Pippa Norris writes:
I realize that it is clunky but if you could always, always cite the survey source and date below each figure, this would make the book much easier to read and interpret. If I know the source, then it is easier to judge the meaning of the presentation, the exact questions used, and the reliability of the data.
I use a lot of figures in presenting my own work, to the despair of my publisher, and I know how difficult it is to both combine elegance and simplicity with technical details in a compact space. But if we don’t provide these details, then this is such a bad role model for our students!
She’s got a point. I’m a big believer in having the graph and caption be a self-contained entity–as I tell my students, you have to think about people like me who only read the graphs–but I’ve rarely put the data source right in there too. In our book we have all the data sources listed in the notes at the end, but I agree that putting sources right on the graph would be a good idea. Actually, I think what I want to do is write some R functions to make graphs just the way I like them, and one option on the graph will be to give the data sources in small print near the bottom.
'Actually, I think what I want to do is write some R functions to make graphs just the way I like them, and one option on the graph will be to give the data sources in small print near the bottom.'
That is a great idea. Will you post/send if you do it? I'm currently working on a project with a lot of different sources, and a standardized, aesthetically pleasing way to cite data (in context) will be essential. We are a ways from publication, but I'll definitely try and implement (in R) and send the code if you have not already done it.
Me too. In fact, I don't allow any charts without ample annotation. This is something Wainer emphasizes in his books. Same thing with a data table. Help the reader by saying what to look for in the table.
I have a similar practice regarding slides that are circulated. Each page should be as self-contained as possible. Imagine that someone only gets hold of one slide, will he/she get anything out of it? Not if there are plenty of footnotes to provide background.