Professional Documents
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Chapter 3 – 1
The Pie Chart: The Race and
Ethnicity of the Elderly
Chapter 3 – 2
Chapter 3 – 3
Too many categories can be messy!
2.8% .8% .6%
.5%
8.3%
White
Black
American Indian
Asian
Pacific Islander
Two or more
87.7%
N = 35,919,174
Figure 3.1 Annual Estimates of U.S. Population 65 Years and Over by Race, 2003
Chapter 3 – 4
We can reduce some of the categories
4%
8.3%
White
Black
Other and two or more
87.7%
N = 35,919,174
Figure 3.2 Annual Estimates of U.S. Population 65 Years and Over, 2003
Chapter 3 – 5
The Bar Graph: The Living
Arrangements and Labor Force
Participation of the Elderly
• Bar graph: a graph showing the differences
in frequencies or percentages among
categories of a nominal or an ordinal
variable. The categories are displayed as
rectangles of equal width with their height
proportional to the frequency or percentage
of the category.
Chapter 3 – 6
80
70
60
50
40 Series1
30
20
10
0
Living alone Married Other
N=13,886,000
Figure 3.3 Living Arrangements of Males (65 and Older) in the United States,
2000 Chapter 3 – 7
Can display more info by splitting sex
80
70
60
50
Males
40 Females
30
20
10
0
Living alone Married Other
Figure 3.4 Living Arrangement of U.S. Elderly (65 and Older) by Gender, 2003
Chapter 3 – 8
9.8
65 +
18
44.3 Women
60- to 64
57.2 Men
63.4
55 to 59
77.1
0 20 40 60 80 100
Figure 3.5 Percent of Men and Women 55 Years and Over in the Civilian Labor
Force, 2002 Chapter 3 – 9
The Statistical Map: The Geographic
Distribution of the Elderly
We can display dramatic geographical
changes in American society by using a
statistical map. Maps are especially useful
for describing geographical variations in
variables, such as population distribution,
voting patterns, crimes rates, or labor force
participation.
Chapter 3 – 10
Chapter 3 – 11
Chapter 3 – 12
The Histogram
• Histogram: a graph showing the differences
in frequencies or percentages among
categories of an interval-ratio variable.
The categories are displayed as contiguous
bars, with width proportional to the width of
the category and height proportional to the
frequency or percentage of that category.
Chapter 3 – 13
Chapter 3 – 14
30
25
20
15
10
0
65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95+
Figure 3.7 Age Distribution of U.S. Population 65 Years and Over, 2000
Chapter 3 – 15
The Graying of America – Age-Sex Pyramid
Chapter 3 – 16
The Graying of America
Chapter 3 – 17
The Frequency Polygon
• Frequency polygon: a graph showing the
differences in frequencies or percentages
among categories of an interval-ratio
variable. Points representing the
frequencies of each category are placed
above the midpoint of the category and are
jointed by a straight line.
Chapter 3 – 18
Source: Adapted from U.S. Bureau of the Census, Center for International Research,
International Data Base, 2003.
12,000,000
10,000,000
8,000,000 2000
6,000,000 2010
4,000,000 2020
2,000,000
0
55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+
Figure 3.11. Population of Japan, Age 55 and Over, 2000, 2010, and 2020
Chapter 3 – 19
Time Series Charts
Chapter 3 – 20
Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, Older Americans
2004: Key Indicators of Well Being, 2004.
25
20
15
10
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060
Figure 3.12 Percentage of Total U. S. Population 65 Years and Over, 1900 to 2050
Chapter 3 – 21
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, “65+ in America,” Current Population Reports,
1996, Special Studies, P23-190, Table 6-1.
16
14
12
10
Males
8
Females
6
0
1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
Figure 3.13 Percentage Currently Divorced Among U.S. Population 65 Years and
Over, by Gender, 1960 to 2040
Chapter 3 – 22
Distortions in Graphs
Graphs not only quickly inform us; they can
quickly deceive us. Because we are often
more interested in general impressions than
in detailed analyses of the numbers, we are
more vulnerable to being swayed by
distorted graphs.
Chapter 3 – 23
Shrinking and Stretching the Axes:
Visual Confusion
Chapter 3 – 24
Shrinking and Stretching the Axes:
Visual Confusion
Chapter 3 – 25
Distortions with Picture Graphs
Chapter 3 – 26
Statistics in Practice
The following graphs are particularly
suitable for making comparisons among
groups:
- Bar chart
- Frequency polygon
- Time series chart
Chapter 3 – 27
Source: Smith, 2003.
11.8
85+
20.8
14.7 Women
65-74
23.3 Men
21.5
55-64
31.1
0 10 20 30 40
Figure 3.17 Percentage of College Graduates among People 55 years and over by
age and sex, 2002 Chapter 3 – 28
Source: Stoops, Nicole. 2004. “Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003.”
Current Population Reports, P20-550. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing
Office.
60
40
all races 65+
30
black alone
15-64
20
black alone
10 65+
0
0 to 8 9 to 12 13 to 16+
15
Figure 3.18 Years of School Completed in the United States by Race and Age, 2003
Chapter 3 – 29
Why use charts and graphs?
– What do you lose?
– ability to examine numeric detail offered by a table
– potentially the ability to see additional relationships
within the data
– potentially time: often we get caught up in selecting
colors and formatting charts when a simply formatted
table is sufficient
– What do you gain?
– ability to direct readers’ attention to one aspect of the
evidence
– ability to reach readers who might otherwise be
intimidated by the same data in a tabular format
– ability to focus on bigger picture rather than perhaps
minor technical details
Chapter 3 – 30