Graph Maker

A graph should answer a specific question

A graph encodes numbers through position, length, or area. Choosing the right comparison comes before choosing colors: readers should be able to tell what changed, what differs, or how a total is divided.

Use a graph when the values matter

Reports, classroom exercises, and personal tracking benefit from a visual comparison backed by actual observations. If you only have a topic, collect data or clearly request an illustrative dataset before interpreting a graph.

Make the numbers interpretable

1. Name both dimensions. Show what categories or dates mean and what is being measured.
2. Keep units consistent. Do not mix dollars and thousands of dollars in one series.
3. Use an honest baseline. Bar lengths normally need a zero baseline for fair comparison.
4. Preserve missingness. An absent observation is different from a measured zero.
5. Identify the source. Add the dataset period and origin so readers can judge the context.

Graph the values you provide

MyMap turns supplied data and instructions into a chart you can refine by asking. The example is a grouped bar chart comparing market-share values for five organizations across three regions; those figures are illustrative.