Many of the illustrations which have been borrowed for use in this book are criticized adversely. It is the hope that all such criticisms will be accepted as an honest attempt toward an advance in the art of showing data in graphic form. In fairness to the authors of those charts which are criticized, it must be said that there has been a very rapid advance in the art of graphic presentation within the last few years and that many of these men would not present the material to-day by the methods which may have been used some years ago in the preparation of certain charts shown here. Where charts are used and criticized adversely, the charts have been included only because it is felt that they show a practice which is rather common but is nevertheless of questionable desirability.
Many of the suggestions for standard practice contained in this book should be taken as tentative only. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has invited about fifteen of the chief American societies of national scope to co-operate by sending one member each to a Joint Committee on Standards for Graphic Presentation. Though this committee is not yet completely organized, and it will be some time before any report is available, the reader who desires further information regarding standard practice should be on the lookout for any reports which the joint committee may publish in the future.
This volume may arouse in the minds of many readers a desire for more detailed information than can possibly be given here. The following books are suggested for the person who wishes to take up the study of statistics as related to the collection and interpretation of data without special reference to the methods of graphic presentation. The present work is necessarily limited to the consideration of graphic presentation, and those who wish to go further in the general subject of statistics should by all means consult books of the type exemplified by "The Elements of Statistical Method," by Willford I. King, The Macmillan Company, New York; "An Introduction to the Theory of Statistics," by G. Udny Yule, Griffin and Company, London; "Elements of Statistics," by Arthur L. Bowley, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York; "Primer of Statistics," by W. Palin Elderton and Ethel M. Elderton, Adam and Charles Black, London; "Statistical Averages," by Franz Zizek, Henry Holt and Company, New York; "Statistical Methods with Special Reference to Biological Variation," by C. B. Davenport, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Any list of this sort is, of course, incomplete and these books are mentioned as only a few of those which may be found useful to supplement the study of the subject considered in this volume.
Part of the matter here presented was given in lectures delivered at the Graduate School of Business Administration of Harvard University, the Amos Tuck School of Administration and Finance of Dartmouth College, the Northwestern University School of Commerce, and the College of Commerce and Administration of the University of Chicago. Some of the material was presented before the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in New York. The advance presentation of matter in course of preparation for the press was made with the cordial assent and approval of the publishers of this work.
I am greatly indebted to Mr. Edward Scott Swazey, Mr. Curtis Prout, and Miss Katherine Tyng, for valuable assistance and suggestions received during the preparation of this book. Chapter XV is largely based on an article prepared at the
