Making Data Visualization Work for You
Principles of Good Data Viz for the Busy Scientist
Julia Piaskowski
Feb 14, 2025
https://jpiaskowski.gitlab.io/talks/data-viz-guide/
Part 1: Using Data Visualization to Explore Your Data
EDA: Exploratory Data Analysis
Look at your data and make sure all is okay
This is (hopefully) a quick and easy process - use whatever software you feel most comfortable with
It doesn’t have to be pretty
Check every variable and covariate you plan to analyze
Distributions
Distributions
Cross Tabulations
Pairwise Relationships
Pairwise Relationships
Change Over Time
Part 2: Use Data Visualization to Make a Point
A Good Data Vizualization Will
- Show the data - literally, let’s see some results!
- Induce the viewer to focus on substance, not the design
- Not distort the data
- Present many numbers in a small space
- Make large data sets coherent
- Encourage viewers to compare different pieces of data
- Reveal data at several levels, from a broad overview to fine detail
- Serve a clear purpose
- Be closely integrated with statistical methods and/or descriptions of a data set (reference them in your manuscript)
Use Data Viz to Convey a Clear Point
- Think about the message(s) you want the plot to convey
- Draw your desired plot first on paper
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