Graphical Representation

Graphical representation

The use of visual elements like graphs, charts, and diagrams to present and summarise data.

Graphs

Visual representations of data, used to display relationships between variables or to show distributions.

Frequency tables

Tables that summarise the distribution of a variable by showing the number of times (frequency) each score or category occurs.

Bar charts

A type of graph that uses rectangular bars to represent categories of data, with the length or height of the bar proportional to the values they represent. Used for discrete data.

Histograms

A type of bar chart used for continuous data, where the bars touch, representing ranges (intervals) of values.

Line graphs

A type of graph that uses points connected by lines to show how a dependent variable changes over time or across another continuous variable.

Pie charts

A circular graph divided into slices, where each slice represents a proportion or percentage of the whole. Used for nominal data.

Scatter diagrams

A type of graph used to show the relationship between two continuous variables, with points plotted to represent each pair of values.

Normal distribution

A symmetrical, bell shaped distribution curve where most of the data points cluster around the mean, and the frequency tapers off equally on either side.

Positive distribution

Also known as positive skew, this is a type of data distribution where the tail of the distribution points to the right, indicating that most of the data points are concentrated at the lower end of the scale.

Negative skewed distribution

A type of data distribution where the tail of the distribution points to the left, indicating that most of the data points are concentrated at the higher end of the scale.