Part III: Creating Charts and Graphics
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The actual scale that you use depends on the situation. There are no hard-and-fast rules regarding
setting scale values except that you shouldn’t misrepresent data by manipulating the chart to prove
a point that doesn’t exist.Tip
If you’re preparing several charts that use similarly scaled data, keeping the scales the same is a good idea so
that the charts can be compared more easily. n
Another option in the Format Axis dialog box is Values in Reverse Order. The left chart in Figure
19.10 uses default axis settings. The right chart uses the Values in Reverse Order option, which
reverses the scale’s direction. Notice that the Category Axis is at the top. If you would prefer that it
remain at the bottom of the chart, select the Maximum Axis Value option for the Horizontal Axis
Crosses setting.FIGURE 19.10The right chart uses the Values in Reverse Order option.
If the values to be plotted cover a very large numerical range, you may want to use a logarithmic
scale for the value axis. A log scale is most often used for scientific applications. Figure 19.11
shows two charts. The left chart uses a standard scale, and the right chart uses a logarithmic scale.Note
The Base setting is 10, so each scale value in the chart is 10 times greater than the one below it. Increasing the
major unit to 100 results in a scale in which each tick mark value is 100 times greater than the one below. You
can specify a base value between 2 and 1,000. n
On the CD
This workbook, log scale.xlsx, is available on the companion CD-ROM. n