Plotting a graph

Don’t panic!
1. USE A PENCIL!!! (Graphs are easily ruined by pen)

2. USE A RULER!!!

3. Title at the top. (what is your graph about?)

4. Draw your axes.

(x – axis is “a cross” so it is drawn “across” the page: left to right)
(y – axis “wise [y’s] up” so it is drawn “up” the page: bottom to top)

5. Decide which variable goes on which axes.

Independent variable: is set by the scientist and goes on the x-axis.

(They know these values exactly “x-actly”)

Dependent variable: is the unknown measured by the scientist and goes on the y-axis.

6. Label your axes and include units.

7. Look at the range of your values and pick a scale that will fit onto your page.
Put a numbered scale on your axes.
(Making sure each length of square has the same difference in value for the one after it as the
one before it, e.g.

I____I____I____I____I____I
0 1 2 3 4 5
Is right  The same number, 1, is being added every division mark on the axis.

I____I____I____I____I____I
0 1 2 4 5 7
Is wrong  The first two divisions add 1 each time but then the next one adds 2.

I____I____I____I____I____I
0 2 4 6 8 10
Is right  The same number, 2, is being added every division mark on the axis.

8. Plot your points (in pencil).

9. Draw a line of best fit, ignoring any obviously anomalous points that don’t fit.

N.B. lines of best fit are either straight lines or curved.

Think about what you are measuring to figure out which one makes sense to use.

10. You can use your line of best fit to work out a value for a point that was not directly measured.