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====== Making Charts ======

===== Overview =====

SOFA Statistics support making a range of different charts:

  * simple bar charts
  * clustered bar charts
  * pie charts
  * line charts
  * area charts
  * histograms
  * scatter plots
  * box plots

To make a chart, select the chart type, make any settings specific to that type of chart, and click on the "Show Results" button.

{{:help:making_chart.jpg|}}

===== Area charts - wide if needed =====

Area charts can display as wide as necessary to show the data.

{{:help:wide_area_chart.gif|}}

===== Histograms and human-friendly bin ranges =====

SOFA Statistics endeavours as much as possible to use human-friendly bins e.g. 10 - <20 rather than 9.86-19.54.

{{:help:histograms_human_bins.gif|}}

===== Scatter plots and number of data points =====

Unless the number of data points is too high, SOFA shows each item in a scatter plot as a dynamic item you can interact with:

{{:help:scatterplot_indiv_points.gif|}} 

When it is not practical to show every point, SOFA Statistics shows the scatter plot as a single, non-interactive image:

{{:help:scatterplot_as_image_only.gif|}}

Usually, SOFA displays dot borders to make it easier to see the data but sometimes they simply get in the way. Fortunately, it is possible to turn them off if required.

{{:help:dot_borders_impact.gif|}}
===== Chart series =====

SOFA lets you produce charts in series e.g. bar charts by a second variable e.g. gender

{{:help:chart_series_example.gif|}}

{{:help:chart_series_example_pies.gif|}}

[[http://www.sofastatistics.com/videos.php#charts |{{:help:play_button.gif|}}]] A video is available showing how to make charts: [[http://www.sofastatistics.com/videos.php#charts | Making charts video]]

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