BASIC GRAPHSVISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF DATA

OVERVIEW

Information can be represented quickly and efficiently

Information can be presented more attractively

Keep it simple and understandable

Viewers will look for apprx 7 seconds!

It starts with a TITLE newborns get a name right away!

It ends with ANALYSIS look for highs/lows/trends and then ask WHY? Why did we get what we got?

BAR GRAPHS

Allow viewer to see differences in data easily

Good tool for comparing several subjects

Categorical Data on the horizontal axis

Bars can go vertical or horizontal

Title! And Label the horizontal/vertical axes

Keep the increments (steps) the same

Keep the bars the same width

BAR GRAPHS cont.

Can have double bar graphs… use a key then

Can jump once…one time mulligan, squiggle

?does this zoom in for sharper comparisons or does it deceptively exaggerate the differences?

Option: put exact number inside the bar, but NOT on top of bar

Pareto charts = vertical bar graphs arranged tall to small

Bad Bar

CIRCLE (PIE) GRAPHS

Another popular method for visually representing data

Good tool for comparing parts of a whole…percentages of 100%

Begins with a circle or disc divided into slices/ sectors

Put # or % inside the sector…or use artistic abilities with a key

Pieces of the pie cannot overlap…data in just one sector

total cannot > 100% can use “other section”

LINE GRAPHS

Another fine tool, especially for showing change

Good when same subject is tracked repeatedly

Put a TITLE on and Label the horizontal/vertical axes

Keep the steps (strides) congruent

Put a dot as high as the data should go

Connect the dots from left to right with a straightedge

LINE GRAPHS cont.

Can have double (or multiple) lines… make a key for dashed, dotted, solid, zig zag lines etc, or colors

Can use the squiggle but only at the start, near the origin NOT in the middle of an axis

Time Plots are special line graphs involving, you guessed it, time (normally on the x axis)

Helpful in noting trends

PICTO GRAPHS

Rare, but cute

Uses repeated symbols

Full symbol = amount set in your key

Partial symbols < amount in your key

Title/ axes labeled/ can go vert or horiz

Maintain same sized symbols and same spacing!

Keep it simple, art majors

DOT PLOTS

Newer graphs, but not that modern

Similar to vertical bar graph, but uses dots to build upward

Good tool for analysis… center/shape/spread/outliers