Graphing
Graph
A visual representation of data
Line Graph
A graph that uses line segments to show changes that occur over time
Qualitative Data
Information describing color, odor, shape, or some other physical characteristic
Independent Variable
The experimental factor that is manipulated. This goes on the X axis of a graph.
Title
The name of your graph that describes the information you will see in it, located above your graph
Manipulated variable
The one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment; also called independent variable
Dependent Variable
The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to changes of the independent variable. This goes on the Y axis of a graph.
Data
a collection of facts, such as numbers, words, measurements, or observations that can be used to analyze, discuss or calculate something
Bar Graph
a graph that uses vertical or horizontal bars to show comparisons among two or more items
Category
a group of people or things having something in common; type
Multiple line graph
a line graph that has more than one line of data plotted
Trend
a pattern of change in the data over time. It can be an increase or a decrease.
Heading or Label
a word or words that describes the data in a column or row of a data table or the x or y axis of a graph
Categorical Data
data that consists of names, labels, or other nonnumerical values. This is best shown on a circle or bar graph.
Numerical Data
data that is measurable, such as time, height, weight, and amount. It is always a number. This is best shown on a bar or line graph. Can compare amounts or show change over time.
Scale
how much you count by when displaying data in a graph, the increments
Units
how you measure the data. For example: hours, miles, etc.
Quantitative Data
numerical data, numbers
Table
pieces of information that are arranged in rows and columns
Trendline
series of data points on a line graph that shows data values and how they change over time. It may be straight or curved, and go up or down.
Circle or Pie Graph
shows percentage or frequency - whole pie = 100%
X-Axis
the horizontal line on a graph that runs through zero. The independent variable goes here.
Y-Axis
the vertical line on a graph that runs through zero. The dependent variable goes here.