4 ms·

It is depressing due to the Y-axis not starting on zero.

• forgetsusername 11y ago
  >It is depressing due to the Y-axis not starting on zero It depends on what the focus of the data is. In this case the emphasis is on the difference between the series', not their relative distance from zero. So there's nothing wrong with truncating the axis, particularly on a line chart; why have a bunch of white-space at the bottom? Context is everything.
  • btrask 11y ago
    Putting too much "emphasis" on certain parts of the graph is precisely what starting the axis at zero is supposed to protect readers from. Context is what we're trying to see! Edit: And in this case it wouldn't have hurt readability at all. Their point still would've come across just fine.
• maxerickson 11y ago
  Start y at zero is not an absolute rule. For a chart like this where it was not aimed at the general audience, and where the chart is intended to forecast change over time, zooming in is fine.