I found to be interesting. What is interesting to me is that researchers reported that the frequency of lightning strikes has shot up in the last decade for the region. Data was collected using lightning sensors and they have placed 65 degrees N latitude, which cuts right through the middle of Alaska, as the Artic (Temming, 2021). I like the graph in this article because I feel they are being honest.

When I looked at the graph for the first time, I do believe it effectively showed me the intended information because it was a good visualization of data needing to be presented. This graph shows you two different aspects of the data that was calculated for the graph. I believe using a bar graph and line graph both correctly represent the data categorizing a 10-year span of summertime lightning strikes, from 2010 to 2020. The X and Y-axis are labeled correctly, and the graph starts at zero. Since lightning strikes happen so fast, I also think the numbering system by 20,000s works great and the numbers are not too big or too small for the representation of the data.