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Wigmore chart

Wigmore chart is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Wigmore chart rather than just read about it. In short: A Wigmore chart (commonly referred to as Wigmorean analysis) is a graphical method for the analysis of legal evidence in trials, developed by John Henry Wigmore. It is an early form of the modern belief network.

Wigmore chart — main illustration
Wigmore chart — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Wigmore chart belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Wigmore chart to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Wigmore chart from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A Wigmore chart (commonly referred to as Wigmorean analysis) is a graphical method for the analysis of legal evidence in trials, developed by John Henry Wigmore. It is an early form of the modern belief network. After completing his Wigmore on Evidence treatise in 1904, Wigmore "became convinced that something was missing." He set up a system for analyzing evidence that consisted of lines, used to represent reasoning, explanations, refutations, and conclusions; and shapes which represent facts, claims, explanations, and refutations. Although Wigmore taught his analytic method in the classroom during the early 20th century, the Wigmore chart was all but forgotten by the 1960s. Recent scholars have rediscovered his work and used it as a basis for modern analytic standards.

See also Bayesian network

References

Bibliography Anderson, T.; et al. (2005). Analysis of Evidence (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-67316-X. Kadane, J. B. & Schum, D. A. (1996). A Probabilistic Analysis of the Sacco and Vanzetti Evidence. New York: Wiley. ISBN 0-471-14182-8. Wigmore, J. H. (1913). "The problem of proof". Illinois Law Review. 8 (2): 77–103. Wigmore, J. H. (1937). The Science of Judicial Proof: As Given by Logic, Psychology and General Experience and Illustrated in Judicial Trials (3rd ed.). Boston: Little, Brown.

Illustrations

Wigmore chart: Wigmore evidence chart, from 1905
Wigmore evidence chart, from 1905

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Wigmore chart

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Wigmore chart claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Wigmore chart before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Wigmore chart ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Wigmore chart

In research
Wigmore chart appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Wigmore chart in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Wigmore chart is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Evidence law, Infographics, Law stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Wigmore chart outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Wigmore chart in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Wigmore chart means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Wigmore chart out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Wigmore chart in simple terms?

A Wigmore chart (commonly referred to as Wigmorean analysis) is a graphical method for the analysis of legal evidence in trials, developed by John Henry Wigmore. It is an early form of the modern belief network.

Why does Wigmore chart matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Wigmore chart?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Wigmore chart.

Tags

  • Evidence law
  • Infographics
  • Law stubs

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