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Methods in research: key principles of graph construction
University of Oxford Department of Primary Health Care
Oxford, UK
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The aim of this series of articles is to highlight papers that may help in the construction and understanding of journal articles.
Results in a graphical form are one of the best ways to convey information in a research paper. However, key elements for the construction of graphs are generally not well understood, which then lead to poor representations and misunderstandings. Graphs generated depend on the statistical package used in the analysis (Excel, SPSS, STATA). In our research methods journal club we discussed the paper by Puhan et al,1 which describes the basic requirements for adequate construction of a graph to improve understanding. The paper aimed to identify key principles of graph construction and to review guidance on graph construction provided by medical journals. The paper goes on to describe these key principles: (a) visual detection of data symbols, (b) estimation of values and important relationships, and (c) context.
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