While the data in the recent article on sexual activity at JBU is troubling (“SRA shows sizable increase in sexual activity” http://advocate.jbu.edu/?q=node/1560) things may not be as bad as they appear. Imagine that the y-axes were extended so that they began at zero percent and ended at 100 percent. The data, when seen relative to the rest of the graph area, become more meaningful, and the changes in the data over time show up as mere blips. I understand that including the entire graph isn’t practical, but it might have been helpful to point out to readers the range of the axes. See Edward R. Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information (QA 276.3 T83 in the JBU Library) or http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/.
Mary Habermas
Library Director
mhaberma@jbu.edu