Graph and Chart

For the chart I gathered information from a data set that searched for on the Roger Williams homepage. I chose to select data from a collection tuition amounts over the last 10 years. The data included too much information to include in one graph and needed more than one measuring stick so I choose only information I knew I could represent graphically (commuters vs. non, arch vs. non, undergrad/grad ect.) I chose to focus on tuition, resident fees, and room and board for an incoming freshman student. 

It was hard to get Excel to show the graph the way I wanted it. The proportions were hard to get right, and it was difficult to call in the proper cells for each piece of graph information. After getting everything to look accurate in terms of the way the graphical information is displayed on the graph, I began to explore the different graph types. The line graphs seemed to be easiest on the eye with limited cognitive load. I chose the 3-D line graph because total and tuition lines overlapped became distracting with a regular line graph. I would have liked to get the X axis labeled years, and the Y "Dollars in thousands" to allow the dependent variable to become integrals of 1 (1,2,3,4,5). 

The single most important thing that is missing from the graph (unless seen with the table) is a title. A "Undergraduate Tuition and Required Fees" title at the top of the graph would have further reduced the cognitive load.