Graph and table use in Special Education: a review and analysis of the communication of data

Abstract

An emerging line of research demonstrates a distinction between social and natural sciences; natural sciences devote more page space in journals to data graphics than social sciences. The present survey asked how the subdiscipline of Education, Special Education, compares to other disciplines of science. Also, how do the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) disability category subfields use data graphics and tables? And last, has the use of data graphs and tables changed over time within Special Education? After reviewing 29 representative journals and over 8500 graphics and tables, the results show that Special Education ranks near the bottom of the natural and social sciences. As a field, the IDEA disability category subfields use tabular displays of data more often than data graphics. The results also demonstrate that over a 15-year time span the use of data graphics and tables used in journals to communicate data has remained stable.

Keywords:

• fractional graph area
• fractional table area
• Special Education journals
• scientific communication