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Graph - Handouts

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3 views

Graph - Handouts

Uploaded by

s.ranjan4909
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Type of graph for type of data

Choosing the right type of graph depends on the type of data you are working with and the
message you want to convey.
Here’s a guide on how to match different types of data with appropriate graphs:
1. Categorical Data (Qualitative)
a. Bar Chart: Use when you want to compare different categories. The length of
each bar represents the count or percentage of items in that category.
i. Example: Comparing sales in different regions.
b. Pie Chart: Best for showing proportions or percentages of a whole. Use
sparingly and only when you have a small number of categories.
i. Example: Market share distribution.
2. Numerical Data (Quantitative)
a. Histogram: Use for continuous data to show the distribution. It groups data
into bins, showing the frequency of data points in each range.
i. Example: Distribution of ages in a population.
b. Line Graph: Ideal for showing trends over time. Continuous data points are
connected by lines, which makes it useful for time series analysis.
i. Example: Stock prices over time.
c. Scatter Plot: Use for displaying relationships or correlations between two
continuous variables. Each point represents a pair of values.
i. Example: Relationship between height and weight.
d. Box Plot: Great for showing the distribution, variability, and outliers of data.
It’s useful when comparing distributions across multiple groups.
i. Example: Test scores across different classes.
e. Ogive: It shows the cumulative frequencies, which represent the running total
of frequencies up to a certain point in the data set.
i. Example: Cumulative frequency distribution of any data.
3. Ordinal Data (Ranked)
a. Bar Chart: Useful when comparing ordered categories, where the order
matters but the differences between values are not uniform.
i. Example: Customer satisfaction ratings (low, medium, high).
b. Line Graph: Can be used if there’s a logical progression in the data (e.g.,
stages in a process).
i. Example: Performance improvement over different experience levels.
4. Time Series Data
a. Line Graph: Best for tracking changes over time, especially for continuous
data.
i. Example: Temperature changes throughout a day.
b. Area Chart: Similar to a line graph but with the area under the line filled in.
It’s good for showing cumulative totals or trends over time.
i. Example: Cumulative revenue over the months.
5. Proportional Data
a. Pie Chart: Use when showing proportions that make up a whole, especially for
categorical data.
i. Example: Market share by company.
b. Stacked Bar/Area Chart: Use when comparing parts of a whole across multiple
categories or time periods.
i. Example: Proportions of different product categories sold over several
years.
6. Relational Data
a. Scatter Plot: Ideal for showing relationships between two numerical variables.
If you add a trend line, it can also show correlation.
i. Example: Income vs. expenditure.
7. Geospatial Data
a. Choropleth Map: Use when representing data on a geographical map, with
different areas shaded or patterned according to the value of the data.
i. Example: Population density by state.
b. Heat Map: Can represent data points on a map or grid where colour intensity
indicates the concentration or value of the data.
i. Example: Traffic density on a city map.
By understanding your data type and the story you want to tell, you can choose the best
visualization to convey the right message effectively.

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