Graphing Skill #1: What Type of Graph is it? are several types of graphs that scientists often use to display data. They include: Pie Graphs Bar Graphs Histograms Line Graphs Scatter Plots Dependent variable IS A specific type of bar continuous Dependent variable IS Dependent variable is graph Points are plotted x- continuous NOT continuous Dependent variable must and y-components Dependent variable is Points are plotted using x- There is no order to the have a natural that can The points are NOT NOT continuous and y-components categories on the X-axis be grouped into defined connected because the Usually presents data as a The points are connected Bars typically don’t touch observations are “chunks” of a whole” or as because the observations “part Y-axis is usually a Bars must always independent (the next percentages are NOT independent (the percentage or a frequency Y-axis is usually a value does NOT depend on next value depends on the (count) percentage or a frequency the previous value) previous value) (count) Uses a best-fit line or to show relationship on these definitions, and the descriptions of the experiments below, please put an in the “X” box for the type of graph that would be appropriate (some descriptions may have several most graph types that would be appropriate; you only need to select one). # Description Pie Bar Histo. Line Scatter A graph showing the number of 5th graders who Ex X prefer Coke or Pepsi A graph showing how a newborn baby’s weight 1 changes over time A graph showing the percentage of the class earning 2 As, Bs, and Cs. A graph showing the distribution of trees of different 3 size groups (e.g. 0-10cm, 10-20cm, etc…) in a forest A graph showing the relationship between height 4 and arm length A graph showing the percentage of an allowance 5 spent on different categories (e.g. food, movies, etc) A showing the amount of rainfall, by month 6 over a 12 month period A graph showing the number of ice cream cones 7 purchased as a function of the day’s temperature A showing the number of pushups done each 8 day during a 2-week training program Graphing Skill #2: Labeling Axes When labeling your axes, keep 3 things in mind: The independent (manipulated) variable is written the horizontal axis (X axis) Dependent (responding) variable is written along the vertical axis (Y axis) on any variables should be included in parentheses ( ) following the axis title
Graphing Skill #1: What Type of Graph is it? are several types of graphs that scientists often use to display data. They include: Pie Graphs Bar Graphs Histograms Line Graphs Scatter Plots Dependent variable is NOT continuous Usually presents data as a “part of a whole” or as percentages Dependent variable is NOT continuous There is no order to the categories on the X-axis Bars typically don’t touch Y-axis is usually a percentage or a frequency (count) A specific type of bar graph Dependent variable must have a natural that can be grouped into defined “chunks” Bars must always Y-axis is usually a percentage or a frequency (count) Dependent variable IS continuous Points are plotted using x- and y-components The points are connected because the observations are NOT independent (the next value depends on the previous value) Dependent variable IS continuous Points are plotted x- and y-components The points are NOT connected because the observations are independent (the next value does NOT depend on the previous value) Uses a best-fit line or to show relationship on these definitions, and the descriptions of the experiments below, please put an “X” in the box for the type of graph that would be most appropriate (some descriptions may have several graph types that would be appropriate; you only need to select one). # Description Pie Bar Histo. Line Scatter Ex A graph showing the number of 5th graders who prefer Coke or Pepsi X 1 A graph showing how a newborn baby’s weight changes over time 2 A graph showing the percentage of the class earning As, Bs, and Cs. 3 A graph showing the distribution of trees of different size groups (e.g. 0-10cm, 10-20cm, etc…) in a forest 4 A graph showing the relationship between height and arm length 5 A graph showing the percentage of an allowance spent on different categories (e.g. food, movies, etc) 6 A showing the amount of rainfall, by month over a 12 month period 7 A graph showing the number of ice cream cones purchased as a function of the day’s temperature 8 A showing the number of pushups done each day during a 2-week training program Graphing Skill #2: Labeling Axes When labeling your axes, keep 3 things in mind: The independent (manipulated) variable is written the horizontal axis (X axis) Dependent (responding) variable is written along the vertical axis (Y axis) on any variables should be included in parentheses ( ) following the axis title
Science%20Process%20Skills%20-%20Graphing.docx