Graphics are great for exploring data, but how can they be used for looking at the large datasets that are commonplace to-day? This book shows how to look at ways of visualizing large datasets, whether large in numbers of cases or large in numbers of variables or large in both. Data visualization is useful for data cleaning, exploring data, identifying trends and clusters, spotting local patterns, evaluating modeling output, and presenting results. It is essential for exploratory data analysis and data mining. Data analysts, statisticians, computer scientists-indeed anyone who has to explore a large dataset of their own-should benefit from reading this book.

New approaches to graphics are needed to visualize the information in large datasets and most of the innovations described in this book are developments of standard graphics. There are considerable advantages in extending displays which are well-known and well-tried, both in understanding how best to make use of them in your work and in presenting results to others. It should also make the book readily accessible for readers who already have a little experience of drawing statistical graphics. All ideas are illustrated with displays from analyses of real datasets and the authors emphasize the importance of interpreting displays effectively. Graphics should be drawn to convey information and the book includes many insightful examples.

From the reviews:

"Anyone interested in modern techniques for visualizing data will be well rewarded by reading this book. There is a wealth of important plotting types and techniques." Paul Murrell for the Journal of Statistical Software, December 2006

"This fascinating book looks at the question of visualizing large datasets from many different perspectives. Different authors are responsible for different chapters and this approach works well in giving the reader alternative viewpoints of the same problem. Interestingly the authors have cleverly chosen a definition of 'large dataset'. Essentially they focus on datasets with the order of a million cases. As the authors point out there are now many examples of much larger datasets but by limiting to ones that can be loaded in their entirety in standard statistical software they end up with a book that has great utility to the practitioner rather than just the theorist. Another very attractive feature of the book is the many colour plates, showing clearly what can now routinely be seen on the computer screen. The interactive nature of data analysis with large datasets is hard to reproduce in a book but the authors make an excellent attempt to do just this." P. Marriott for the Short Book Reviews of the ISI

Interactive Graphics for Data Analysis: Principles and Examples discusses exploratory data analysis (EDA) and how interactive graphical methods can help gain insights as well as generate new questions and hypotheses from datasets. Fundamentals of Interactive Statistical GraphicsThe first part of the book summarizes principles and methodology, demonstrating how the different graphical representations of variables of a dataset are effectively used in an interactive setting. The authors introduce the most important plots and their interactive controls. They also examine various types of data, relations between variables, and plot ensembles. Case Studies Illustrate the PrinciplesThe second section focuses on nine case studies. Each case study describes the background, lists the main goals of the analysis and the variables in the dataset, shows what further numerical procedures can add to the graphical analysis, and summarizes important findings. Wherever applicable, the authors also provide the numerical analysis for datasets found in Cox and Snell's landmark book. Understand How to Analyze Data through Graphical Means This full-color text shows that interactive graphical methods complement the traditional statistical toolbox to achieve more complete, easier to understand, and easier to interpret analyses.

Interactive Graphics for Data Analysis: Principles and Examples discusses exploratory data analysis (EDA) and how interactive graphical methods can help gain insights as well as generate new questions and hypotheses from datasets. Fundamentals of Interactive Statistical GraphicsThe first part of the book summarizes principles and methodology, demonstrating how the different graphical representations of variables of a dataset are effectively used in an interactive setting. The authors introduce the most important plots and their interactive controls. They also examine various types of data, relations between variables, and plot ensembles. Case Studies Illustrate the PrinciplesThe second section focuses on nine case studies. Each case study describes the background, lists the main goals of the analysis and the variables in the dataset, shows what further numerical procedures can add to the graphical analysis, and summarizes important findings. Wherever applicable, the authors also provide the numerical analysis for datasets found in Cox and Snell's landmark book. Understand How to Analyze Data through Graphical Means This full-color text shows that interactive graphical methods complement the traditional statistical toolbox to achieve more complete, easier to understand, and easier to interpret analyses.

This book shows how to look at ways of visualizing large datasets, whether large in numbers of cases, or large in numbers of variables, or large in both. All ideas are illustrated with displays from analyses of real datasets and the importance of interpreting displays effectively is emphasized. Graphics should be drawn to convey information and the book includes many insightful examples. New approaches to graphics are needed to visualize the information in large datasets and most of the innovations described in this book are developments of standard graphics. The book is accessible to readers with some experience of drawing statistical graphics.