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.