Comparison Charts
What is a chart?
According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘a chart is a diagram, picture, or graph which is intended to make information to be understood.’ Also, according to Cambridge Dictionary, ‘a chart is a drawing that shows information in a simple way, often using lines and curves to show amounts.’
Comparison Chart: A comparison chart is a chart that draws a comparison between two or more items on different parameters. Could be a simple as Googling the difference between multimedia and hypermedia and sketching a comparison chart without looking for hard numerical data.
Basic Types of Comparison Chart
Bar Chart: A bar chart can be used to quickly compare data across categories, highlight differences, show trends and outliers, and reveal historical highs and lows at a glance. The image below compares categories and shows the trend that the male folks always earn more than their female counterparts.
Pie Chart: A pie chart is a circular statistical graphic, which is divided into slices to illustrate numerical proportion. In a pie chart, the arc length of each slice, is proportional to the quantity it represents. Pie charts are divided into sections (or ‘slices’) to represent values of different sizes.
Line Chart: The line chart, or line graph, connects several distinct data points, presenting them as one continuous evolution. Use line charts to view trends in data, usually over time (like stock price changes over five years or website page views for the month).
Scatter Plot: A scatter plot uses dots to represent values for two different numeric variables. The position of each dot on the horizontal and vertical axis indicates values for an individual data point. Scatter plots are an effective way to investigate the relationship between different variables, showing if one variable is a good predictor of another, or if they tend to change independently.
Gantt Chart: Gantt charts display a project schedule or show changes in activity over time. A Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to plan, coordinate, and track specific tasks in a project.
After you establish the integrity and relevance of the content, you will next need to focus on the type of graph you will use to display the information.
