To accurately draw a bar chart, follow these steps: 1. Draw and label the axes, making sure they are long enough and marked with equal spacing. Label the vertical axis with the measurement unit. 2. Draw the bars between the axis marks. Do not draw bars for any values of 0. 3. Title the chart to indicate what is being displayed, such as "Bar chart to show class 8's favourite colours". 4. Optionally include a key to distinguish between different data sets if more than one is shown.

1. Drawing Bar charts correctly
In order to accurately draw a bar chart we
need to follow the following steps:
1. Draw, mark and label axes
2.Draw bars & colour if necessary
3.Title your chart
4.Draw a key if necessary

2. Drawing Bar charts correctly
1. Draw, mark and label axes
Use a ruler to
draw both axes
Make sure they
are long enough!

3. Drawing Bar charts correctly
1. Draw, mark and label axes
Mark both
axes with
equal spacing.
Make sure there
are enough marks

4. Drawing Bar charts correctly
1. Draw, mark and label axes
number the
vertical axis
and label it
“Frequency”
0
1
2
3
4
5
BE CAREFUL
The numbers DO NOT
go between the spaces
Frequency

5. Drawing Bar charts correctly
1. Draw, mark and label axes
The horizontal
axis shows
what you are
measuring.
0
1
2
3
4
5
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Other
Favourite colours
Frequency
BE CAREFUL
The categories you have
for this axis DO go
between the marks on the
axis!

6. Drawing Bar charts correctly
2. Draw bars & colour if necessary
REMEMBER
If a bar has
a frequency of
0, don’t draw
a bar! 0
1
2
3
4
5
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Other
Favourite colours
Frequency

7. Drawing Bar charts correctly
3. Title your chart.
All titles are
“Bar chart
to show…”
followed by
what you’re
trying to show.
0
1
2
3
4
5
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Other
Favourite colours
Frequency
Bar chart to show class 8’s favourite colours

8. Drawing Bar charts correctly
4. Draw a key if
necessary
Sometimes a
bar chart has
shows 2 sets
of data and
we need a key
to tell them
apart.
0
1
2
3
4
5
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Other
Favourite colours
Frequency
Bar chart to show class 8’s favourite colours

9. Drawing Bar charts correctly
4. Draw a key if
necessary
0
1
2
3
4
5
Red
Blue
Green
Yellow
Other
Favourite colours
Frequency
Bar chart to show class 8’s favourite colours
Key
Boys
Girls

10. Drawing Bar charts correctly
REMEMBER
1. Draw, mark and label axes
2.Draw bars & colour if necessary
3.Title your chart
4.Draw a key if necessary