Data viz experts explain Covid-19 graphics | Things to Know

Tien Nguyen

doi:10.1146/knowable-051820-1

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Data viz experts explain Covid-19 graphics | Things to Know

VIDEO: Scientists break down what some popular visualizations of the pandemic can and cannot tell us

By Tien Nguyen 05.18.2020

PRODUCED BY TIEN NGUYEN FOR KNOWABLE MAGAZINE

News coverage of the coronavirus pandemic has leaned heavily on constantly updated data: number of cases, number of deaths and more. Presented in charts, graphs, maps and animations, the data can help tell the story. Sometimes, though, the visualizations can be misleading or reveal one aspect of the pandemic while hiding another. In this video, Knowable Magazine asks two data visualization researchers for advice on how to read a few common types of Covid-19 graphics. They share what these graphs can and cannot tell us about the pandemic.

10.1146/knowable-051820-1

Tien Nguyen is a freelance journalist, video producer, and reformed PhD chemist. Her writing has been featured in Chemical & Engineering News, Nature, Vice News, TED-Ed, and other outlets. Follow her on Twitter @mustlovescience.

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<p class="article-info">Videos</p>
<h1>Data viz experts explain Covid-19 graphics | Things to Know</h1>
<p class="article-subhead">VIDEO: Scientists break down what some popular visualizations of the pandemic can and cannot tell us</p>
<p class="article-byline">
<span class="author-byline">By Tien Nguyen</span>
<span class="pub-date">05.18.2020<span>
</p>
<div class="article-content">
<div class="article-text -drop-cap"><div class="article-video -full-width" space="preserve"><div class="video-container"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Y1em09adkg" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="article-video-caption" space="preserve"><p class="source">PRODUCED BY TIEN NGUYEN FOR KNOWABLE MAGAZINE</p></div></div><p>News coverage of the coronavirus pandemic has leaned heavily on constantly updated data: number of cases, number of deaths and more. Presented in charts, graphs, maps and animations, the data can help tell the story. Sometimes, though, the visualizations can be misleading or reveal one aspect of the pandemic while hiding another. In this video, Knowable Magazine asks two data visualization researchers for advice on how to read a few common types of Covid-19 graphics. They share what these graphs can and cannot tell us about the pandemic.</p><p><em>READ MORE:  </em><a href="/article/mind/2019/science-data-visualization">Why scientists need to be better at data visualization</a><em> </em></p></div><div class="article-info" space="preserve"><div class="article-doi"><p>10.1146/knowable-051820-1</p></div><div class="article-author"><p><b>Tien Nguyen</b> is a freelance journalist, video producer, and reformed PhD chemist. Her writing has been featured in Chemical & Engineering News, Nature, Vice News, TED-Ed, and other outlets. Follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/mustlovescience">@mustlovescience</a>.</p></div></div>
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