Are you good at interpreting things visually? Yes. Normally every human on this planet can interpret things better presented in the form of visuals. Graphs are also a kind of visual representation of the data. Researchers are now using the graphical method in their studies to make the audience understand their research better. Today’s topic is about utilising this method to represent the research results. It will discuss the importance and methods of the graphical method in research. Let’s start our discussion with the most basic question given below:
What Is The Importance Of The Graphical Method In Showing Data?
Graphical representation refers to the use of figures and charts to display things visually. The audience can understand this type of information effectively. Data is inserted into computer-aided software. The software, in return, presents the data using different symbols and lines. The graphical method is important in making the research results understandable. Below are some of the points that highlight its importance more:
- It is important in identifying patterns and trends in the large volumes of data
- The graphical method enables the researchers to analyse large amounts of data at one time
- It helps in making informed decisions and accurate predictions
- The good-looking figures eliminate the complex and long explanations of the research. Many of the audience do not even read those statements.
- It helps the big data science researchers because they have to deal with billions of rows and columns of the raw data. It turns those rows and columns into meaningful images.
What is the purpose of studying the graphical method for solving problems?
The purpose of the graphical method is to solve problems faced during research. As described earlier, many people do not want to read long texts; they prefer graphs. Informing people with better techniques and visuals is the purpose of this method.
Nowadays, the application of the graphical method has extended to resolving many problems. Researchers now use this method to solve complex programming problems too. Over the years, many types of algorithms have been developed. Linear programming problems are difficult to solve by hand. Hence, the graphical method is best suited. This method can also solve the minimisation and maximisation of the problems. You need to formulate the research problems and define the decision variables. Decision variables more than two can create problems for you even if you use the graphical method.
In linear programming problems, its purpose is to find the optimum points. These points could be breakeven points in financial analysis and others. The purpose of studying problems by using this method is clear. It allows the researchers to interpret things easily rather than solve them by hand. However, in case if they are still facing any issue, they can hire best dissertation writing services.
What are the characteristics of the graphical method?
The graphical method is the most widely used method of representing the data. You must be thinking about why it is the most widely used. Below are some of the characteristics of this method that make it so famous:
- Easy to interpret: The graphical method is easy to interpret. Every individual can understand what the researcher wants to say in a particular chart. Bar and line charts are especially easy to understand, even if you do not have prior knowledge. A line going upwards clearly tells the readers that one variable in the graph is increasing.
- Saves Time: The time-saving ability of this method is praiseworthy. It takes less than two minutes to make a graph if you have all the data. You need to just click on the tab and select the type of graph you want to generate. The desired graph will be in front of you with no time.
- Compare the data: Graphical method is very useful in relating and comparing data of different time periods. You can actually overlay the two graphs and notice the degree of the changes that happened during that time. For example, this method can best interpret and compare demographic changes.
- Interpolation and extrapolation: This method helps statistical scientists a lot. Sometimes, the data can be missing and not recorded, and the researcher has to make interpolations and extrapolations. The graphs with their trend showing ability enable the investigator to interpolate some values.
- Easy calculations: Data calculations using this method are very easy. It does not require special software or computer skills to interpret the data. You just need to have a laptop with MS Excel installed. The software will do all the slope, mean, median, mode, and variance calculations.
Which graphical method is the best for portraying the data?
Among different types of charts, you cannot always decide which type of graph is the best for portraying the data. It is the data that decides which type is the best. The data in a graphical method is of many types. It can be in percentages, numbers, months, and days. So, you cannot specify one type of graphical method that is the best among all other types. Below is a description of some of the famous graphical method types. Look at those types and decide for yourself.
- Line Graphs – A line graph or the linear graph shows the continuous data. The researchers use this method to predict the future.
- Bar Graphs – This particular type of graph compares the different categories of the data. The comparison elements can be different based on the data.
- Histograms – It is a graph that uses bars to show the frequency of the data. It organises the data into intervals. The intervals in the data are all equal. Due to this equality of the intervals, all the bars’ width is also the same.
- Circle Graph – It is also known as a pie chart. This graph shows the relationship between different things. It uses the percentage data and makes circles according to the percentage. The full circle is 100% subdivided based on data percentages.
Conclusion
The graphical method is the most useful and easy to interpret method of representing data in research. It does not require extensive knowledge of interpreting things.
