Beyond Bar and Line Graphs: Time for a New Data Presentation Paradigm

Figures in scientific publications are critically important because they often show the data supporting key findings. Our systematic review of research articles published in top physiology journals (n = 703) suggests that, as scientists, we urgently need to change our practices for presenting continuous data in small sample size studies. Papers rarely included scatterplots, box plots, and histograms that allow readers to critically evaluate continuous data. Most papers presented continuous data in bar and line graphs. This is problematic, as many different data distributions can lead to the same bar or line graph. The full data may suggest different conclusions from the summary statistics. We recommend…

• GC
  Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance

  Award: UL1 TR000135
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: K12HD065987, TR000135, AG44170, UL1 TR000135
• NI
  National Institute on Aging

  Awards: AG44170, P-50 AG44170, UL1 TR000135
• OO
  Office of Research on Women's Health

  Award: K12HD065987
• NC
  National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

  Awards: TR000135, UL1 TR000135