Graphs, flowcharts and other diagram forms are a staple of scientific presentations. Their ability to summarize data in a visual way is invaluable for getting across complex statistical information. We have provided some examples of commonly used diagrams for your reference.
(1) Graphs:
There are many types of graphs based on what you want them to show.
Flowcharts: Flowcharts are a great way to show the pathway of an experiment, and make it easier for your reader to understand how something works (or doesn't).
Flow charts also come in handy when you want to show the experimental steps but not necessarily all of them or in order.
Flow charts are good for putting side by side different processes to show their similarities and differences.
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(2) Diagrams:
A diagram is just a visual representation of data, not necessarily with any statistical information to speak of.
Visual representations can be very effective in showing how you interpret your research findings, and can easily convey information that is difficult to put into words.
A diagram can be just a simple stick figure, or it can include more complex drawings and annotations.
(3) Venn Diagram:
Venn diagrams are useful for comparing and contrasting groups of items. Each group is represented by a circle, and any shared elements between the groups are in the overlap of the circles. A Venn diagram can compare three or more sets of data, but be careful about overloading your reader with too many groups in the same diagram.
Venn diagrams are good for showing how one thing relates to another thing in a very simple, straightforward way that doesn't require much narrative information on the part of the presenter.
(4) Flowchart:
Flowcharts show the pathway of an experiment, and make it easier for your reader to understand how something works (or doesn't). A flow chart is useful when you want to show the experimental steps but not necessarily all of them or in order. It's also good for putting side by side different processes to show their similarities and differences.
Flow chart can also be used when you want to show your interpretation of the findings from an experiment or study.
(5) Process Flow Diagram:
A process flow diagram is a visual representation of every step in a process, not unlike a flowchart. In some ways, this could be considered a more detailed version of the flow chart.
This diagram is good for showing how an experiment is conducted, and can easily convey information that is difficult to put into words by using process flow diagram symbols. A process flow diagram example is also a great way to present a complex process in a simple form that people outside of your field can understand.
Source: Venngage
(6) Timeline:
Timelines are often used to show chronology, and can be helpful in presenting how certain events were related to one another. They can also be useful in showing the progress (or lack thereof) of something over time.
A timeline is a good way to organize information in a visual way that focuses on when things happened, rather than what happened. It can be useful for piecing together a story of an event, or showing the cyclical nature of something over time.
(7) Stem and Leaf Diagram:
Stem and leaf diagrams are especially good for showing distributions of data. The stem represents the first digit of a number, and all numbers to the right will be grouped together according to their last digit. For example, 1 would be with 0's (10), 2 would be with 1's (20), 3 would be with 2's (30) etc.
Leafs are all of the digits to the right of the stem that don't fall in another stem directly to the right, so 4 would be by itself, 5 would be with 6's (60), 7 would be with 8's (70).
(8) Pie Chart:
Pie charts are especially good for breaking down a data set into easily consumable pieces. If you have a very large data set, consider making this more of one of the "smaller" visuals on your poster or presentation. A pie chart can also be useful if you want to show the distribution of data among different groups.
Pie charts are good for showing how one thing relates to another thing in a very simple, straightforward way that doesn't require much narrative information on the part of the presenter.
(9) Bar Graph:
Bar graphs can be especially useful when you want to show comparisons between different groups or options, and don't need to show a large amount of detail. A bar graph is easily consumed and understood by people who aren't familiar with the data, and can be useful for showing changes over time or comparisons between different groups.
Bar graphs are good for showing how one thing relates to another thing in a very simple, straightforward way that doesn't require much narrative information on the part of the presenter.
In Conclusion
Many scientific studies use diagrams in order to visualize and communicate their findings. There are many different types of diagrams that can be used, but the most common ones include graphs, charts, tables and figures. They help illustrate data and provide an overview of the study's results. With this post, we hope you learned various types of diagrams and how they're meant to be used.
And if you need to make a diagram, grap, timeline, or other graphics, Venngage is a great choice.
