Research in Statistical Graphics

Abstract

Three active areas of research in statistical graphics are methodology, computing, and graphical perception. The five articles in this special section provide a good representation of these areas. Dynamic graphical methods, which involve a tight weaving of methodological and computing issues, are a particularly exciting topic of research; dynamic graphics will soon have a major impact on how data are analyzed. Evaluation of graphical inventions is difficult. Certain visualization issues can be evaluated by studies in graphical perception. At the moment, however, the performance of most graphical methods can be studied only by rigorous field testing in which the methods are used to analyze a large number of data sets. A bibliography is provided to allow readers to begin a study of any of the major areas of statistical graphics.