Which Graph Type Should You Use?

Graphs are meant to show data in a way that makes it easy to understand. Consider your
Start Here: research question; typically the graph(s) you produce are attempting to show your answer to this
question. Graphs should always have a label below which helps the reader interpret the graph.
Use the flow chart on this page to find which common graph type you should use for your data.
Examples: No
What percentage of ninth Is there more than
Are you trying to show how a
graders watch The Office?
group or total breaks down into Yes one group or total Yes
smaller subgroups? Which items do each being represented?
grade level buy most at
the café?
No

Examples:
Are you showing
Are you trying to compare one On average are ninth
your groups No
number (usually an average) Yes grade girls or boys taller?
changing over
between different groups? Do ninth grade girls or time?
boys grow faster? Yes
No
Examples:
How quickly do ninth Yes
Are you measuring how one graders grow taller? Is your independent
continuous variable affects Yes variable time?
another continuous variable? Does temperature affect
the amount of students
No
on the great lawn?
No
Examples:
Are you measuring the What is the average
variability or distribution of a height of a ninth grader?
variable in a group or multiple
Yes
What is the range and
groups? distribution of Biology
test scores?
A histogram is a graph which visually shows the distribution, average,
and variability of a measurement within a group. To make a
histogram, first decide upon 5-15 equally sized intervals, called “bins”,
within the range of your measurements. Bins should be larger if the
data is more spread out, or smaller if the data is all very close in
numerical value. Figure 1 uses a bin size of 2.5. The x-axis on a
histogram shows the bins while the y-axis shows the number of cases.
Figure 1 shows that out of 37 total female stickleback, 8 were between
22.5-25mm in length. Bars on a histogram should not have gaps
between them. Figure 1 answers the question “on average how long
are female stickleback from Black Brook?” According to the data, most
female stickleback in Black Brook are between 22.5mm and 27.5mm in
length.
A scatter plot shows the relationship between two continuous
variables. To make a scatter plot, use the x-axis for your independent
variable and the y-axis for your dependent variable. Use individual
points to represent your data. Draw or calculate a line of best fit which
allows for extrapolation of your data. Calculate an R2 value which
shows how closely two variables are correlated (closer to one means
more highly correlated). A lower R2 value means either the two aren’t
correlated or that there are other factors not accounted for in the data.
Figure 4 has an R2 value of 0.77, which is high considering that other
factors (nutrition, genetics, etc.) influence egg number. Figure 4
answers the question “how is number of eggs related to overall female
length?” According to the data, fish length is positively correlated to
egg number, longer fish have more eggs.
A bar graph shows the measured difference in the average of a variable
between groups or categories. To make a bar graph, calculate the
average and the standard deviation of each of your groups. Your
average will be plotted as the main bar. Draw a thin line which
measures the value of your standard deviation above and below the
average. These “error bars” help to show whether two averages are
truly different. Overlapping error bars typically means that the
difference is not large, or that more data is needed. Figure 2 shows
that although Deer Pond stickleback are larger on average, the error
bars overlap with Bear Lake and so either they aren’t different, or more
data is needed. Figure 2 answers the question “is there a difference in
average stickleback length between these populations?” According to
the data, fish from Cold Harbor tend to be longer on average.
A pie chart shows how a whole is portioned into various parts. To
make a pie chart, measure the amounts of the various parts and then
divide the perimeter of the circle into pieces proportional to the parts.
Figure 5 shows that oxygen represents almost two thirds of all human
body mass. Figure 5 answers the question “what elements make up
most of the human body?” According to the data, 97% of human mass
is made up of Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen. All other
elements make up only 3% of mass.
A line graph shows the change in a single variable over the course of
time. To make a line graph, use time as your x-axis and your variable as
your y-axis. Use points to plot your data. Straight lines should be used
to connect one dot to the next in the series. Curved lines should not be
used in a line graph as they imply data that you did not collect. Figure 3
still uses straight lines for “Without Light” even though the points are
clearly showing a curve. Figure 3 answers the question “how does the
absence of light affect the growth rate of pepper plants?” According to
the data, pepper plants without light initially grow faster, but then
slow down and are outpaced by plants grown with light.
A stacked bar graph shows how multiple groups of similar data are
portioned into various parts. To make a stacked bar graph, measure the
total amounts of the three groups and plot them as a bar graph, then
divide the bar into pieces proportional to the parts. Figure 6 shows
that Aidan consumed the least calories overall and that of those
calories almost half came from protein. Figure 6 answers the question
“how are the diets of three ninth graders different?” According to the
data, they each eat different amounts of each macronutrient and had
different total caloric intake. Bailey ate the most carbohydrates of the
three students.