Table 1.

Examples of ways of presenting data and when to use them

	When to use	When to avoid
Data table	If you need to produce something that is simple and quick and that has a low publication cost for journals. If you want to make data accessible to the interested reader for further manipulations	Do not use if you want to make your work look visually appealing. Too many tables can weigh down the results section and obscure the really key results. The reader is forced to work too hard and may give up reading your report
Bar chart	If you need to convey changes and differences, particularly between groups (eg how men and women differed in their views on an exercise programme for recovering heart attack patients)	If your data are linear and each item is related to the previous then you should use a (line) graph. Bar charts treat data as though they are separate groups not continuous variables
Scatter graph	Mostly used for displaying correlations or regressions (eg association between number of cigarettes smoked and reduced lung capacity)	If your data are based on groups or aggregated outcomes rather than individual scores
Pie chart	Used for simple summaries of data, particularly if a small number of choices were provided	As with bar charts, avoid if you want to present linear or relational data
Line graph	Where the points on the graph are logically linked, usually in time (eg scores on quality of life and emotional wellbeing measures taken monthly over six months)	If your data were not linked over time, repetition, etc it is inappropriate to suggest a linear relation by presenting findings in this format