Graphing Info Pay Attention. Getcho lab. Do I Have to Write This Down? Up to you How do you learn? Writing? Reading? Listening?

Graphing Info

Pay Attention.Getcho lab

Do I Have to Write This Down?

• Up to you• How do you learn?– Writing? Reading? Listening?

Um, what type of graph should I do?

• First Things first: When appropriate…• DRY MIX– Manipulated (independent) variable is plotted on

the x-axis (MIX)

– Responding (dependent) variable is plotted on the y-axis (DRY)

Line Graph

• Used to track changes over time– If time is not one of your variables, then it can’t be

a line graph• Also used to compare changes over the same

period of time for more than one groups

• We use line graphs often in this class

Line Graphs: Changes over time

• “Over time” indicates that time is on the x-axis

Pie Charts

• Pie charts are best to use when you are trying to compare parts of a whole – No change over time– Not used often in this class

– The ONLY thing you need to know about pie charts is that we don’t use them in this class…

Pie Charts: parts of a whole

Bar Graphs

• For changes for a group or category of things – Not usually for numbers; mostly for things– Very rarely used for this class

– The ONLY thing you need to know about bar graphs is that we don’t use them in this class…

Bar Graph - categorical data

Always a key

Choosing Appropriate Graphs…

• Bar Graph - categorical data – graphing things or “categories” on the x-axis

X-Y Plots (Scatter Plots)

• X-Y plots (scatter plots) are used to determine relationships between the two different things – We use this a lot in this class

Trend Line

X-Y Plots (Scatter Plots)

• Often they need a trend (best fit) line – A line on a graph showing the general direction

that a group of points seem to be heading – NOT “Connect the dots” – Although it might seem like it if your data is linear – The idea is to try to get a line that has virtually

equal numbers of points on either side

Best Fit Line or Trend Line

Not “connect the dots”

Choosing the Correct Graph Type

• In science class, you will use line graphs and scatter plots– It is very rare that you will use anything else

ISD MS Physical Science Graphing Rubric

• Chose the wrong graph type? – No points for you!

• Got your axis mixed up? – No points for you!

• No units or variables on your axis? – No points for you!

• Connected the dots on a scatter plot? – No points for you!

Rubric1 pt. Appropriate type of graph

1 pt.

Scale – equal intervals starting at zero for each axis, axis breaks acceptable

2 pt.1 pt. each for axis correctly labeled with units

1 pt. Title must have both the MV and RV5 pts. Total

*Use the rubric to create or fix your graph