Research Chart Builder
Paste or type your data, choose a chart, and export a figure that stays sharp in Word and journals. The builder suggests charts that suit your variables and analyses, writes a text alternative and table for every chart, and never relies on colour alone.
Your data
Paste a table from Excel, Google Sheets or SPSS, or type values separated by commas. Put category names or labels in the first column.
Example data is fictional, for trying the builder.
For this chart: First column: categories. Second column: numbers.
Chart type
Choose the chart, or start from a suggestion below.
Vertical bars, one per category. Best for: comparing counts or values across categories.
Suggestions
Suggestions from your project
Enter what you already know about your research. Charts are suggested for each variable, for each predictor and outcome, for your planned analyses and for your objectives. Nothing here needs to be complete.
One per line.
One variable per line. Put its indicators after a colon, separated by semicolons, such as “wellbeing: life satisfaction; positive mood”.
A plan from the Sample Size Calculator, using Cochran's formula at 95% confidence.
Your planned analyses
Descriptive statistics
Based on: Data analysis plan: Descriptive statistics (strong recommendation)
Box plot Strong recommendation
A box plot shows the median, quartiles and outliers that descriptive statistics report.
Histogram Strong recommendation
A histogram shows the distribution that means and standard deviations summarise.
- No variables are recorded yet. Add them in the project details to see charts for each.
Titles and style
In APA and IEEE styles, the title goes in your document's caption, not the image.
Leave blank to use the column name.
Leave blank to use the column name.
Points at the chosen figure size. Journals usually ask for at least 8 points.
Draw at the size it will appear, so text prints at its set size.
Labels, axes and order
Some charts keep the data's own order, because it carries meaning.
Your chart
Enter or paste data above, or load the example, to see your chart.
Chart types
Every chart the builder draws: what it shows, when to use it, and how to lay out its data. Recommendations follow common guidance for statistical graphics; references will be added after academic review.
Bar chart
Vertical bars, one per category.
When to use it
Comparing counts or values across categories.
Data layout
First column: categories. Second column: numbers.
Example data
Faculty,Participants Arts,24 Business,41 Engineering,36 Science,48 Law,15
Grouped bar chart
Bars side by side for each category, one bar per group.
When to use it
Comparing several groups within each category.
Data layout
First column: categories. Each further column: one group's numbers.
Example data
Year of study,Female,Male First,34,28 Second,29,31 Third,22,25 Fourth,18,16
Stacked bar chart
Bars made of stacked parts, one part per group.
When to use it
Showing totals and how they divide into parts.
Data layout
First column: categories. Each further column: one part's numbers.
Example data
Faculty,Undergraduate,Postgraduate Arts,18,6 Business,30,11 Engineering,25,11 Science,33,15
100% stacked bar chart
Bars of equal height, each divided into the percentage in each part.
When to use it
Comparing how categories divide into parts, whatever their totals.
Data layout
First column: categories. Each further column: one part's numbers; each row is turned into percentages.
Example data
Faculty,Yes,No,Unsure Arts,12,8,4 Business,25,10,6 Engineering,20,12,4 Science,30,12,6
Horizontal bar chart
Horizontal bars, one per category.
When to use it
Comparing categories with long names, or many categories.
Data layout
First column: categories. Second column: numbers.
Example data
Reason for choosing the course,Students Career prospects,52 Interest in the subject,47 Family advice,21 Reputation of the university,33 Location,18
Pie chart
A circle divided into slices showing each part's share of the whole.
When to use it
Showing a whole divided into a few parts (six or fewer).
Data layout
First column: parts. Second column: numbers, all zero or more.
Example data
Mode of study,Students Full-time,68 Part-time,24 Distance,8
Doughnut chart
A pie chart with a hollow centre.
When to use it
Showing a whole divided into a few parts (six or fewer).
Data layout
First column: parts. Second column: numbers, all zero or more.
Example data
Accommodation,Students University halls,45 Private rental,32 Family home,23
Line graph
Points joined by a line, in order.
When to use it
Showing change over time or another ordered sequence.
Data layout
First column: times or ordered steps. Second column: numbers.
Example data
Week,Mean hours of sleep 1,7.2 2,7.0 3,6.8 4,6.5 5,6.6 6,6.9
Multiple line graph
Several lines on the same axes, one per group.
When to use it
Comparing change over time between groups.
Data layout
First column: times or ordered steps. Each further column: one group's numbers.
Example data
Week,Intervention,Control 1,7.1,7.2 2,7.3,7.0 3,7.6,6.9 4,7.8,6.8
Area chart
A line graph with the area below each line shaded.
When to use it
Showing how a quantity accumulates or changes over time.
Data layout
First column: times or ordered steps. Each further column: one series' numbers.
Example data
Month,Responses Jan,40 Feb,85 Mar,130 Apr,160 May,172
Histogram
Touching bars showing how many values fall in each interval.
When to use it
Showing the distribution of one numeric variable.
Data layout
One column of raw numeric values, one per participant.
Example data
Age 18 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 27 31
Frequency polygon
A line joining the midpoints of a histogram's intervals.
When to use it
Showing a distribution's shape, or comparing it with another.
Data layout
One column of raw numeric values, one per participant.
Example data
Score 52 58 61 63 64 66 68 69 70 72 74 75 78 81 88
Scatter plot
One point per participant, placed by two numeric variables.
When to use it
Showing the relationship between two numeric variables.
Data layout
Two numeric columns: x, then y. An optional first column labels the points.
Example data
Screen time (hours),Sleep quality 1.5,8.1 2.0,7.6 2.5,7.9 3.0,7.0 3.5,6.8 4.0,6.9 4.5,6.1 5.0,5.8 6.0,5.5
Bubble chart
A scatter plot whose point sizes show a third variable.
When to use it
Showing how three numeric variables relate.
Data layout
Three numeric columns: x, y, then size (zero or more).
Example data
Study hours,Grade,Class size 5,58,20 8,64,35 10,70,25 12,72,40 15,80,30
Box plot
Boxes showing the median, quartiles and range of each group.
When to use it
Comparing distributions between groups, including outliers.
Data layout
One column of raw numeric values per group, with the group names as headers.
Example data
Group A,Group B 52,61 55,64 58,66 60,67 61,70 63,72 65,74 68,75 70,79 92,81
Radar chart
Values on axes arranged in a circle, joined into a shape.
When to use it
Comparing profiles across several dimensions measured on the same scale.
Data layout
First column: dimensions (three or more). Each further column: one profile's numbers.
Example data
Skill,Before,After Writing,3.1,3.8 Analysis,2.8,3.6 Presenting,3.4,3.9 Teamwork,3.9,4.1 Research,2.6,3.5
Pareto chart
Bars in descending order with a line showing the cumulative percentage.
When to use it
Showing which few causes account for most of the total.
Data layout
First column: causes or categories. Second column: counts, zero or more.
Example data
Reason for missing classes,Students Work commitments,48 Transport,22 Illness,15 Caring duties,9 Other,6
Population pyramid
Back-to-back horizontal bars comparing two groups across ordered categories.
When to use it
Comparing the age (or other ordered) structure of two groups.
Data layout
First column: ordered categories, youngest first. Then two numeric columns: left group, right group.
Example data
Age group,Female,Male 18–24,42,38 25–34,31,29 35–44,18,21 45–54,9,11 55+,5,4
Likert scale chart
Diverging bars centred on the neutral point, showing agreement for each item.
When to use it
Showing responses to rating-scale items at a glance.
Data layout
First column: items. Then one count column per response level, from most negative to most positive.
Example data
Item,Strongly disagree,Disagree,Neutral,Agree,Strongly agree I feel prepared for exams,4,10,18,40,28 I understand the marking criteria,6,14,20,38,22 I get useful feedback,12,22,26,28,12
Mean comparison chart
Bars at each group's mean, with optional error bars.
When to use it
Comparing group means, as tested by a t-test or ANOVA.
Data layout
First column: groups. Second column: means. Optional third column: error margins, such as standard errors.
Example data
Group,Mean anxiety,Standard error Control,3.4,0.21 Mindfulness,2.7,0.18 Exercise,2.9,0.20
Error bar chart
Points at each group's value with bars showing the margin of error.
When to use it
Showing estimates with their uncertainty, such as means with 95% confidence intervals.
Data layout
First column: groups. Second column: values. Third column: error margins.
Example data
Time point,Mean score,95% CI margin Baseline,62.4,3.1 Week 4,66.8,2.9 Week 8,70.1,3.3
How the builder works
- Paste a table from a spreadsheet, or type or paste comma-, tab- or semicolon-separated values. The first row is read as column names when it has no numbers.
- Choose a chart type, or let the builder suggest one: from what the chart should show, or from your project's variables, measurement levels, objectives and planned analyses.
- Set titles, style, colours and labels. APA- and IEEE-friendly styles move the title to a caption for your document, set fonts, and choose gridlines; grayscale adds patterns so print never depends on colour.
- The chart is checked as you go. Problems that stop it being drawn, and choices readers may find misleading, are explained with how to fix them.
- Export as SVG or PDF, which stay sharp at any size, or as a 300 DPI PNG. Copy the chart straight into your document, with its alt text and caption.
What this tool can't do
- The builder draws the numbers you give it. It doesn't calculate statistics from raw responses, except histogram bins, box plot quartiles and percentages, so means, error margins and counts must come from your analysis.
- Error bars show whatever margin you enter. Say in the caption whether they are standard deviations, standard errors or confidence intervals.
- Recommendations follow common guidance for statistical graphics, matched to what your project records. They don't know your field's conventions or your journal's figure rules; check its author guidelines.
- APA- and IEEE-friendly modes set fonts, captions and gridlines to fit those styles' general figure advice. They don't guarantee compliance with a particular edition or publisher.
- Box plots use linear-interpolation quartiles and whiskers at 1.5 × the interquartile range. Other software may use other methods, so values can differ slightly.
- Charts show up to eight series, the most the colour palette separates reliably. Combine small groups into “Other”, or draw several charts.
- Everything is drawn in your browser; no data leaves your device.
Awaiting review
- Statistical graphics review: the recommendations for each measurement level, purpose and test, by a statistician.
- Style review: the APA- and IEEE-friendly modes against the current APA manual and IEEE author guidelines.
- Accessibility review: the text alternatives and table views with screen reader users.
- References: sources for the chart guidance, after academic review.
Privacy
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