Opening Session - Oh Say, Can You See?

Abstract

"Oh Say, Can you see …?" But how then can we see?  And what can help us to see? We will start with our most basic graphics: dot plots, bar charts, and scatter plots. Taking this simple, plain, home-cooked fare as a base, we will start to add spices  – each on its own a simply-understood condiment. We will add colour, size, shape, transparency, zooming, identification and brushing, zooming, subsetting and movement. And perhaps most powerfully of all, we will exploit the simple idea of stepping though lists: lists of variables, of values of variables, of colours, palettes, shapes and more. Then we’ll stir it all up, apply heat and see what pops out. At least that’s the glimmering of the recipe as I start to cook. But how will it turn out? See you at the tasting!