diagrammatic presentation of data ppt

Home Blog Design Understanding Data Presentations (Guide + Examples)

Understanding Data Presentations (Guide + Examples)

In this age of overwhelming information, the skill to effectively convey data has become extremely valuable. Initiating a discussion on data presentation types involves thoughtful consideration of the nature of your data and the message you aim to convey. Different types of visualizations serve distinct purposes. Whether you’re dealing with how to develop a report or simply trying to communicate complex information, how you present data influences how well your audience understands and engages with it. This extensive guide leads you through the different ways of data presentation.

Table of Contents

What is a Data Presentation?

What should a data presentation include, line graphs, treemap chart, scatter plot, how to choose a data presentation type, recommended data presentation templates, common mistakes done in data presentation.

A data presentation is a slide deck that aims to disclose quantitative information to an audience through the use of visual formats and narrative techniques derived from data analysis, making complex data understandable and actionable. This process requires a series of tools, such as charts, graphs, tables, infographics, dashboards, and so on, supported by concise textual explanations to improve understanding and boost retention rate.

Data presentations require us to cull data in a format that allows the presenter to highlight trends, patterns, and insights so that the audience can act upon the shared information. In a few words, the goal of data presentations is to enable viewers to grasp complicated concepts or trends quickly, facilitating informed decision-making or deeper analysis.

Data presentations go beyond the mere usage of graphical elements. Seasoned presenters encompass visuals with the art of storytelling with data, so the speech skillfully connects the points through a narrative that resonates with the audience. Depending on the purpose – inspire, persuade, inform, support decision-making processes, etc. – is the data presentation format that is better suited to help us in this journey.

To nail your upcoming data presentation, ensure to count with the following elements:

• Clear Objectives: Understand the intent of your presentation before selecting the graphical layout and metaphors to make content easier to grasp.
• Engaging introduction: Use a powerful hook from the get-go. For instance, you can ask a big question or present a problem that your data will answer. Take a look at our guide on how to start a presentation for tips & insights.
• Structured Narrative: Your data presentation must tell a coherent story. This means a beginning where you present the context, a middle section in which you present the data, and an ending that uses a call-to-action. Check our guide on presentation structure for further information.
• Visual Elements: These are the charts, graphs, and other elements of visual communication we ought to use to present data. This article will cover one by one the different types of data representation methods we can use, and provide further guidance on choosing between them.
• Insights and Analysis: This is not just showcasing a graph and letting people get an idea about it. A proper data presentation includes the interpretation of that data, the reason why it’s included, and why it matters to your research.
• Conclusion & CTA: Ending your presentation with a call to action is necessary. Whether you intend to wow your audience into acquiring your services, inspire them to change the world, or whatever the purpose of your presentation, there must be a stage in which you convey all that you shared and show the path to staying in touch. Plan ahead whether you want to use a thank-you slide, a video presentation, or which method is apt and tailored to the kind of presentation you deliver.
• Q&A Session: After your speech is concluded, allocate 3-5 minutes for the audience to raise any questions about the information you disclosed. This is an extra chance to establish your authority on the topic. Check our guide on questions and answer sessions in presentations here.

Bar charts are a graphical representation of data using rectangular bars to show quantities or frequencies in an established category. They make it easy for readers to spot patterns or trends. Bar charts can be horizontal or vertical, although the vertical format is commonly known as a column chart. They display categorical, discrete, or continuous variables grouped in class intervals [1] . They include an axis and a set of labeled bars horizontally or vertically. These bars represent the frequencies of variable values or the values themselves. Numbers on the y-axis of a vertical bar chart or the x-axis of a horizontal bar chart are called the scale.

Real-Life Application of Bar Charts

Let’s say a sales manager is presenting sales to their audience. Using a bar chart, he follows these steps.

Step 1: Selecting Data

The first step is to identify the specific data you will present to your audience.

The sales manager has highlighted these products for the presentation.

• Product A: Men’s Shoes
• Product B: Women’s Apparel
• Product C: Electronics
• Product D: Home Decor

Step 2: Choosing Orientation

Opt for a vertical layout for simplicity. Vertical bar charts help compare different categories in case there are not too many categories [1] . They can also help show different trends. A vertical bar chart is used where each bar represents one of the four chosen products. After plotting the data, it is seen that the height of each bar directly represents the sales performance of the respective product.

It is visible that the tallest bar (Electronics – Product C) is showing the highest sales. However, the shorter bars (Women’s Apparel – Product B and Home Decor – Product D) need attention. It indicates areas that require further analysis or strategies for improvement.

Step 3: Colorful Insights

Different colors are used to differentiate each product. It is essential to show a color-coded chart where the audience can distinguish between products.

• Men’s Shoes (Product A): Yellow
• Women’s Apparel (Product B): Orange
• Electronics (Product C): Violet
• Home Decor (Product D): Blue

Bar charts are straightforward and easily understandable for presenting data. They are versatile when comparing products or any categorical data [2] . Bar charts adapt seamlessly to retail scenarios. Despite that, bar charts have a few shortcomings. They cannot illustrate data trends over time. Besides, overloading the chart with numerous products can lead to visual clutter, diminishing its effectiveness.

For more information, check our collection of bar chart templates for PowerPoint .

Line graphs help illustrate data trends, progressions, or fluctuations by connecting a series of data points called ‘markers’ with straight line segments. This provides a straightforward representation of how values change [5] . Their versatility makes them invaluable for scenarios requiring a visual understanding of continuous data. In addition, line graphs are also useful for comparing multiple datasets over the same timeline. Using multiple line graphs allows us to compare more than one data set. They simplify complex information so the audience can quickly grasp the ups and downs of values. From tracking stock prices to analyzing experimental results, you can use line graphs to show how data changes over a continuous timeline. They show trends with simplicity and clarity.

Real-life Application of Line Graphs

To understand line graphs thoroughly, we will use a real case. Imagine you’re a financial analyst presenting a tech company’s monthly sales for a licensed product over the past year. Investors want insights into sales behavior by month, how market trends may have influenced sales performance and reception to the new pricing strategy. To present data via a line graph, you will complete these steps.

First, you need to gather the data. In this case, your data will be the sales numbers. For example:

• January: $45,000
• February: $55,000
• March: $45,000
• April: $60,000
• May: $ 70,000
• June: $65,000
• July: $62,000
• August: $68,000
• September: $81,000
• October: $76,000
• November: $87,000
• December: $91,000

After choosing the data, the next step is to select the orientation. Like bar charts, you can use vertical or horizontal line graphs. However, we want to keep this simple, so we will keep the timeline (x-axis) horizontal while the sales numbers (y-axis) vertical.

Step 3: Connecting Trends

After adding the data to your preferred software, you will plot a line graph. In the graph, each month’s sales are represented by data points connected by a line.

Step 4: Adding Clarity with Color

If there are multiple lines, you can also add colors to highlight each one, making it easier to follow.

Line graphs excel at visually presenting trends over time. These presentation aids identify patterns, like upward or downward trends. However, too many data points can clutter the graph, making it harder to interpret. Line graphs work best with continuous data but are not suitable for categories.

For more information, check our collection of line chart templates for PowerPoint and our article about how to make a presentation graph .

A data dashboard is a visual tool for analyzing information. Different graphs, charts, and tables are consolidated in a layout to showcase the information required to achieve one or more objectives. Dashboards help quickly see Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). You don’t make new visuals in the dashboard; instead, you use it to display visuals you’ve already made in worksheets [3] .

Keeping the number of visuals on a dashboard to three or four is recommended. Adding too many can make it hard to see the main points [4]. Dashboards can be used for business analytics to analyze sales, revenue, and marketing metrics at a time. They are also used in the manufacturing industry, as they allow users to grasp the entire production scenario at the moment while tracking the core KPIs for each line.

Real-Life Application of a Dashboard

Consider a project manager presenting a software development project’s progress to a tech company’s leadership team. He follows the following steps.

Step 1: Defining Key Metrics

To effectively communicate the project’s status, identify key metrics such as completion status, budget, and bug resolution rates. Then, choose measurable metrics aligned with project objectives.

Step 2: Choosing Visualization Widgets

After finalizing the data, presentation aids that align with each metric are selected. For this project, the project manager chooses a progress bar for the completion status and uses bar charts for budget allocation. Likewise, he implements line charts for bug resolution rates.

Step 3: Dashboard Layout

Key metrics are prominently placed in the dashboard for easy visibility, and the manager ensures that it appears clean and organized.

Dashboards provide a comprehensive view of key project metrics. Users can interact with data, customize views, and drill down for detailed analysis. However, creating an effective dashboard requires careful planning to avoid clutter. Besides, dashboards rely on the availability and accuracy of underlying data sources.

For more information, check our article on how to design a dashboard presentation , and discover our collection of dashboard PowerPoint templates .

Treemap charts represent hierarchical data structured in a series of nested rectangles [6] . As each branch of the ‘tree’ is given a rectangle, smaller tiles can be seen representing sub-branches, meaning elements on a lower hierarchical level than the parent rectangle. Each one of those rectangular nodes is built by representing an area proportional to the specified data dimension.

Treemaps are useful for visualizing large datasets in compact space. It is easy to identify patterns, such as which categories are dominant. Common applications of the treemap chart are seen in the IT industry, such as resource allocation, disk space management, website analytics, etc. Also, they can be used in multiple industries like healthcare data analysis, market share across different product categories, or even in finance to visualize portfolios.

Real-Life Application of a Treemap Chart

Let’s consider a financial scenario where a financial team wants to represent the budget allocation of a company. There is a hierarchy in the process, so it is helpful to use a treemap chart. In the chart, the top-level rectangle could represent the total budget, and it would be subdivided into smaller rectangles, each denoting a specific department. Further subdivisions within these smaller rectangles might represent individual projects or cost categories.

Step 1: Define Your Data Hierarchy

While presenting data on the budget allocation, start by outlining the hierarchical structure. The sequence will be like the overall budget at the top, followed by departments, projects within each department, and finally, individual cost categories for each project.

• Top-level rectangle: Total Budget
• Second-level rectangles: Departments (Engineering, Marketing, Sales)
• Third-level rectangles: Projects within each department
• Fourth-level rectangles: Cost categories for each project (Personnel, Marketing Expenses, Equipment)

Step 2: Choose a Suitable Tool

It’s time to select a data visualization tool supporting Treemaps. Popular choices include Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, PowerPoint, or even coding with libraries like D3.js. It is vital to ensure that the chosen tool provides customization options for colors, labels, and hierarchical structures.

Here, the team uses PowerPoint for this guide because of its user-friendly interface and robust Treemap capabilities.

Step 3: Make a Treemap Chart with PowerPoint

After opening the PowerPoint presentation, they chose “SmartArt” to form the chart. The SmartArt Graphic window has a “Hierarchy” category on the left.  Here, you will see multiple options. You can choose any layout that resembles a Treemap. The “Table Hierarchy” or “Organization Chart” options can be adapted. The team selects the Table Hierarchy as it looks close to a Treemap.

Step 5: Input Your Data

After that, a new window will open with a basic structure. They add the data one by one by clicking on the text boxes. They start with the top-level rectangle, representing the total budget.  

Step 6: Customize the Treemap

By clicking on each shape, they customize its color, size, and label. At the same time, they can adjust the font size, style, and color of labels by using the options in the “Format” tab in PowerPoint. Using different colors for each level enhances the visual difference.

Treemaps excel at illustrating hierarchical structures. These charts make it easy to understand relationships and dependencies. They efficiently use space, compactly displaying a large amount of data, reducing the need for excessive scrolling or navigation. Additionally, using colors enhances the understanding of data by representing different variables or categories.

In some cases, treemaps might become complex, especially with deep hierarchies.  It becomes challenging for some users to interpret the chart. At the same time, displaying detailed information within each rectangle might be constrained by space. It potentially limits the amount of data that can be shown clearly. Without proper labeling and color coding, there’s a risk of misinterpretation.

A heatmap is a data visualization tool that uses color coding to represent values across a two-dimensional surface. In these, colors replace numbers to indicate the magnitude of each cell. This color-shaded matrix display is valuable for summarizing and understanding data sets with a glance [7] . The intensity of the color corresponds to the value it represents, making it easy to identify patterns, trends, and variations in the data.

As a tool, heatmaps help businesses analyze website interactions, revealing user behavior patterns and preferences to enhance overall user experience. In addition, companies use heatmaps to assess content engagement, identifying popular sections and areas of improvement for more effective communication. They excel at highlighting patterns and trends in large datasets, making it easy to identify areas of interest.

We can implement heatmaps to express multiple data types, such as numerical values, percentages, or even categorical data. Heatmaps help us easily spot areas with lots of activity, making them helpful in figuring out clusters [8] . When making these maps, it is important to pick colors carefully. The colors need to show the differences between groups or levels of something. And it is good to use colors that people with colorblindness can easily see.

Check our detailed guide on how to create a heatmap here. Also discover our collection of heatmap PowerPoint templates .

Pie charts are circular statistical graphics divided into slices to illustrate numerical proportions. Each slice represents a proportionate part of the whole, making it easy to visualize the contribution of each component to the total.

The size of the pie charts is influenced by the value of data points within each pie. The total of all data points in a pie determines its size. The pie with the highest data points appears as the largest, whereas the others are proportionally smaller. However, you can present all pies of the same size if proportional representation is not required [9] . Sometimes, pie charts are difficult to read, or additional information is required. A variation of this tool can be used instead, known as the donut chart , which has the same structure but a blank center, creating a ring shape. Presenters can add extra information, and the ring shape helps to declutter the graph.

Pie charts are used in business to show percentage distribution, compare relative sizes of categories, or present straightforward data sets where visualizing ratios is essential.

Real-Life Application of Pie Charts

Consider a scenario where you want to represent the distribution of the data. Each slice of the pie chart would represent a different category, and the size of each slice would indicate the percentage of the total portion allocated to that category.

Step 1: Define Your Data Structure

Imagine you are presenting the distribution of a project budget among different expense categories.

• Column A: Expense Categories (Personnel, Equipment, Marketing, Miscellaneous)
• Column B: Budget Amounts ($40,000, $30,000, $20,000, $10,000) Column B represents the values of your categories in Column A.

Step 2: Insert a Pie Chart

Using any of the accessible tools, you can create a pie chart. The most convenient tools for forming a pie chart in a presentation are presentation tools such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.  You will notice that the pie chart assigns each expense category a percentage of the total budget by dividing it by the total budget.

For instance:

• Personnel: $40,000 / ($40,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 + $10,000) = 40%
• Equipment: $30,000 / ($40,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 + $10,000) = 30%
• Marketing: $20,000 / ($40,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 + $10,000) = 20%
• Miscellaneous: $10,000 / ($40,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 + $10,000) = 10%

You can make a chart out of this or just pull out the pie chart from the data.

3D pie charts and 3D donut charts are quite popular among the audience. They stand out as visual elements in any presentation slide, so let’s take a look at how our pie chart example would look in 3D pie chart format.

Step 03: Results Interpretation

The pie chart visually illustrates the distribution of the project budget among different expense categories. Personnel constitutes the largest portion at 40%, followed by equipment at 30%, marketing at 20%, and miscellaneous at 10%. This breakdown provides a clear overview of where the project funds are allocated, which helps in informed decision-making and resource management. It is evident that personnel are a significant investment, emphasizing their importance in the overall project budget.

Pie charts provide a straightforward way to represent proportions and percentages. They are easy to understand, even for individuals with limited data analysis experience. These charts work well for small datasets with a limited number of categories.

However, a pie chart can become cluttered and less effective in situations with many categories. Accurate interpretation may be challenging, especially when dealing with slight differences in slice sizes. In addition, these charts are static and do not effectively convey trends over time.

For more information, check our collection of pie chart templates for PowerPoint .

Histograms present the distribution of numerical variables. Unlike a bar chart that records each unique response separately, histograms organize numeric responses into bins and show the frequency of reactions within each bin [10] . The x-axis of a histogram shows the range of values for a numeric variable. At the same time, the y-axis indicates the relative frequencies (percentage of the total counts) for that range of values.

Whenever you want to understand the distribution of your data, check which values are more common, or identify outliers, histograms are your go-to. Think of them as a spotlight on the story your data is telling. A histogram can provide a quick and insightful overview if you’re curious about exam scores, sales figures, or any numerical data distribution.

Real-Life Application of a Histogram

In the histogram data analysis presentation example, imagine an instructor analyzing a class’s grades to identify the most common score range. A histogram could effectively display the distribution. It will show whether most students scored in the average range or if there are significant outliers.

Step 1: Gather Data

He begins by gathering the data. The scores of each student in class are gathered to analyze exam scores.

After arranging the scores in ascending order, bin ranges are set.

Step 2: Define Bins

Bins are like categories that group similar values. Think of them as buckets that organize your data. The presenter decides how wide each bin should be based on the range of the values. For instance, the instructor sets the bin ranges based on score intervals: 60-69, 70-79, 80-89, and 90-100.

Step 3: Count Frequency

Now, he counts how many data points fall into each bin. This step is crucial because it tells you how often specific ranges of values occur. The result is the frequency distribution, showing the occurrences of each group.

Here, the instructor counts the number of students in each category.

• 60-69: 1 student (Kate)
• 70-79: 4 students (David, Emma, Grace, Jack)
• 80-89: 7 students (Alice, Bob, Frank, Isabel, Liam, Mia, Noah)
• 90-100: 3 students (Clara, Henry, Olivia)

Step 4: Create the Histogram

It’s time to turn the data into a visual representation. Draw a bar for each bin on a graph. The width of the bar should correspond to the range of the bin, and the height should correspond to the frequency.  To make your histogram understandable, label the X and Y axes.

In this case, the X-axis should represent the bins (e.g., test score ranges), and the Y-axis represents the frequency.

The histogram of the class grades reveals insightful patterns in the distribution. Most students, with seven students, fall within the 80-89 score range. The histogram provides a clear visualization of the class’s performance. It showcases a concentration of grades in the upper-middle range with few outliers at both ends. This analysis helps in understanding the overall academic standing of the class. It also identifies the areas for potential improvement or recognition.

Thus, histograms provide a clear visual representation of data distribution. They are easy to interpret, even for those without a statistical background. They apply to various types of data, including continuous and discrete variables. One weak point is that histograms do not capture detailed patterns in students’ data, with seven compared to other visualization methods.

A scatter plot is a graphical representation of the relationship between two variables. It consists of individual data points on a two-dimensional plane. This plane plots one variable on the x-axis and the other on the y-axis. Each point represents a unique observation. It visualizes patterns, trends, or correlations between the two variables.

Scatter plots are also effective in revealing the strength and direction of relationships. They identify outliers and assess the overall distribution of data points. The points’ dispersion and clustering reflect the relationship’s nature, whether it is positive, negative, or lacks a discernible pattern. In business, scatter plots assess relationships between variables such as marketing cost and sales revenue. They help present data correlations and decision-making.

Real-Life Application of Scatter Plot

A group of scientists is conducting a study on the relationship between daily hours of screen time and sleep quality. After reviewing the data, they managed to create this table to help them build a scatter plot graph:

In the provided example, the x-axis represents Daily Hours of Screen Time, and the y-axis represents the Sleep Quality Rating.

The scientists observe a negative correlation between the amount of screen time and the quality of sleep. This is consistent with their hypothesis that blue light, especially before bedtime, has a significant impact on sleep quality and metabolic processes.

There are a few things to remember when using a scatter plot. Even when a scatter diagram indicates a relationship, it doesn’t mean one variable affects the other. A third factor can influence both variables. The more the plot resembles a straight line, the stronger the relationship is perceived [11] . If it suggests no ties, the observed pattern might be due to random fluctuations in data. When the scatter diagram depicts no correlation, whether the data might be stratified is worth considering.

Choosing the appropriate data presentation type is crucial when making a presentation . Understanding the nature of your data and the message you intend to convey will guide this selection process. For instance, when showcasing quantitative relationships, scatter plots become instrumental in revealing correlations between variables. If the focus is on emphasizing parts of a whole, pie charts offer a concise display of proportions. Histograms, on the other hand, prove valuable for illustrating distributions and frequency patterns. 

Bar charts provide a clear visual comparison of different categories. Likewise, line charts excel in showcasing trends over time, while tables are ideal for detailed data examination. Starting a presentation on data presentation types involves evaluating the specific information you want to communicate and selecting the format that aligns with your message. This ensures clarity and resonance with your audience from the beginning of your presentation.

1. Fact Sheet Dashboard for Data Presentation

Convey all the data you need to present in this one-pager format, an ideal solution tailored for users looking for presentation aids. Global maps, donut chats, column graphs, and text neatly arranged in a clean layout presented in light and dark themes.

Use This Template

2. 3D Column Chart Infographic PPT Template

Represent column charts in a highly visual 3D format with this PPT template. A creative way to present data, this template is entirely editable, and we can craft either a one-page infographic or a series of slides explaining what we intend to disclose point by point.

3. Data Circles Infographic PowerPoint Template

An alternative to the pie chart and donut chart diagrams, this template features a series of curved shapes with bubble callouts as ways of presenting data. Expand the information for each arch in the text placeholder areas.

4. Colorful Metrics Dashboard for Data Presentation

This versatile dashboard template helps us in the presentation of the data by offering several graphs and methods to convert numbers into graphics. Implement it for e-commerce projects, financial projections, project development, and more.

5. Animated Data Presentation Tools for PowerPoint & Google Slides

A slide deck filled with most of the tools mentioned in this article, from bar charts, column charts, treemap graphs, pie charts, histogram, etc. Animated effects make each slide look dynamic when sharing data with stakeholders.

6. Statistics Waffle Charts PPT Template for Data Presentations

This PPT template helps us how to present data beyond the typical pie chart representation. It is widely used for demographics, so it’s a great fit for marketing teams, data science professionals, HR personnel, and more.

7. Data Presentation Dashboard Template for Google Slides

A compendium of tools in dashboard format featuring line graphs, bar charts, column charts, and neatly arranged placeholder text areas. 

8. Weather Dashboard for Data Presentation

Share weather data for agricultural presentation topics, environmental studies, or any kind of presentation that requires a highly visual layout for weather forecasting on a single day. Two color themes are available.

9. Social Media Marketing Dashboard Data Presentation Template

Intended for marketing professionals, this dashboard template for data presentation is a tool for presenting data analytics from social media channels. Two slide layouts featuring line graphs and column charts.

10. Project Management Summary Dashboard Template

A tool crafted for project managers to deliver highly visual reports on a project’s completion, the profits it delivered for the company, and expenses/time required to execute it. 4 different color layouts are available.

11. Profit & Loss Dashboard for PowerPoint and Google Slides

A must-have for finance professionals. This typical profit & loss dashboard includes progress bars, donut charts, column charts, line graphs, and everything that’s required to deliver a comprehensive report about a company’s financial situation.

Overwhelming visuals

One of the mistakes related to using data-presenting methods is including too much data or using overly complex visualizations. They can confuse the audience and dilute the key message.

Inappropriate chart types

Choosing the wrong type of chart for the data at hand can lead to misinterpretation. For example, using a pie chart for data that doesn’t represent parts of a whole is not right.

Lack of context

Failing to provide context or sufficient labeling can make it challenging for the audience to understand the significance of the presented data.

Inconsistency in design

Using inconsistent design elements and color schemes across different visualizations can create confusion and visual disarray.

Failure to provide details

Simply presenting raw data without offering clear insights or takeaways can leave the audience without a meaningful conclusion.

Lack of focus

Not having a clear focus on the key message or main takeaway can result in a presentation that lacks a central theme.

Visual accessibility issues

Overlooking the visual accessibility of charts and graphs can exclude certain audience members who may have difficulty interpreting visual information.

In order to avoid these mistakes in data presentation, presenters can benefit from using presentation templates . These templates provide a structured framework. They ensure consistency, clarity, and an aesthetically pleasing design, enhancing data communication’s overall impact.

Understanding and choosing data presentation types are pivotal in effective communication. Each method serves a unique purpose, so selecting the appropriate one depends on the nature of the data and the message to be conveyed. The diverse array of presentation types offers versatility in visually representing information, from bar charts showing values to pie charts illustrating proportions. 

Using the proper method enhances clarity, engages the audience, and ensures that data sets are not just presented but comprehensively understood. By appreciating the strengths and limitations of different presentation types, communicators can tailor their approach to convey information accurately, developing a deeper connection between data and audience understanding.

[1] Government of Canada, S.C. (2021) 5 Data Visualization 5.2 Bar Chart , 5.2 Bar chart .  https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/edu/power-pouvoir/ch9/bargraph-diagrammeabarres/5214818-eng.htm

[2] Kosslyn, S.M., 1989. Understanding charts and graphs. Applied cognitive psychology, 3(3), pp.185-225. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA183409.pdf

[3] Creating a Dashboard . https://it.tufts.edu/book/export/html/1870

[4] https://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/research/data-and-more/data-dashboards/index.html

[5] https://www.mit.edu/course/21/21.guide/grf-line.htm

[6] Jadeja, M. and Shah, K., 2015, January. Tree-Map: A Visualization Tool for Large Data. In GSB@ SIGIR (pp. 9-13). https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1393/gsb15proceedings.pdf#page=15

[7] Heat Maps and Quilt Plots. https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/population-health-methods/heat-maps-and-quilt-plots

[8] EIU QGIS WORKSHOP. https://www.eiu.edu/qgisworkshop/heatmaps.php

[9] About Pie Charts.  https://www.mit.edu/~mbarker/formula1/f1help/11-ch-c8.htm

[10] Histograms. https://sites.utexas.edu/sos/guided/descriptive/numericaldd/descriptiven2/histogram/ [11] https://asq.org/quality-resources/scatter-diagram

Like this article? Please share

Data Analysis, Data Science, Data Visualization Filed under Design

Related Articles

Filed under Design • March 27th, 2024

How to Make a Presentation Graph

Detailed step-by-step instructions to master the art of how to make a presentation graph in PowerPoint and Google Slides. Check it out!

Filed under Presentation Ideas • January 6th, 2024

All About Using Harvey Balls

Among the many tools in the arsenal of the modern presenter, Harvey Balls have a special place. In this article we will tell you all about using Harvey Balls.

Filed under Business • December 8th, 2023

How to Design a Dashboard Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide

Take a step further in your professional presentation skills by learning what a dashboard presentation is and how to properly design one in PowerPoint. A detailed step-by-step guide is here!

Leave a Reply

• Selected Reading
• UPSC IAS Exams Notes
• Developer's Best Practices
• Questions and Answers
• Effective Resume Writing
• HR Interview Questions
• Computer Glossary

Diagrammatic Presentation Of Data

Introduction.

The diagrammatic representation also helps in having a bird’s eye view or overall view of the differentiation of data. It is a norm to present statistical data in the form of diagrams so that it becomes easier to comprehend and understand them. Therefore, diagrammatic representation is an important tool in statistics.

What is a Diagrammatic Presentation of Data?

Diagrammatic representation refers to a representation of statistical data in the form of diagrams. The diagrams used in representing statistical data are geometrical figures, such as lines, bars, and circles. The intention of using geometrical figures in statistical presentation is to make the study more interesting and easy to understand. Diagrammatic representations are widely used in statistics, economics, and many other fields of study.

Types of Diagrammatic Presentations of Data

Various types of diagrammatic representations of data depend on the dataset and the particular statistical elements in them. Data presentation can be made in different types and forms.

These can be broadly classified into the following one-dimensional types −

Line Diagram

In a line diagram, straight lines are used to indicate various parameters. Here, a line represents the sequence of data associated with the changing of a particular variable.

Properties of Line Diagram −

The Lines are either in vertical or horizontal directions.

There may be uniform scaling but this is not mandatory.

The lines that connect the data points offer the statistical representation of data.

The following is an example of a line diagram that shows profits in Rs crore from 2002 till 2008. Profit in 2002 was Rs 5 Crore while in 2008 it was Rs 24 Crore.

Bar Diagram

Bar diagrams have rectangular shapes of equal width that represent statistical data in a straightforward manner. Bar diagrams are one of the most widely used diagrammatic representations.

Properties of Bar Diagram −

The Bars can be vertical or horizontal in directions.

All bars in a diagram have a uniform width.

All the Bars have a common and same base.

The height or width of the Bar shows the required value.

The following is an example of a Bar Chart that has time on the X axis and profits on the Y axis.

Also known as a "circle chart" , the pie chart divides the circular statistical graphic into sectors or sections to illustrate the numerical data. Each sector in the circle denotes a proportionate part of the whole. Pie-chart works the best at the time when we want to denote the composition of something. In most cases, the pie chart replaces other diagrammatic representations, such as the bar graph, line plots, histograms, etc.

In practice, the various sections in a pie chart are derived according to their ratio to the total area of the circle. Then according to their individual contributions, sections are divided into parts derived from 360 degrees of the circle.

Advantages of Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

Easier to understand.

Pictorial representations are usually easier to understand than statistical text or representation in tabular form. One can easily understand which portion or part has more contribution toward the overall dataset. This helps in understanding the data better.

The creators of diagrams usually keep the simplicity of presentation in mind to offer more information to readers. That is why diagrams are easier to comprehend than texts and tables.

More attractive

Pictorial or diagrammatic representations of datasets are more attractive than normal representations. As colors and various other tools can be incorporated into diagrams, they become more attractive and comprehensible for the readers.

Moreover, as diagrams can be made more interactive with the help of computer graphics, they have become more acceptable and attractive currently.

Simpler presentations

Data can be presented more simply in diagrammatic form. Both extensive unstable data and smaller complex data can be represented by diagrammatic representations more easily. This helps statisticians offer more value to their findings.

Comparison is easier

When two or more data are compared, it is easier to do so in pictorial form. As diagrams clearly show the portion of data consumed, it can be easily understood from the diagrams which part of the data is consuming more area in the diagrams. This can help one to understand the real differences through pictorial comparison.

Universal acceptance

Diagrammatic representation of data is used in many fields of study, such as statistics, science, commerce, economics, etc. So, the diagrams are accepted universally and hence are used everywhere.

Moreover, since there are the same procedures for forming diagrams, the representations mean the same thing to everyone. So, there is nothing to alter when we obtain the diagrams to check the real values. It helps analysts solve problems universally.

Improvement in presentation

Diagrammatic representations improve the overall representation of data to a large extent. As the data is classified into several groups and presented in a systematic manner in diagrams, the whole presentation of data gets improved during the diagrammatic representation.

Moreover, as diagrams can be made more interactive than texts or tables, diagrammatic presentations are one step ahead in presenting the data in a simpler yet recognizable manner.

More organized and classified data

To represent data in diagrams, they must be organized and classified into comprehensive categories. This helps the data to be organized in a given fashion which makes them orderly and creates a sequence. This in turn helps realize diagrammatic data better than text forms.

Relevance Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

Diagrams are a great way of representing data because they are visually attractive and they can make large, complex datasets look simpler. The otherwise heavy data can be simply and easily represented by line and bar diagrams, and pie charts. This makes data organization simpler and neater.

Moreover, as data must be classified before representation, one must organize them according to the norms required. So, diagrammatic representations save lots of time and resources.

Diagrams also have universal acceptance and so can be used to express data in different forms. This provides the analysts and researchers flexibility to present data in any required form.

Diagrams also remove confusion and offer a simpler tactic to present data. As no special skill has to be learned to represent data in diagrams, they can be used by most to show statistical data and results of various types of research and experiments.

Therefore, diagrammatic representation has great relevance that can be used for the benefit of economists, statisticians, marketing analysts, and a lot of other professionals.

The diagrams are a central part of statistics and their importance can be known from the fact that almost all statistical researchers use them in one way or the other. The diagrammatical representations make inferring statistical data much simpler and easier. It is a much easier way to visualize and understand data in simpler forms too.

To represent data in diagrammatic form, only a simple understanding of Mathematics is required. So, no special skills are needed to use diagrams and this makes them very popular tools for the representation of data sets. Learning how to present data in diagrams, therefore, should be a priority for everyone.

Q1. Which is the simplest diagrammatic presentation of data?

Ans. The simplest diagrammatic presentation of data is a line diagram that shows data in terms of straight lines.

Q2. What are the two characteristics of bar diagrams?

Ans. Bar diagrams have uniform width and their base remains the same.

Q3. How are the sections in a pie chart formed?

Ans. In practice, the various sections in a pie chart are derived according to their ratio to the total area of the circle. Then according to their individual contributions, sections are divided into parts derived from 360 degrees of the circle.

For example, if a section requires 25% of the presentation, it will consume  degrees on the chart.

Related Articles

• The Presentation Layer of OSI Model
• Explain the functions of Presentation Layer.
• What is Presentation Layer?
• Share Powerpoint Presentation through Facebook
• What is a presentation layer?
• The best presentation tools for business
• Antigen Presentation: A Vital Immune Process
• Importing/Exporting ABAP packages to Presentation server
• Difference Between Presentation Skills and Public Speaking
• Tips for Using PowerPoint Presentation More Efficiently
• How to add and remove encryption for MS Powerpoint Presentation?
• How to make an impressive PPT presentation for a college activity?
• Figure shows a diagrammatic representation of trees in the afternoon along a sea coast.State on which side is the sea; A or B? Give reasons for your choice."
• Distribution of Test Data vs. Distribution of Training Data
• Characteristics of Biological Data (Genome Data Management)

Kickstart Your Career

Get certified by completing the course

• Accountancy
• Business Studies
• Commercial Law
• Organisational Behaviour
• Human Resource Management
• Entrepreneurship
• CBSE Class 11 Statistics for Economics Notes

Chapter 1: Concept of Economics and Significance of Statistics in Economics

• Statistics for Economics | Functions, Importance, and Limitations

Chapter 2: Collection of Data

• Data Collection & Its Methods
• Sources of Data Collection | Primary and Secondary Sources
• Direct Personal Investigation: Meaning, Suitability, Merits, Demerits and Precautions
• Indirect Oral Investigation : Suitability, Merits, Demerits and Precautions
• Difference between Direct Personal Investigation and Indirect Oral Investigation
• Information from Local Source or Correspondents: Meaning, Suitability, Merits, and Demerits
• Questionnaires and Schedules Method of Data Collection
• Difference between Questionnaire and Schedule
• Qualities of a Good Questionnaire and types of Questions
• What are the Published Sources of Collecting Secondary Data?
• What Precautions should be taken before using Secondary Data?
• Two Important Sources of Secondary Data: Census of India and Reports & Publications of NSSO
• What is National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO)?
• What is Census Method of Collecting Data?
• Sample Method of Collection of Data
• Methods of Sampling
• Father of Indian Census
• What makes a Sampling Data Reliable?
• Difference between Census Method and Sampling Method of Collecting Data
• What are Statistical Errors?

Chapter 3: Organisation of Data

• Organization of Data
• Objectives and Characteristics of Classification of Data
• Classification of Data in Statistics | Meaning and Basis of Classification of Data
• Concept of Variable and Raw Data
• Types of Statistical Series
• Difference between Frequency Array and Frequency Distribution
• Types of Frequency Distribution

Chapter 4: Presentation of Data: Textual and Tabular

• Textual Presentation of Data: Meaning, Suitability, and Drawbacks
• Tabular Presentation of Data: Meaning, Objectives, Features and Merits
• Different Types of Tables
• Classification and Tabulation of Data

Chapter 5: Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

• Diagrammatic Presentation of Data: Meaning , Features, Guidelines, Advantages and Disadvantages
• Types of Diagrams
• Bar Graph | Meaning, Types, and Examples
• Pie Diagrams | Meaning, Example and Steps to Construct
• Histogram | Meaning, Example, Types and Steps to Draw
• Frequency Polygon | Meaning, Steps to Draw and Examples
• Ogive (Cumulative Frequency Curve) and its Types
• What is Arithmetic Line-Graph or Time-Series Graph?

Diagrammatic and Graphic Presentation of Data

Chapter 6: measures of central tendency: arithmetic mean.

• Measures of Central Tendency in Statistics
• Arithmetic Mean: Meaning, Example, Types, Merits, and Demerits
• What is Simple Arithmetic Mean?
• Calculation of Mean in Individual Series | Formula of Mean
• Calculation of Mean in Discrete Series | Formula of Mean
• Calculation of Mean in Continuous Series | Formula of Mean
• Calculation of Arithmetic Mean in Special Cases
• Weighted Arithmetic Mean

Chapter 7: Measures of Central Tendency: Median and Mode

• Median(Measures of Central Tendency): Meaning, Formula, Merits, Demerits, and Examples
• Calculation of Median for Different Types of Statistical Series
• Calculation of Median in Individual Series | Formula of Median
• Calculation of Median in Discrete Series | Formula of Median
• Calculation of Median in Continuous Series | Formula of Median
• Graphical determination of Median
• Mode: Meaning, Formula, Merits, Demerits, and Examples
• Calculation of Mode in Individual Series | Formula of Mode
• Calculation of Mode in Discrete Series | Formula of Mode
• Grouping Method of Calculating Mode in Discrete Series | Formula of Mode
• Calculation of Mode in Continuous Series | Formula of Mode
• Calculation of Mode in Special Cases
• Calculation of Mode by Graphical Method
• Mean, Median and Mode| Comparison, Relationship and Calculation

Chapter 8: Measures of Dispersion

• Measures of Dispersion | Meaning, Absolute and Relative Measures of Dispersion
• Range | Meaning, Coefficient of Range, Merits and Demerits, Calculation of Range
• Calculation of Range and Coefficient of Range
• Interquartile Range and Quartile Deviation
• Partition Value | Quartiles, Deciles and Percentiles
• Quartile Deviation and Coefficient of Quartile Deviation: Meaning, Formula, Calculation, and Examples
• Calculation of Mean Deviation for different types of Statistical Series
• Mean Deviation from Mean | Individual, Discrete, and Continuous Series
• Standard Deviation: Meaning, Coefficient of Standard Deviation, Merits, and Demerits
• Standard Deviation in Individual Series
• Methods of Calculating Standard Deviation in Discrete Series
• Methods of calculation of Standard Deviation in frequency distribution series
• Combined Standard Deviation: Meaning, Formula, and Example
• How to calculate Variance?
• Coefficient of Variation: Meaning, Formula and Examples
• Lorenz Curveb : Meaning, Construction, and Application

Chapter 9: Correlation

• Correlation: Meaning, Significance, Types and Degree of Correlation
• Methods of measurements of Correlation
• Calculation of Correlation with Scattered Diagram
• Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient
• Karl Pearson's Coefficient of Correlation
• Karl Pearson's Coefficient of Correlation | Methods and Examples

Chapter 10: Index Number

• Index Number | Meaning, Characteristics, Uses and Limitations
• Methods of Construction of Index Number
• Unweighted or Simple Index Numbers: Meaning and Methods
• Methods of calculating Weighted Index Numbers
• Fisher's Index Number as an Ideal Method
• Fisher's Method of calculating Weighted Index Number
• Paasche's Method of calculating Weighted Index Number
• Laspeyre's Method of calculating Weighted Index Number
• Laspeyre's, Paasche's, and Fisher's Methods of Calculating Index Number
• Consumer Price Index (CPI) or Cost of Living Index Number: Construction of Consumer Price Index|Difficulties and Uses of Consumer Price Index
• Methods of Constructing Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• Wholesale Price Index (WPI) | Meaning, Uses, Merits, and Demerits
• Index Number of Industrial Production : Characteristics, Construction & Example
• Inflation and Index Number

Important Formulas in Statistics for Economics

• Important Formulas in Statistics for Economics | Class 11

Diagrammatic and graphic presentation of data means visual representation of the data. It shows a comparison between two or more sets of data and helps in the presentation of highly complex data in its simplest form. Diagrams and graphs are clear and easy to read and understand. In the diagrammatic presentation of data, bar charts, rectangles, sub-divided rectangles, pie charts, or circle diagrams are used. In the graphic presentation of data, graphs like histograms, frequency polygon, frequency curves, cumulative frequency polygon, and graphs of time series are used.

General Rules for Construction of Diagrammatic and Graphic Presentations: 

1. Chronic Number: Each outline or chart should have a chronic number. It is important to recognize one from the other.

2. Title: A title should be given to each outline or chart. From the title, one can understand what the graph or diagram is. The title ought to be brief and simple. It is normally positioned at the top.

3. Legitimate size and scale: An outline or chart ought to be of ordinary size and drawn with an appropriate scale. The scale in a chart indicates the size of the unit.

4. Neatness: Outlines should be pretty much as straightforward as could be expected. Further, they should be very perfect and clean. They ought to likewise be dropped to check out.

5. File: Each outline or chart should be joined by a record. This outlines various sorts of lines, shades or tones utilized in the graph.

6. Commentary: Commentaries might be given at the lower part of an outline. It explains specific focuses in the chart.

Merits of Diagrammatic and Graphics Presentation:

The fundamental benefits or merits of a diagrammatic and graphical representation of data are as follows:

1. To simplify the data: Outlines and charts present information in a simple manner that can be perceived by anyone without any problem. Huge volume of data can be easily presented using graphs and diagrams.

2. Appealing presentation: Outlines and charts present complex information and data in an understandable and engaging manner and leave a great visual effect. In this way, the diagrammatic and graphical representation of information effectively draws the attention of users.

3. Helps with comparison of data: With the help of outlines and charts, comparison and examination data between various arrangements of information is possible.

4. Helps in forecasting: The diagrammatic and graphical representation of information has past patterns, which helps in forecasting and making various policies for the future.

5. Saves time and labour: Charts and graphs make the complex data into a simple form, which can be easily understood by anyone without having prior knowledge of the data. It gives ready to use information, and the user can use it accordingly. In this way, it saves a lot of time and labour.

6. Universally acceptable: Graphs and diagrams are used in every field and can be easily understood by anyone. Hence they are universally acceptable.

7. Helps in decision making: Diagrams and graphs give the real data about the past patterns, trends, outcomes, etc., which helps in future preparation.

Demerits of Diagrammatic and Graphics Presentation:

The demerits of diagrammatic and graphics presentation of data are as follows:

1. Handle with care: Drawing, surmising and understanding from graphs and diagrams needs proper insight and care. A person with little knowledge of statistics cannot analyze or use the data properly.

2. Specific information: Graphs and diagrams do not depict true or precise information. They are generally founded on approximations. The information provided is limited and specific.

3. Low precision: Graphs and diagrams can give misleading results, as they are mostly based on approximation of data. Personal judgement is used to study or analyze the data, which can make the information biased. Also, data can easily be manipulated.

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads.

• Statistics for Economics
• What are Tiktok AI Avatars?
• Poe Introduces A Price-per-message Revenue Model For AI Bot Creators
• Truecaller For Web Now Available For Android Users In India
• Google Introduces New AI-powered Vids App
• 30 OOPs Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Statistical Methods in Medical Research pp 21–25 Cite as

Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

• Charan Singh Rayat 2  
• First Online: 24 August 2018

1796 Accesses

The most important function of science of statistics is to simplify the complexity of quantitative data and to make them easily understandable. Numeric figures are usually avoided by common man, but pictures, diagrams, and graphs always attract our attention. Diagrams and graphs give a “birds’ eye view” to the entire mass of statistical data that have been collected about any hypothesis. Characteristics of diagrams and rules for drawing these have been discussed with limitations and use of these. There are a variety of diagrams like dimensional drawings, pictograms, cartograms, graphs, curves, and circles or pie diagrams, which have great utility in the presentation of data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Buying options

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India

Charan Singh Rayat

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter.

Rayat, C.S. (2018). Diagrammatic Presentation of Data. In: Statistical Methods in Medical Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0827-7_4

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0827-7_4

Published : 24 August 2018

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-13-0826-0

Online ISBN : 978-981-13-0827-7

eBook Packages : Mathematics and Statistics Mathematics and Statistics (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

PPT - Diagrammatic representation of data | Business Mathematics and Statistics - B Com PDF Download

Faqs on ppt - diagrammatic representation of data - business mathematics and statistics - b com, practice quizzes, objective type questions, ppt - diagrammatic representation of data | business mathematics and statistics - b com, semester notes, important questions, extra questions, video lectures, study material, past year papers, mock tests for examination, shortcuts and tricks, viva questions, sample paper, previous year questions with solutions.

PPT - Diagrammatic representation of data Free PDF Download

Importance of ppt - diagrammatic representation of data, ppt - diagrammatic representation of data notes, ppt - diagrammatic representation of data b com questions, study ppt - diagrammatic representation of data on the app, welcome back, create your account for free.

Forgot Password

Unattempted tests, change country.

• Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

Nowadays a lot of emphases is laid upon exceptional presentation of data.  All of this is because, when presented diagrammatically, data is easy to interpret with just a glance. In such a case we need to learn how to represent data diagrammatically via bar diagrams, pie charts etc.

Suggested Videos

Bar diagrams.

As the name suggests, when data is presented in form of bars or rectangles , it is termed to be a bar diagram.

Features of a Bar

• The rectangular box in a bar diagram is known as a bar. It represents the value of a variable .
• These bars can be either vertically or horizontally arranged.
• Bars are equidistant from each other.
• Each bar originates from a common baseline or a common axis.
• The width of bars remain same but the height changes, according to the value of a variable, to denote the difference between their values.
• Unless they are in a specific order, the convention is that bars can be arranged in an ascending or descending order.

Browse more Topics under Presentation Of Data

• Textual and Tabular Presentation of Data

Types of Bar Diagrams

Simple bar diagram.

These are the most basic type of bar diagrams. A simple bar diagram represents only a single set of numerical data. Generally, simple bar diagrams are used to represent time series data for a single entity.

Generally, the Y-axis contains markings which represent the range of the value of variable whereas the X-axis contains divisions for entities like years, time periods, areas etc.

Multiple Bar Diagram

Unlike single bar diagram, a multiple bar diagram can represent two or more sets of numerical data on the same bar diagram. Generally, these are constructed to facilitate comparison between two entities like average height and average weight, birth rates and death rates etc.

Separate sets of numerical data are differentiated with the help of colour variation. By the same token of simple bar diagrams, multiple bar diagrams also have divisions on Y-axis and X-axis that represent different values of the variable and entities like year, areas etc. respectively. Note that each division on X-axis has two or more bar diagrams each according to the specified number of bars.

Sub-divided or Differential Bar Diagrams

Sub-divided bar diagrams are useful when we need to represent the total values and the contribution of various sections of the total simultaneously. The different sections are shaded with different colours in the same bar.

For example, such a bar diagram can be used to represent the varying levels of employment over the years in India and each bar can be divided into two sectors, the urban and rural. Again, here the Y-axis and X-axis represent same values as in simple and multiple bar diagrams.

Percentage Bar Diagrams

This is derived further from the subdivided bar diagrams. In this, each bar has the same height that represents 100 percent of the Y-axis in totality. Further, each bar is divided into sections based on percentages calculated according to the contribution of these sections.

Percentage bar diagrams are used when the values are really high. This is because using subdivided bar diagrams in such cases would not be easy and appropriate.

Deviation Bar Diagrams

Lastly, the deviation bar diagrams are most interesting of the lot. In such a type of bar diagram, there are both negative and positive values on the y-axis. The deviation bar diagrams are used to compare the net deviation of related variables with respect to time and location.

For example, it can be used to represent a bar diagram for savings (represented by positive deviations) and deficit (represented by negative deviations) over years.

Pie or Circular Diagrams

In addition to bar diagrams, pie diagrams are also widely used to pictorially represent data. In this, a circle is divided into various segments which are decided on the basis of percentages. Which means the circle is divided into sectors depending on various percentages.

These sectors are differentiated with the help of colours. Pie diagrams have an edge over bar diagrams because they can easily provide an overview and provides a better sense of contributions of each part. The steps for construction of a pie diagram are:

The first step involves finding out respective percentages. This is done by a simple mathematical formula to find out percentages which is –

{(Parts for the respective sector)/total parts) ×100} .

For example, if in a class of 1oo students, 30 are obese, 20 are fat and 50 are slim then the percentages will be as follows:

(30/100) × 100= 30%

(20/100) × 100= 20%

(50/100) × 100= 50%

2] A circle comprises 360 degrees. The angles that each sector will span across is decided by the given formula: (Percentage value/100)×360°

3] Finally, just plot these values according to their respective angles on a circle and give appropriate markings to complete the pie chart.

A Solved Example for You

Q:   Which among the following is not a feature of a bar in the bar diagram?

• The width is same but the heights are generally different
• They are rectangular in shape
• Bars should not be equidistant
• Each bar originates from a common baseline

Ans:   Of all the above options, option C is incorrect because conventionally the bars should be equidistant.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

Presentation of Data

• Textual And Tabular Presentation Of Data

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

• Increase Font Size

45 Presentation of data I – Diagrammatic representation

Pa . Raajeswari

INTRODUCTION

The data we collect can often be more easily understood for interpretation if it is presented graphically or pictorially. Diagrams and graphs give visual indication of magnitudes, grouping, trends and patterns in the data. The diagrams are used for facilitating comparisons between two or more sets of data. The diagrams are more suitable to illustrate the discrete data. The diagrams should be clear and easy to read and understand.

A large number of diagrams are used to present statistical data. The choice of a particular diagram to present a given set of numerical data is not an easy one. It primarily depends on the nature of the data, magnitude of the observations and the type of people for whom the diagrams are meant and requires great amount of expertise, skill and intelligence. An inappropriate choice of the diagram for the given set of data might give a distorted picture of the phenomenon under the study and might lead to wrong and fallacious interpretations and conclusions. Hence, the choice of a diagram to present the given data should be made with utmost caution and care. The diagrams do not add any meaning to the statistical facts, but they exhibit the results more clearly. Use of diagrams is becoming more and morepopular in the present scenario.

REPRESENTATION OF DATA

Besides the tabular form, the data may also be presented in some graphic or diagrammatic form. “The transformation of data through visual methods like graphs, diagrams, maps and charts is called representation of data.”

The need of representing data graphically:

Graphics, such as maps, graphs and diagrams, are used to represent large volume of data. They are necessary:

• If the information is presented in tabular form or in a descriptive  record, it becomes difficult to draw results.
• Diagramatic form makes it possible to easily draw visual impressions of data.
• The diagramatic method of the representation of data enhances our understanding.
• It makes the comparisons easy.
• Besides, such methods create an imprint on mind for a longer time.
• Diagrams are visual aids for presentation of statistical data and more appealing.
• It is a time consuming task to draw inferences about whatever is being presented in non–diagramaticform.
• It presents characteristics in a simplified way.
• These makes it easy to understand the patterns of population growth, distribution and the density, sex ratio, age–sex composition, occupational structure, etc.

General Rules for Drawing Diagrams and Maps

1. Selection of a Suitable Diagrammatic Method

Each characteristic of the data can only be suitably represented by an appropriate diagramatic method. For example,

To show the data related to the temperature or growth of population between different periods in time line graph are used.

Similarly, bar diagrams are used for showing rainfall or the production of commodities.

The population distribution, both human and livestock, or the distribution of the crop producing areas are shown by dot maps.

The population density can be shown by choropleth maps.

Thus, it is necessary and important to select suitable diagramatic method to represent data.

2. Selection of Suitable Scale

Each diagram or map is drawn to a scale which is used to measure the data. The scale must cover the entire data that is to be represented. The scale should neither be too large nor too small.

The diagram or map should have following design:

1.  Title: The title of the diagram/map must be clear and include – o The name of the area,  Reference year of the data used and o The caption of the diagram.

These are written with different font sizes and thickness. The title, subtitle and the corresponding year is shown in the centre at the top of the map/diagram.

2.   Legend or Index : The index must clearly explain the colours, shades, symbols and signs used in the map and diagram. A legend is shown either at the lower left or lower right side of the map sheet.

3.  Direction The maps should show the direction North and properly placed on the top.

Types of Diagrams

A research should contain a large variety of diagrammatic presentations to present the data and findings of research work.

• One dimensional diagrams – Line and Bar diagram.
• Two dimensional diagrams – Pie diagram
• Three dimensional diagram – Cubes,Squares,Prisms, Cylinders and Blocks.
• Pictographs

ONE DIMENSIONAL DIAGRAMS

1.    LINE DIAGRAM

This kind of a diagram becomes suitable for representing data supplied chronologically in an ascending or descending order. It shows the behaviour of a variable over time. The line graphs are usually drawn to represent the time series data related to the temperature, rainfall, population growth, birth rates and the death rates.

Construction of a Line Graph

1st step: Round the data to be shown upto 1 digit of even numbers.

2nd step: Draw X and Y-axis. Mark the time series variables (years/months) on the X axis and the data quantity/value to be plotted on Y axis.

3rd step: Choose an appropriate scale to show data and label it on Y-axis. If the data involves a negative figure then the selected scale should also show it.

4th step: Plot the data to depict year/month-wise values according to the selected scale on Y-axis, mark the location of the plotted values by a dot and join these dots by a free hand drawn line

Construct a line graph to represent the data

Line diagrams are the simplest of all diagrams.

Line graph is most useful in displaying data or information that change continuously over time.

2. Polygraph

Polygraph is a line graph in which two or more than two variables are shown on a same diagram by different lines. It helps in comparing the data. Examples which can be shown as polygraph are:

• The growth rate of different crops like rice, wheat, pulses in one diagram.
• The birth rates, death rates and life expectancy in one diagram.
• Sex ratio in different states or countries in one diagram.

Construction of a Polygraph

All steps of construction of polygraph are similar to that of line graph. But different lines are drawn to indicate different variables.

Construct a polygraph to compare the variables.

3. Bar Diagram

It is also called a columnar diagram. The bar diagrams are drawn through columns of equal width. Following rules were observed while constructing a bar diagram:

(a)  The width of all the bars or columns is similar.

(b)  All the bars should are placed on equal intervals/distance.

(c)  Bars are shaded with colours or patterns to make them distinct and attractive.

Three types of bar diagrams are used to represent different data sets:

• The simple bar diagram
• Compound bar diagram
• Polybar diagram.

Simple Bar Diagram

Construction  of   a simple  bar diagram

A simple bar diagram is constructed for an immediate comparison. It is advisable to arrange the given data set in an ascending or descending order and plot the data variables accordingly. However, time series data are represented according to the sequencing of the time period.

Construction Steps:

Draw X and Y- axes on a graph paper. Take an interval and mark it on Y-axis to plot data. Divide X-axis into equal parts to draw bars. The actual values will be plotted according to the selected scale.

Line and Bar Graph

The line and bar graphs as drawn separately and may also be combined to depict the data related to some of the closely associated characteristics such as the climatic data of mean monthly temperatures and rainfall.

                                        Construct a Line and bar Graph

Construction:

• Draw X and Y-axes of a suitable length and divide X-axis into parts to show months in a year.
• Select a suitable scale with equal intervals on the Y-axis and label it at its right side.
• Similarly, select a suitable scale with equal intervals on the Y-axis and label at its left side.
• Plot data using line graph and columnar diagram.

Multiple Bar Diagram

Multiple bar diagrams are constructed to represent two or more than two variables for the purpose of comparison. For example, a multiple bar diagram may be constructed to show proportion of males and females in the total, rural and urban population or the share of canal, tube well and well irrigation in the total irrigated area in different states.

              Construct a Multiple bar Diagram.

Construction

(a) Mark time series data on X-axis and variable data on Y-axis as per the selected scale.

(b) Plot the data in closed columns.

• Compound Bar Diagram

When different components are grouped in one set of variable or different variables of one component are put together, their representation is made by a compound bar diagram. In this method, different variables are shown in a single bar with different rectangles.

Construct a Compound Bar Diagram

• Arrange the data in ascending or descending order.
• A single bar will depict the set of variables by dividing the total length of the bar as per percentage.

TWO DIMENSIONAL DIAGRAMS

• Pie Diagram

Pie diagram is another diagramatic method of the representation of data. It is drawn to depict the total value of the given attribute using a circle. Dividing the circle into corresponding degrees of angle then represent the sub– sets of the data. Hence, it is also called as Divided Circle Diagram. The angle of each variable is calculated using the following formulae.

Pie Diagram.

If data is given in percentage form, the angles are calculated using the given formulae.

Calculation of Angles:

(a) Arrange the data on percentages in an ascending order.

(b) Calculate the degrees of angles for showing the given values

(b)It could be done by multiplying percentage with a constant of 3.6 as derived by dividing the total number of degrees in a circle by 100,

                        i.  e. 360/100.

(c)Plot the data by dividing the circle into the required number of divisions to show the share different regions/countries

(a)Select a suitable radius for the circle to be drawn. A radius of 3, 4 or 5 cm may be chosen for the given data set.

(b)Draw a line from the centre of the circle to the arc as a radius.

(c)Measure the angles from the arc of the circle for each category of vehicles in an ascending order clock-wise, starting with smaller angle.

(d) Complete the diagram by adding the title, sub – title, and the legend. The legend mark be chosen for each variable/category and highlighted by distinct shades/colours.

Precautions

(a)The circle should neither be too big to fit in the space nor too small to be illegible.

(b) Starting with bigger angle will lead to accumulation of error leading to the plot of the smaller angle difficult.

THREE DIMENSIONAL DIAGRAMS

These diagrams are used when only one point is to be compared and the ratio between the highest and the lowest measurements is more than 100. For these diagrams, the cube root of various measurements is calculated and the side of each cube istaken in proportion to the cube roots

Among the three dimensional diagrams, cubes are the easiest and should be used only in cases where the figures cannot be adequately presented through bar, square or circle diagrams.In case of cubes, all three dimensions, length, width and height are taken into consideration.In case of a cylinder, the length and diameter of circle are taken into consideration. A sphere in the shape of a bell can be used in a three dimensional form.

Pictograph is a way of representing statistical data using symbolic figures to match the frequencies of different kinds of data.A pictogram is another form of pictoral bar chart. Such charts are useful in presenting data to people whocannot understand charts.Small symbols or simple figures are used to represent the size of data.

To construct pictograms, the following suggestions are made;

• The symbols must be simple and clear.
• The quantity represented by the symbol should be given
• Large quantities are shown by increasing the number and not by increasing the size of symbols. A part of symbol can be used to represent a quantity smaller than the whole symbol

Major advantages of pictograms

• First, they are farmore attractive when compared to other diagrams. As such they generate interest in audience.
• Second, it has been observed that the facts presentedby pictograms are remembered for long time than tables, bars and other diagrams.

Limitations of pictograms

• First, they are difficult to draw
• we cannot show the actual data properly

Cartograms are the maps used to present the statistical data on a geographical basis. The various figures in different regions on maps are shown either by

• Shades or colours
• Dots or bars
• Diagrams or pictures
• By putting numerical figures in each geographical area.

CLASSIFIATION

There are three main types of cartograms, each have a very different way of showing attributes of geographic objects-

• Non-contiguous,
• Contiguous and
• Dorling cartograms.

NON-CONTIGUOUS CARTOGRAMS

A non-contiguous cartogram is the simplest and easiest type of cartogram to make. In a non-contiguous cartogram, the geographic objects do not have to maintain connectivity with their adjacent objects. This connectivity is called topology. By freeing the objects from their adjacent objects, they can grow or shrink in size and still maintain their shape. Here is an example of two non-contiguous cartograms.

The cartogram on the left has maintained the object’s centroid (a centroid is the weighted center point of an area object.) Because the object’s center is staying in the same place, some of the objects will begin to overlap when the objects grow or shrink depending on the attribute (in this case population.) In the cartogram on the right, the objects not only shrink or grow, but they also will move one way or another to avoid overlapping with another object.

CONTIGUOUS CARTOGRAMS

In a non-contiguous cartogram topology was sacrificed in order to preserve shape. In a contiguous cartogram, the reverse is true- topology is maintained (the objects remain connected with each other) but this causes great distortion in shape.The cartographer must make the objects the appropriate size to represent the attribute value, but he or she must also maintain the shape of objects as best as possible, so that the cartogram can be easily interpreted. Here is an example of a contiguous cartogram of population in California’s countries. Compare this to the previous non-contiguous cartogram.

DORLING CARTOGRAM

A Dorling cartogram maintains neither shape, topology nor object centroids, though it has proven to be a very effective cartogram method. To create a Dorling cartogram, instead of enlarging or shrinking the objects themselves, the cartographer will replace the objects with a uniform shape, usually a circle, of the appropriate size.

Secondly, the Dorling Cartogram attempts to move the figures the shortest distance away from their true locations

Another Dorling-like cartogram is the Demers Cartogram, which is different in two ways. It uses squares rather than circles; this leaves fewer gaps between the shapes. The Demers cartogram often sacrifices distance to maintain contiguity between figures, and it will also sacrifice distance to maintain certain visual cues (The gap between figures used to represent San Francisco Bay in the Demers Cartogram below is a good example of a visual cue)

PSEUDO-CARTOGRAMS

Pseudo-cartograms (or false cartograms ) are representations that may look like cartograms but do not follow certain cartogram rules. Perhaps the most famous type of pseudo-cartogram was developed by Dr. Waldo Tobler. In this case, instead of enlarging or shrinking the objects themselves, Tobler moves the object’s connections to a reference grid such as latitude or longitude in order to give the same effect. This maintains good directional accuracy in the cartogram (if county A is directly north of county B, it will still remain directly north in the cartogram .Note in previous examples, such as the Dorling Cartogram, this is not always true) however; this is a false cartogram because it creates extensive error in the actual size of the objects

ADVANTAGES OF CARTOGRAMS

• Cartograms are simple and easy to understand.
• They are generally used when the regional or geographical comparisons are to be made.

LIMITATIONS

• Cartograms are very attractive but they should be used especially where geographic comparisons are to be made and where approximate measures can serve the purpose.
• This is understandable as the maps are unable to provide 100% accuracy.

. No single diagram is suited for all practical situations. The choice of a particular diagram for visual presentation of a given set of data is not an easy one and requires great skill, intelligence and expertise. The choice will primarily depend upon the nature of the data and object of the presentation, i.e., the type of the audience to whom the diagrams are to be presented and it should be made with utmost care and caution. A wrong or  injudicious selection of the diagram will distort the true characteristics of the phenomenon to be presented and might lead to very wrong and misleading interpretations.

• https://gradestack.com/Class-11th-Commerce/Presentation-of-Data/Diagrammatic-Presentation/17643-3574-27365-study-wtw
• http://www.economicsdiscussion.net/statistics/data/graphical-representation-of-statistical-data/12010
• https://www.scribd.com/doc/41044016/Diagrammatic-Graphical-Presentation-of-Data
• http://www.publishyourarticles.net/knowledge-hub/statistics/diagrammatic-presentation-of-data/1103/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TMs4-hIA04

404 Not found

• List of Commerce Articles
• Diagrammatic Presentation Of Data

Diagrammatic Presentation of Data

The diagrammatic presentation of data gives an immediate understanding of the real situation to be defined by the data in comparison to the tabular presentation of data or textual representations. It translates the highly complex ideas included in numbers into a more concrete and quickly understandable form pretty effectively. Diagrams may be less certain but are much more efficient than tables in displaying the data. There are many kinds of diagrams in general use. Amongst them the significant ones are the following:

(i) Geometric diagram

(ii) Frequency diagram

(iii) Arithmetic line graph

Also check: Meaning and Objective of Tabulation

Basics of Diagrammatic Presentation

Concept of Diagrammatic Presentation

• It is a technique of presenting numeric data through pictograms, cartograms, bar diagrams, and pie diagrams. It is the most attractive and appealing way to represent statistical data. Diagrams help in visual comparison and they have a bird’s eye view.
• Under pictograms, we use pictures to present data. For example, if we have to show the production of cars, we can draw cars. Suppose the production of cars is 40,000, we can show it by a picture having four cars, where 1 car represents 10,000 units.
• Under cartograms, we make use of maps to show the geographical allocation of certain things.
• Bar diagrams are rectangular and placed on the same base. Their heights represent the magnitude/value of the variable. The width of all the bars and the gaps between the two bars are kept the same.
• Pie diagram is a circle that is subdivided or partitioned to show the proportion of various components of the data.
• Out of the given diagrams, only one-dimensional bar diagrams and pie diagrams are there in our scope.

General Guidelines

Title: Every diagram must be given a suitable title which should be small and self-explanatory.

Size: The size of the diagram should be appropriate, i.e., neither too small nor too big.

Paper used: Diagrams are generally prepared on blank paper.

Scale: Under one-dimensional diagrams, especially bar diagrams, the y-axis is more important from the point of view of the decision of scale because we represent magnitude along this axis.

Index: When two or more variables are presented and different types of line/shading patterns are used to distinguish, an index must be given to show their details.

Selection of proper type of diagram: It is very important to select the correct type of diagram to represent data effectively.

Advantages of Diagrammatic Presentation

(1) Diagrams are attractive and impressive:   The data presented in the form of diagrams can attract the attention of even a common man.

(2) Easy to remember:    (a)  Diagrams have a great memorising effect. (b)  The picture created in mind by the diagrams last much longer than those created by figures presented through the tabular forms.

(3) Diagrams save time : (a)  They present complex mass data in a simplified manner. (b)  The data presented in the form of diagrams can be understood by the user very quickly.

(4) Diagrams simplify data:   Diagrams are used to represent a huge mass of complex data in a simplified and intelligible form which is easy to understand.

(5) Diagrams are useful in making comparison:   It becomes easier to compare two sets of data visually by presenting them through diagrams.

(6) More informative :   Diagrams not only depict the characteristics of data but also bring out other hidden facts and relations which are not possible from the classified and tabulated data.

Types of One-Dimensional Diagram

One-dimensional diagram is a diagram in which only the length of the diagram is considered. It can be drawn in the form of a line or various types of bars.

The following are the types of one-dimensional diagram.

(1) Simple bar diagram

Simple bar diagram consists of a group of rectangular bars of equal width for each class or category of data.

(2) Multiple bar diagram

This diagram is used when we have to make a comparison between two or more variables like income and expenditure, import and export for different years, marks obtained in different subjects in different classes, etc.

(3) Subdivided bar diagram

This diagram is constructed by subdividing the bars in the ratio of various components.

(4) Percentage bar diagram

The subdivided bar diagram presented on a percentage basis is known as the percentage bar diagram.

(5) Broken-scale bar diagram

This diagram is used when the value of one observation is very high as compared to the other.

To gain space for the smaller bars of the series, the larger bars may be broken.

The value of each bar is written at the top of the bar.

(6) Deviation bar diagram

Deviation bars are used to represent net changes in the data like net profit, net loss, net exports, net imports, etc.

Meaning of Pie Diagram

A pie diagram is a circle that is divided into sections. The size of each section indicates the magnitude of each component as a part of the whole.

Steps involved in constructing pie diagram

• Convert the given values into percentage form and multiply it with 3.6’ to get the amount of angle for each item.
• Draw a circle and start the diagram at the 12 O‘clock position.
• Take the highest angle first with the protector (D) and mark the lower angles successively.
• Shade different angles differently to show distinction in each item.

Solved Questions

Q.1. Why is a diagrammatic presentation better than tabulation of data?

It makes the data more attractive as compared to tabulation and helps in visual comparison.

Q.2. Why do media persons prefer diagrammatic presentation of data?

Because it has an eye-catching effect and a long-lasting impact upon its readers/viewers.

Q.3. What will be the degree of an angle in the pie diagram if a family spends 50% of its income in food?

(50 ÷ 100) X 360 (Or) 50 x 3.6 = 180’

Q.4. Which bar diagram is used to show two or more characteristics of the data?

Multiple bar diagram

Q.5. Mention the sum of all the angles formed at the centre of a circle.

Q.6. Name a bar diagram where the height of all the bars is the same.

Percentage bar diagram

Q.7. Which diagram can be used to depict various components of a variable?

Subdivided bar diagram

Q.8. What is a multiple bar diagram?

A multiple bar diagram is one that shows more than one characteristic of data.

Q.9. Which bar diagram is used to represent the net changes in data?

Deviation bar diagram

Q.10. What is the other name of the subdivided bar Diagram?

Component bar diagram

The above-mentioned concept is for CBSE Class 11 Statistics for Economics – Diagrammatic Presentation of Data. For solutions and study materials, visit our website or download the app for more information and the best learning experience.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Byjus is a good learning app

• Share Share

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

Graphical Representation of Data PPT (Power Point Presentation)

Graphical representation of data ppt (line diagram, bar diagram, histogram, frequency curve, ogive and pie chart).

What is graphical representation? Importance of Graphical Representation, Advantages of Graphical Representation, Disadvantages of Graphical Representation, Things to remember when constructing a Graph, Different types of graphs / charts: Line Diagram, Bar diagram, Simple Vertical Bar Diagram, Subdivided Bar Diagram, Multiple Bar Diagram, Percentage Bar Diagram, Histogram, Frequency Polygon, Frequency Curve, Ogive, Less Than Ogive, Greater Than Ogive, Calculating Median from Ogive, Pie Chart, Relative Frequency and Pie Diagram.

Learn more: Lecture Note in Graphical Representation of Data Part 1 , Part 2

Please be patient to load the online preview….

You can DOWNLOAD the PPT by clicking on the download link below the preview…

Please be patient for few seconds to load the PPT preview…

More Biostatistics  PPTs

You may also like…

@. Cell and Molecular Biology PPT

@. Biotechnology PPT

@. Genetics PPT

@. Evolution PPT

@. Immunology PPT

@. Ecology / Environmental Science / Diversity PPT

@. Microbiology PPT

@. Human Physiology / Endocrinology PPT

@. Plant Physiology PPT

@. Biophysics PPT

@. Biostatistics PPT

@. Research Methodology PPT

@. Botany PPT

@. Zoology PPT

Please Share for your Students, Colleagues, Friends and Relatives…

Related posts:

• Classification and Tabulation of Data PPT
• Frequency Distribution PPT
• Hypothesis Testing PPT
• Errors in Statistics PPT (Type I and Type II Errors)
• Nucleotide Biosynthesis PPT (Synthesis of Purine and Pyrimidine PPT)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Privacy overview.

• Customer Help
• X (Twitter)

Diagrammatic and Graphical Representation of Statistical Data PPT

Additional information.

There are no reviews yet.

You must be logged in to post a review.

Related products