Visualizing Data Graphs are one way to visualize data and to help the researcher look for patterns. A graph is used to show the relationships of data collected from the expreiment. Graphs must be constructed accurately and accoring to accepted rules. Usually, a graph shows the relationship between two kinds of data. These data are called variables.
Time is a very common independent variable.
Independent variables are plotted in the horizontal axis, x axis. In the graph below we explore the relationship between stomatal counts and the distance from the eastern Kansas border. In this graph distance from the eastern Kansas border is the independent variable. The dependent variable is sometimes refered to as the outcome variable. The dependent data is plotted on the vertical axis, the y axis.