BIOL 1020 Biology Principles and Themes- this consistent with your answer

There are 3 main stages when it comes to creating a graph. The first is Planning, this includes determining what kind of data you have, identifying the dependent and independent variables and based on this determining which graph would be the most appropriate. Then you create the graph in Execution, this would be ensuring you complete the graph with proper axes including titles, scales and units and creating a legend if needed. Lastly, Reflection, is meant for you to critically evaluate your own work and ensure you have communicated the main scientific message effectively. If you cannot determine with relationship or trend in the data with the graph you have chosen, it is likely that another format is better. You might repeat the Planning and Execution stages multiple times in ordered to be satisfied during the Reflection stage.
Planning

1) What is the story that you want to show?
2) What is the independent variable?
a. Is the independent variable continuous or categorical (discontinuous)?
3) What is the dependent variable?
a. Is the dependent variable continuous or categorical?
4) Does the data need to be manipulated (e.g. averages of replicates, calculated values, …) or can the data be presented as collected (raw)?

5) Based on your variables, which type of graph would be appropriate for this data set (i.e., scatter plot, line, bar, …)?

Execution

6) What should the label of the X-axis (independent variable) be? What are the units?
7) What should the label of the Y axis (dependent variable) be? What are the units?
8) How will you discern between multiple data sets if they exist? What will the legend look like?
9) What information needs to go into the caption?

Reflection

10) Look at your graph, what story is it showing? Is this consistent with your answer to Q1?
11) If Q1 and Q10 don’t match, what would be a better way to graph the data so that they do?
12) What is an advantage of the graph you constructed?
13) Is there anything that could be improved? Critically evaluate your work using the graph rubric.