Chapter 18: Getting Started Making Charts
417
If you don’t want a particular embedded chart to appear on your printout, use the Properties tab of
the Format Chart Area dialog box. To display this dialog box, double-click the background area of
the chart. In the Properties tab of the Format Chart Area dialog box, clear the Print Object check box.
Understanding Chart Types
People who create charts usually do so to make a point or to communicate a specific message.
Often, the message is explicitly stated in the chart’s title or in a text box within the chart. The chart
itself provides visual support.
Choosing the correct chart type is often a key factor in the effectiveness of the message. Therefore,
it’s often well worth your time to experiment with various chart types to determine which one con-
veys your message best.
In almost every case, the underlying message in a chart is some type of comparison. Examples of
some general types of comparisons include
l Compare item to other items. A chart may compare sales in each of a company’s sales
regions.
l Compare data over time. A chart may display sales by month and indicate trends over
time.
l Make relative comparisons. A common pie chart can depict relative proportions in terms
of pie “slices.”
l Compare data relationships. An XY chart is ideal for this comparison. For example, you
might show the relationship between marketing expenditures and sales.
l Frequency comparison. You can use a common histogram, for example, to display the
number (or percentage) of students who scored within a particular grade range.
l Identify “outliers” or unusual situations. If you have thousands of data points, creating
a chart may help identify data that is not representative.Choosing a chart type
A common question among Excel users is “How do I know which chart type to use for my data?”
Unfortunately, this question has no cut-and-dried answer. Perhaps the best answer is a vague one:
Use the chart type that gets your message across in the simplest way.
Figure 18.11 shows the same set of data plotted by using six different chart types. Although all six
charts represent the same information (monthly Web site visitors), they look quite different from
one another.