Pie chart from Wikimedia Common

Data of the Day: Pie Slices!

Often, when students make pie charts, they end up with several very narrow slices. One thing we can encourage our students to do is think about what happens to their readers’ comprehension when the slices get so narrow that they’re almost impossible see.

Here’s a rule of thumb to consider:

Image that reads, "Rule of Thumb: Too many categories on a pie chart can actually reduce comprehension."

About Kristin Fontichiaro

Kristin Fontichiaro is the principal investigator of this IMLS-funded project and a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Information.