Graphing in Science

How to make a graph The first thing you need to do before making any graph in science is collect data. A graph is a visual representation of the data you collect in the lab.

Graphing Whenever making a graph you need to decide the type of graph that you will use. The two main graphs we will use in science are a bar graph and a line graph.

Bar Graphs Bar graphs are used to compare things between different groups or to track changes over time. For example: if you are comparing scores on a test between different classes and want to show how each class performed.

Line Graphs Line graphs are used to track changes over short and long periods of time. When smaller changes exist, line graphs are better to use than bar graphs. For example: You would use a line graph when wanting to show how the temperature of a mixture changes during a chemical reaction

Scatter Plots To determine a correlation, look for a relationship between the data sets! If there is a correlation, draw a trend line that is: 1. … as close to each data point as possible. 2. … has about the same number of points on each side of it. 3. …goes directly through at least two points.

Rules for Making a Graph Whenever making a graph, the independent variable goes on the x-axis and the dependent variable goes on the y-axis. Graphs must always have a title. Typically, we write the title of a graph as whatever is on the y-axis vs. whatever is on the x-axis. The title of the graph needs to clearly tell the reader what the data on the graph is representing.