Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
When should I pick Scatter plot?
When the story is: correlation, outliers and clusters in two measures.
When should I avoid Scatter plot?
Skip it in cases like: one axis is not quantitative, or time is the real story.
Who invented or popularised it?
John Herschel plotted orbits; Galton’s 1880s regressions made the form famous
What does it encode?
position of points on two quantitative axes
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Scatter plot encodes values as position of points on two quantitative axes. John Herschel plotted orbits; Galton’s 1880s regressions made the form famous.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits correlation, outliers and clusters in two measures. Skip it when one axis is not quantitative, or time is the real story.
Make shapes, diagrams and charts in the browser. Download SVG or PNG — nothing is uploaded.
Work
- Work 1 — PowerPoint weekly: Scatter plot for correlation, outliers and clusters in two measures.
- Work 2 — One Scatter plot on a quarterly bridge or KPI tile — not four.
- Work 3 — Build in Excel or Google Sheets, export SVG/PDF rather than a screenshot.
Ads
- Ads 1 — Meta, Google and retail print: one number, one shape, one arrow.
- Ads 2 — Keep callouts inside safe zones. No type in cropped corners.
- Ads 3 — If Scatter plot will not fit a banner, keep the number and show the chart on the landing page.
School
- School 1 — lab reports and poster boards: does Scatter plot answer the rubric?
- School 2 — Axis names, units, a source line. Markers read them.
- School 3 — Start with a mind map if you must; submit a figure that reads like Scatter plot.
Steps
- Steps 1 — Write the claim in one sentence.
- Steps 2 — Check that Scatter plot fits the claim. If not, switch.one axis is not quantitative, or time is the real story
- Steps 3 — Draw it flat in Excel or Google Sheets or PowerPoint.
- Steps 4 — Direct labels, faint grid, claim-title.
- Steps 5 — Check greyscale and a color-blind simulator.
- Steps 6 — Add source, period, units; export SVG/PDF.
Scatter plot: honour position of points on two quantitative axes, and switch when one axis is not quantitative, or time is the real story.