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Graphs in Science: Great Graphing Guidelines

Scientists use graphs to present experimental results for several reasons: 1) To show patterns and trends in data that may reveal relationships not obvious from data tables. 2) To help visualize relationships between variables by "telling a story" more efficiently than words. 3) To show errors and average out sets of results.

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31 views

Graphs in Science: Great Graphing Guidelines

Scientists use graphs to present experimental results for several reasons: 1) To show patterns and trends in data that may reveal relationships not obvious from data tables. 2) To help visualize relationships between variables by "telling a story" more efficiently than words. 3) To show errors and average out sets of results.

Uploaded by

30029
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GRAPHS IN SCIENCE

Scientists use graphs to present experimental results for various reasons.


PATTERNS!!
So that a pattern or trend can be seen in a set of results. This pattern may show a
relationship, which was not obvious from looking at the numbers in a data table.
STORIES!!
To help people picture a relationship between variables. Sometimes a graph can "tell a
story" much more efficiently than words.
OOPS!!
To show errors, and average out a set of results.
GREAT GRAPHING GUIDELINES
Title
Put a title on your graph, saying in words what the graph is showing.
Example: The Relationship Between Pressure and Volume of a Gas.
Capitalize important words in your title.
Underline the title.
Axes
Written in ink using a ruler or other straightedge.
Labelled with units shown in parentheses.
Note: Usually, but not always, the values of the Manipulated Variable (a.k.a. Independent Variable)
are placed on the X-axis and the values of the Responding Variable (a.k.a. Dependent Variable) are
placed on the Y-axis.
Scales on axes must be recorded clearly. What range of values do you need on each axis? Use as much
of the paper as possible. Sometimes you may want to set-up your paper upright, other times you may
want it side-ways depending on the scales of your axes.
Does your graphs axes have to start at zero? __________
Points
Plot your points in sharp pencil.
Use a neat X or dot with a circle around it for your data points.
N= ____ on the bottom right of graph to indicate # of data sets.
Best-fit straight line or smooth curve
Use a sharp pencil.
Ignore points that are wildly off the general trend of the other data points.
It should be obvious looking at your plotted data points whether you will have a straight best-fit line or
smooth curve.
No dot-to-dot connections.
Don't give undue importance to the origin - its just another point and many graphs don't go through the
origin anyway.
GRAPHS PLOTTED ON GRAPHING SOFTWARE SHOULD REFLECT MANY OF THESE
GENERAL GUIDELINES.

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