Communicating Measurement Outcomes with (Better) Graphics

Abstract

Data visualization is a core tenet of communicating measurement research and outcomes. Measurement professionals utilize data visualization in various phases of research, including exploration and communication. However, data visualization has not received enough attention in the measurement field. While it is true that many measurement graphics are relatively standard, many others are not and there is a wide variety of visualization quality and effectiveness seen in measurement journals. This article provides an overview of the current data visualization trends in measurement and provides some general tips for effective data visualization, with examples. This article is not a comprehensive treatise on data visualization. Therefore, we provide some resources for additional reading. Finally, we call on the measurement community to pay greater attention to the details of data visualization. We also call on measurement training programs to emphasize statistical reasoning through data visualization.