Statistical Graphics and Visualization, Spring 2007

www.stat.cmu.edu/~vventura

Instructor: Valerie Ventura,  Department of Statistics
Office: Baker Hall 229E
e-mail: vventura@stat.cmu.edu
Office Hours:  Monday: 3:00-4:00pm or by appointment
http://www.stat.cmu.edu/~vventura

Teaching and lab Assistant:  Erich Huang,   Department of Statistics
Office: FMS 328A or FMS 320 (TA room)
e-mail: ephuang@stat.cmu.edu
Office hour: Tuesday, 3:00-4:00pm

Lectures: Monday and Wednesday, 12:30-1:20, BH255A
Computer labs: Friday, 12:30-1:20, BH140F  


Overview

Graphs are powerful tools for representing and interpreting data. They can provide more information than statistical tests and are often more convincing. Graphs are often the quickest path to winning an argument and producing action. This course teaches the methods and principles which will allow you to realize the full potential of graphics. It also includes a subsidiary focus on the aesthetics and clarity of graphical presentation.


Course Objectives

In this course you will:
  1. Learn how to critically interpret graphics appearing in the popular press, academic publications, and software packages.
  2. Learn how to choose the right graph for the point you are trying to make or, if necessary, how to design a new kind of graph.
  3. Create statistical graphics using the R software package.
  4. Analyze data and answer statistical questions with graphs.
  5. Develop an appreciation for graphical aesthetics and learn to critique graphical presentations.


Texts

William S. Cleveland (1993) Visualizing Data.  Hobart Press.


Recommended Background Reading in Statistics and the Use of R

John Maindonald and John Braun (2003) Data Analysis and Graphics Using R.  An Example-Based Approach.  Cambridge University Press.


Statistical Graphics

Edward R. Tufte (2002)  The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. 2nd Edition. Graphics Press.

Howard Wainer (2005)  Graphical Discovery.  A Trout in the Milk and Other Visual Adventures.  Princeton University Press. 


Schedule

The schedule is organized around data of increasing dimension: 1-D, 2-D, 3-D, and beyond.

Format

Grading

Your final grade will be based on:

Each homework assignment will be worth 100 points. These points will be divided approximately equally among each of the parts of the assignment. The Review Quiz will count as a single homework assignment.

The lowest homework grade will be dropped except if it is the last assignment of the semester which is mandatory.  The remaining homework grades will be used to compute the homework grade. The same procedure will be used for computer lab grades.

Extensions:

All work and computer code must be your own. Sharing code or answers will result in zero credit and a letter to your dean. See the CMU Student Handbook on Cheating and Plagiarism.