Choose the right type of chart to display your data. Choose a line graph if you need to show how your data changes over time or in relation to another factor, such as cost or temperature, for example. Choose a pie chart if your data is divided into sections that add up to 100 percent. For example, a pie chart might show how a population is divided into different political parties. Choose a bar graph when there are large changes in data. Bar graphs can also display how data is divided, similar to a pie chart. For example, use a bar chart to show how many students received each type of grade in a class.
Label your chart so that it's easy for a reader to know what types of data the chart displays. For example, if your chart shows the number of sales from 10 stores over a 10-year period, label it "Number of Sales from Year x to Year y."
Create a legend for your chart by assigning each type of data to a different color. Draw a colored square or large dot for each type of data and label it with colored markers or pencils. For example, if your graph shows the number of sales from 10 stores over a 10-year period, assign a color to each store and add it to the legend. Use colors that are easy to distinguish from each other. If you are using a computer program, such as Microsoft Excel, the legend populates automatically, and the colors are modified by editing labels or options after the chart is compiled.
Figure out the range of values for your X and Y axes if you are creating a graph, such as a line or bar graph. For example, if your graph shows the number of sales from 10 stores over a 10-year period, the range for the Y axis goes from the lowest to the highest number of sales across all stores, and the range for the X axis is the number of years. If you are making a pie chart, figure out the size of the circle. Use a large circle if it is being divided into more than five parts and a small circle if there are five parts or fewer. If you are using a computer program, such as Microsoft Excel, enter the values for the axes or the circle's size in the appropriate fields. They might be labeled minimum and maximum. You can change the values at any time without losing your work.
Divide the X and Y axes into segments if you are making a graph. Use the ranges for each axis to determine which values to assign each segment. For example, if your graph shows that there were 100,000 to 3,000,000 sales from 10 stores over a 10-year period, divide the X axis into 10 segments -- one segment per year -- and the Y axis into 15 segments, with each segment equaling 200,000 sales. Choose a number of segments that fits on your paper and clearly shows changes in data. For example, dividing the Y axis into three segments, with each equaling one million sales, does not clearly show changes in data. If you are using a computer program, such as Microsoft Excel, enter the values in the appropriate field. It might be labeled display units or axis value.
Label the X and Y axes if you are making a graph.
Complete your chart by plotting the data using the colors from your legend. For example, if your line graph shows the number of sales from 10 stores over a 10-year period, plot the data one store at a time.
If you are creating a bar graph, group similar types of data. For example, if you are showing the number of sales from five stores over a 10-year period, draw five bars -- one for each store -- next to each year. Leave small spaces or no spaces at all between grouped data and larger spaces between groups.
For pie charts, divide the circle into segments and then color each segment. The size of each segment should be in proportion to the amount of data it represents. For example, if 50 percent of voters are Democrats, half the circle represents the Democrats.
If you are using a computer program, such as Microsoft Excel, this step is completed automatically after you enter all of the data into a spreadsheet or table and click the button that creates the chart.