Post on 06-Jan-2016
description
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