You also must consider the interval between the quantities of the data
you must plot on a chart when designing the chart's scale. If the
quantities you must use have a small interval between them, the chart's
scale also must have small intervals with a large amount of space
allocated for the individual units. Again, if you use a scale that is
not properly designed, the chart will not give the correct
interpretation of the data. Here, using a large scale with small
increments of the individual units misrepresents the data by compressing
the difference between the values and creates a problem when the reader
tries to assign a value to the plotted data. Additionally, you will
find it difficult to plot the data on the chart using a scale designed
in this manner.
For example, you must construct a chart with the following values: A
equals 10 units, B equals 7 units, C equals 9 units and D equals 13
units. After reviewing the data you must plot, the best scale to use
has major increments of 5, with the major increments broken into
individual units of 1. Figure 16 used this scale and has the values
plotted. Pay particular attention to the size of the individual
increments of the scale. The size of the individual increments allows
the reader to assign values to the data presented readily and allow you,
as the illustrator, to plot the data easily.
Figure 16. Small scale with large intervals
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