Chapter 6

Objective #3:
Misrepresenting data in a chart is a fairly easy thing to do. By manipulating the horizontal axis or by using inconsitent intervals on the vertical axis a chart can be distorted. These distortions can then be used as an advantage to some and a disadvantage to others, by distorting the appearance of the data. If the scale does not begin at zero the chart will have a different appearance which can change the meaning of the chart. That is why it is important for students to understand how easily these charts can be manipulated in order to produce different results. Taking a close study at a chart and understanding how one appears in comparison to the same information represented on a differet, manipulated chart and the difference it makes, will allow students to grasp an understanding of these misrperesentations.

There are many formulas used for spreadsheets and I did learn quite a few while in high school, but somehow only the basic ones, like SUM, stuck. Is there a place where one can find examples of formulas to use on spreadsheets?

Using spreadsheets would be something I thinkg would work best incorporated into group projects in a history class. Looking at data and comparing it to society and such and then discussing it as a small group or a whole class would be an effective way to use spreadsheet information in one of my classes.