permit visual checks on a more detailed level to resolve computational errors and produce correct correlations on the other hand at times it is desirable to be able to automatically vary and reduce the amount of noise and scatter and detail such as that shown in fig6 a by automatically selecting only those dips most consistent with clearly defined patterns of geological interpretation thus the particular format of the data derived might depend upon whether the object of the study is most or all available data with scatter to be interpreted or alternatively whether clear formation bed interpretation patterns are desired referring now to the method and apparatus of the present invention for providing selectively variable scatter for a presentation of a plurality of formation dip measurements first it may be noted that a mathematical expression may be developed to express the total difference between such successive dip measurements of the form equ6 where n is the total number of computed dips and dir i is the direction of the ith dip due to a rule based upon observed computed dip meter logs and corresponding analyzed geology known as the rule of stability of dip direction wherein if a certain computed dip contradicts another one in the absence of any other information the dip which is more in line with the surrounding patterns should be preferred the preceeding sum of equation 6 should be minimized while at the same time keeping the number of selected dips as large as possible to provide as much accurate dip information as possible this requirement can be expressed in the form of a minimization criterion equ7 where s is the number of omitted dips and where c is a coefficient.