This document discusses various methods for describing data statistically, including tables, figures, and text. It provides examples and guidelines for different types of tables and figures (line graphs, area graphs, bar graphs, pie charts) and discusses when each is most appropriate. The key methods covered are tabular presentations, line graphs to show changes over time, bar graphs for comparisons, and pie charts to show proportions of a whole. It concludes by providing recommendations for choosing between tables, figures, and text based on the type of data being presented and the goals of the analysis.

1. 8.1 Tables, Figures and
Describing Data
Statistically
JEAN A. CAÑETE

2. HOW DO WE DESCRIBE DATA?
• Descriptive statistics is essentially
describing the data through methods
such as graphical representations,
tabular presentations and measures of
tendency. It summarizes the data in a
meaningful way which enables us to
generate insights from it.

3. WORDS/TEXT
• When there are a small number of statistics to present, words work well.
Words are often used exclusively in qualitative research reports, and also
used to report insights and recommendations.
Examples:
Walmart regained its number-1 rank in the Forbes 500 due to
its strong sales performance (11% increase; $351.1 billion).
Although Walmart surpassed number-2 ranked ExxonMobil in
sales, Walmart’s profitability ($11.2 billion) was below the
oil giant ($39.5 billion).
•Walmart is the second largest business in the Fortune 500
with revenues up by 6 percent but with profits down by 4.2
percent.

4. TABULAR PRESENTATIONS
•Table are presentations of data or statistics in
rows and columns built from cross-tabulated data;
these data are related to each other and need to
be presented together to facilitate comparison.
•In an oral presentation, a table is accompanied by
an explanation so that the audience easily
captures the point. While in a written report, tables
may be presented alone or can be accompanied
by explanatory text.

5. 6 PARTS OF TABULAR PRESENTATION
•TABLE NUMBER- is the very first
item mentioned on the top of each
table for easy identification and
further reference.
•TABLE TITLE- it narrates about
the contents of the table so, it has
to be very clear, brief and carefully
worded.

6. 6 PARTS OF TABULAR PRESENTATION
•COLUMN HEADER- at the top of
each column in a table, a column
designation/head is given to explain
figures of the column.
•ROW CLASSIFIER- it sorts out the
whole table into different parts.

7. 6 PARTS OF TABULAR PRESENTATION
•BODY- It contains the numeric
information and reveals the whole
data of investigated facts.
•SOURCE NOTE- it is a brief
statement or phrase indicating the
source of data presented in the
table.

8. GRAPHIC/ FIGURE
•Graphic/ Figure are another way of
analyzing numerical data. A graph
is a sort of chart through which
statistical data are represented in
the form of lines or curves drawn
across the coordinated points
plotted on its surface.

9. LINE GRAPH
•Line Graph are mainly used for time series
and frequency distribution. This type of
graph are best when you want to show how
the value of something changes over time.
•We plot line graphs using several points
connected by straight lines.

10. GUIDELINES IN MAKING LINE GRAPH
•Put the independent variable on the
horizontal axis or the x-axis.
•Put the dependent variable on the vertical
axis or the y-axis.
•Use a zero baseline on the y-axis to avoid
introducing visual bias.
•Avoid more than four lines on one graph.

11. EXAMPLE OF LINE GRAPH
•The table below shows daily temperatures for New York City, recorded for 6
days, in degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures in NY
City
Day Temperature
1 43° F
2 53° F
3 50° F
4 57° F
5 59° F
6 67° F

12. AREA GRAPH
•Area Graph is a specialized form of the
line graph, where instead of simply
connecting our data points with a
continuous line, we also fill in the region
below that line with a solid color. This
might seem to be a minor cosmetic
change, but it has a significant effect on
how we perceive the data in the chart.

13. EXAMPLE OF AREA GRAPH

14. BAR GRAPH
•Bar Graph can be defined as a chart or
a graphical representation of data,
quantities or numbers using bars or
strips. It is also used when you want to
show a distribution of data points or
perform a comparison of metric values
across different subgroups of your data.

15. EXAMPLE OF BAR GRAPH
•A survey of students' favorite after-school activities was conducted at a
school. The table below shows the results of this survey.
Students' Favorite After-School
Activities
Activities Number of
Students
Play Sports 45
Talk on Phone 53
Visit With Friends 99
Earn Money 44
Chat Online 66
School Clubs 22
Watching TV 37

16. PIE CHART
•Pie Chart are the type of chart are also
used to show the relationship of a number
of parts to the whole. Basically, it is a type
of graph that displays data in a
circular graph. The pieces of
the graph are proportional to the fraction
of the whole in each category.

17. EXAMPLE OF PIE CHART
•The following table shows the numbers of hours spent by a child on
different events on a working day.
Activities
No. of Hours
School 6
Sleep 8
Playing 2
Studying 4
WatchingT.
V.
1
Others 3

18. EXAMPLE OF PIE CHART
•The following table shows the numbers of hours spent by a child on
different events on a working day.
Activities
No. of
Hours
Measure of
central angle
School 6 (6/24 × 360)° = 90°
Sleep 8 (8/24 × 360)° = 120°
Playing 2 (2/24 × 360)° = 30°
Studying 4 (4/24 × 360)° = 60°
Watching
T. V.
1 (1/24 × 360)° = 15°
Others 3 (3/24 × 360)° = 45°

19. HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TABLES, FIGURES, & TEXT TO PRESENT DATA
Use a TABLE Use a FIGURE Use TEXT
•To show many and precise
numerical values and other
specific data in a small space
•To show trends, patterns, and
relationships across and between
data sets when the general pattern
is more important than the exact
data values
•When you don’t have
extensive or complicated
data to present
•To show the presence or
absence of specific
characteristics
•To summarize research results
•When putting your data into
a table would mean creating
a table with 2 or fewer
columns
•To compare and contrast data
values or characteristics
among related items or items
with several shared
characteristics or variables
•To present a visual explanation of
a sequence of events, procedures,
geographic features, or physical
characteristics
•When the data that you are
to present is peripheral to
the study or irrelevant to the
main study findings

20. THE
END!