Statistics/Displaying Data

A single statistic tells only part of a dataset’s story. The mean is one perspective; the median yet another. And when we explore relationships between multiple variables, even more statistics arise. The coefficient estimates in a regression model, the Cochran-Maentel-Haenszel test statistic in partial contingency tables; a multitude of statistics are available to summarize and test data.      But our ultimate goal in statistics is not to summarize the data, it is to fully understand their complex relationships. A well designed statistical graphic helps us explore, and perhaps understand, these relationships.      This section will help you let the data speak, so that the world may know its story. Types of Data Display Bar_Charts Histograms Scatter_Graphs Box_Plots Pie_Charts Comparative_Pie_Charts Pictograms Line_Graphs Frequency_Polygon External Links "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information" is the seminal work on statistical graphics. It is a must read. "Show me the Numbers" by Stephen Few has a less technical approach to creating graphics. You might want to scan through this book if you are building a library on making graphs. Statistics | >> Bar Charts