presentation of quantitative data

• Types of charts and tables


  • Tables - raw data table, summary of descriptive statistics and frequency table.
  • Bar charts
  • Pie charts
  • Scattergrams
  • Histograms
  • Line graphs
• Answering questions about graphs

  1. Identify type of graph based on data (continuous vs categorical, single vs two variables)

  2. Provide appropriate title referencing variables

  3. Label axes

  4. Accurately plot data points or bars

  5. Scale - axis scales are suitable
• Raw data table


  A record of individual data points collected from participants.
• Frequency table


  A log of the number/frequency of observations of behavioural categories. Frequency tables are called tally charts.
• Summary of descriptive statistics


  Patterns in large amounts of raw data can be hard to see in raw data tables and frequency tables. Tables of descriptive statistics summarise large quantities of raw information and generally include measures of central tendency and dispersion.
• Bar chart


  Summarises the frequency of categorical/nominal data. This data is in distinct categories. The categorical variable belongs on the horizontal x-axis, and frequency is on the Y-axis. The height of each bar is the frequency. THE BARS DO NOT TOUCH. Bar charts can display multiple variables.
• Pie charts


  A circular graph, the full circle represents all the data in the data set. Each wedge in the pie chart represents the proportion of one category that forms part of the data set. The size of each wedge section is proportional to the amount of that category in the entire data set.

  Area - the relative sizes of each category are clearly visible in a pie chart.
• Scattergrams


  Display the relationship between two co-variables. Each point plotted on the scattergram represents two measurements/variables of the same participant, and either variable can go on either of the axes.

  Correlational relationships - scattergrams visually display the relationship between co-variables.
• Histogram


  Displays the frequency of continuous numerical data. The frequency is placed on the Y-axis, and the continuous variable is on the X-axis. THE BARS DO TOUCH.
• Line graphs


  Also called a frequency polygon, line graphs allow for the display and comparison of two sets of continuous data on the same graph. The frequency is placed on the Y-axis, and the continuous variables is on the X-axis.