Presenting Scientific Data Scientists accumulate vast amounts of data by observing events and making measurements. Interpreting this data can be a difficult task if they are not organized. Scientists can organize their data by using data tables and graphs.

Data Tables Data tables organize information Title Units Descriptive Header Rows Cell Columns

Use a Ruler & a Pencil My BAD

What’s Wrong With This Data Table?

Graphs Graphs and charts are great because they communicate information visually. For this reason, graphs are often used in newspapers, magazines and businesses around the world. Sometimes, complicated information is difficult to understand and needs an illustration. Graphs or charts can help impress people by getting your point across quickly and visually.

Graphs make a “picture” of the data Trends Comparisons Relationships They compare the amount of change to related variables

“Good” Graph or “Bad” Graph?

Average Daily Temperature for January 1-7 in Degrees Fahrenheit Date Temperature 1 10 2 25 3 30 4 42 5 23 6 7 40

Sunspots

Mean # of Sunspots from 1700 to 2006 (So many #’s that we need to show it on 3 slides)

More Sunspot #’s

More #’s, #’s, #’s, #’s!!! I Know, Let’s Make a Picture of all of these #’s! Let’s Make a Graph!

A Graph Makes a “Picture” of all of those numbers!

# of Sunspots the last 100 years

Types of Graphs

Line Graphs When the Independent Variable is Quantitative (#’s)

Bar Graphs When the Independent Variable is Qualitative (words)

Bar Graph (2 sets of data)

Circle/Pie Graphs Compare Percentages

Bad Graph Size

Good Graph Size

Use a Ruler & Pencil (a Sharp Pencil)

Axis’s Y X

Axis’s Ve t i c a l Horizontal

Axis’s Dependent Independent

When plotting the points, use small but obvious points When plotting the points, use small but obvious points. (No big Markers)

Bad Y Axis Scale (Maybe)

Maybe there is no change My Foot Size The last 30 Years

Don’t add boxes to your graph paper. Change your scale.

Put the #’s on a line, not in a box. Use “tick marks” My Bad Tick marks My Good

Bad X Axis Scale

What’s Wrong With This Scale?

Use the same scale for each square Use the same scale for each square! (The X & Y axis can have different scales)

NO “Breaks” NO

Good Scale Every “box” = 10 Every “box” = 5

Do Not Dot to Dot Is the 0,0 Significant?

Use “Best Fit” Lines

“Best Fit” Curve

List 10 Things That Are Wrong With This Graph

Length of Tom & Dave’s Right Foot Over the First 20 years

Average PSA Attendance Average yearly PSA student attendance since your PSA teacher has been allowed to wear jeans on Fridays Average PSA Attendance (%) Years you PSA teacher allowed to wear jeans on Fridays.