The Different Types of Charts - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 920 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/09/16 Category Analytics Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Area Chart Figure 1: Area chart Use it to * Display over time (or any other dimension): * How a set of data adds up to a whole (cumulated totals) * Which part of the whole each element represents Variants * Percentage: The sum always represents 100% (relative scale) * Cumulative: The sum can vary according to the elements (absolute scale) Column/Bar Chart Use it to * Present few data over a nominal (e. g. countries, testing conditions, or interval scale (e. g. time); useful for comparisons of data Do not Use it for * Comparisons: Better use one-dimensional scatterplots, because these are not dominated by bars or columns. * Larger data sets: Use line charts. Selecting Bars or Columns * Use analogy as a selection criterion, if applicable; when in doubt, use columns * Use a horizontal bar chart if the labels are too long to fit under the columns Variants Multiple Column/Bar Chart: Use it to present data rows for several variables * Side-by-Side Chart: Use it to (1) show contras ting trends between levels of an independent variable, (2) if comparisons between individual pairs of values are most important; do not use for more than two independent variables | | | Figure 2: Multiple column chart (left), side-by-side chart (right) Segmented Column/Bar Chart Other Names: Divided or stacked column/bar chart Figure 3: Segmented column chart (relative values) Use it to * Present a part-whole relation over time (with accurate impression, see below) * Show proportional relationships over time * Display wholes which are levels on a nominal scale Segmented column/bar charts are more accurate than pie chart, because distances can be more accurately estimated than areas. Frequency Polygon, Histograms Figure 4: Histogram as frequency distribution Variants Polygon: Connects data points through straight lines or higher order graphs * Histogram: Columns/bars touch; useful for larger sets of data points, typically used for frequency distributions * Staircase Chart: Display s only the silhouette of the histogram; useful for even larger sets of data points, typically used for frequency distributions * Step chart: Use it to illustrate trends among more than two members of nominal or ordinal scales; do not use it for two or more variables or levels of a single variable (hard to read) * Pyramid histogram: Two mirror histograms; use it for comparisons Line Chart Figure 5: Line chart Use it * To display long data rows * To interpolate between data points * To extrapolate beyond known data values (forecast) * To compare different graphs * To find and compare trends (changes over time) * To recognize correlations and covariations between variables * If the X axis requires an interval scale * To display interactions over two levels on the X axis * When convention defines meaningful patterns (e. g. a zigzag line) Line graphs may consist of line or curved segments: Lines: Use straight lines to connect real data points * Curves: Use curves to represent function al relations between data points or to interpolate data Do not Use it * If the X axis has non-numeric values Variants * Graph with double-logarithmic or half-logarithmic scale divisions * Graph with variance bars, stock charts (High/Low/Close) etc. Pie Chart Figure 6: Pie chart Use it to * convey approximate proportional relationships (relative amounts) at a point in time * compare part of a whole at a given point in time Exploded: emphasize a small proportion of parts Do not Use it * For exact comparisons of values, because estimating angles is difficult for people. * For rank data:Â  Use column/bar charts in this case; use multiple column/bar charts for grouped data * If proportions vary greatly; do not use multiple pies to compare corresponding parts. Caution! * Pie charts cannot represent values beyond 100%. * Each pie chart is valid for one point in time only. * Pie charts are only suited to presenting quite a few percentage values. Angles are harder to estimate for people th an distances; perspective pie charts are even harder to interpret. Scatterplot | | | Figure 7: One-dimensional scatterplot (left), two-dimensional scatterplot (right) Variants 1. One-dimensional scatterplot: Data point are drawn above a baseline (as in column/bar charts). Here the data points are not connected but remain isolated data points. 2. Two-dimensional scatter plot: Shows correlation between two data sets. This chart type has two dependent variables: One is plotted along the X axis, the other along the Y axis; the independent variable is the intersection of both dependent variables, realized as a data point in the diagram. Use it to * Show measurements over time (one-dimensional scatterplot) * Convey an overall impression of the relation between two variables (Two-dimensional scatterplot) Do not Use it for * Determining and comparing trends, interpolation, extrapolation, recognition and comparison of change rates * More than one independent variable: Avoid illustrating m ore than one independent variable in a scatter plot A histogram typically shows the quantity of points that fall within various numeric ranges (or bins). * A bar chart uses bars to show frequencies or values for different categories. * A pie chart shows percentage values as a slice of a pie. * A line chart is a two-dimensional scatterplot of ordered observations where the observations are connected following their order. * A bubble chart is a two-dimensional scatterplot where a third variable is represented by the size of the points. A Polar area diagram, sometimes called a Coxcomb chart developed by Florence Nightingale is an enhanced form of pie chart. * A radar chart or spider chart is a two-dimensional chart of three or more quantitative variables represented on axes starting from the same point. * A waterfall chart also known as a Walk chart, is a special type of floating-column chart. * A Tree Map where the areas of the rectangles correspond to values. Other dimensions can be represented with colour or hue. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Different Types of Charts" essay for you Create order