Hiding Behind Digits

The absolute value of a single point on a chart or graph can be determined to at most two decimal digits of precision during the seconds that the image appers on the screen. While very few people would argue that a chart or graph is not the most appropriate means of conveying data in a presentation, most people find it equally difficult to limit the number of significant digits to at most two or three significant digts. The value 3.14 does not look as precise or accurate as 3.141592654 which in turn does not look as precise or accurate as 3.1415926535897932385. Speakers appear to like to hide behind large numbers: the audience can spend time reading and trying to determine the significance of the presented string of numbers. In almost all cases, however, the additional digits do not help to support the objective of the presentation.

Hiding Behind Raw Data

Likewise, it is very easy to present raw data collected during ...