October 19, 2017

R.T. Thomason, Ph.D., Figure Editor

This week on It Figures… we are going to discuss formatting graphs. Graphs, also known as charts, may be the most commonly used feature within a figure to convey data. Sometimes I read journal articles and the only figures presented are in the form graphs. What is the purpose of a graph? Simple answer: to present numbers and suggest correlations. Why is this important? Research is more than simply presenting observations, you (may/should) need to provide support for your observations through numbers. This is why it is imperative that you design and portray your data accurately via a graph.

 

Next time we will look more closely at how to design graphs and I will provide a few tips on how to display your data clearly.