Relationship charts in data visualization represent and explore the relationships or associations between two or more variables. They are particularly valuable for understanding correlations, trends, clusters, and outliers in your data.
Two common types of relationship charts are scatter plots and bubble charts, which help illustrate relationships between variables as follows:
- Scatter plot: A scatter plot is a basic form of a relationship chart that displays data points as individual dots or markers on a two-dimensional graph.
- Bubble chart: Bubble charts are an extension of scatter plots, adding a third variable by varying the size of the dots or markers (bubbles).
Both scatter plots and bubble charts are commonly used in data analysis, research, and data-driven decision-making. They help analysts and researchers:
- Identify pattern: Detect trends, clusters, or groupings in the data. For example, a scatter plot may show a positive or negative correlation between two variables.
- Detect outliers: Spot anomalies or data points that deviate significantly from the overall pattern. Outliers can be easily seen on these charts.
- Understand relationships: Visualize and understand the relationship between two or more variables, whether for business, scientific, or research purposes.
- Communicate data: These charts effectively convey data to a non-technical audience, making it easier for others to grasp the information and insights.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
A Complete Guide to Bubble Charts
This Chartio data tutorial by Mike Yi gives a broad overview of bubble charts, a type of relationship chart, used for representing the relationship between three numeric variables.
This webpage by Stat Trek gives a clear understanding of another type of relationship chart called scatter plots used in data visualization for displaying relationships or distribution of data sets.
For in depth understanding #
Effective Data Visualization: The Right Chart for the Right Data
Written by Stephanie D. H. Evergreen, this comprehensive how-to guide shows readers how to create Excel charts and graphs that best communicate their data findings.
Graphical Methods for Data Analysis
This book by J. M. Chambers provides various old and new graphical methods like scatter plots for analyzing data.
Case study #
Everyone does it—differently: A window into emerging adults’ smartphone use
This paper uses a bubble chart to depict social media platform use. The bubbles in this chart depict which social media platforms were used by how many participants in the study, and in which combinations.
This paper uses a scatter plot of the number of exporters, average exporter size, and concentration against both income and income per capita, using country-year level data averaged for the period 2006-2008 to present new data on the micro structure of the export sector for 45 countries and studies how exporter behavior varies with country size and stage of development.
References #
Data Visualization Resources: Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Viz
What chart types display relationships?
