For example, it takes just one line of code — and a short one at that — to plot two variables in a scatterplot. Let’s use as an example the mtcars data set installed with R by default.

Pew Research Center illustration Creating informative and digestible data visualizations is a foundational aspect of Pew Research Center’s work. Traditionally, our report graphics have been generated ...

But with these data, a dot plot works better than a table. Unlike a table, a dot or distribution plot allows readers to see the entire media landscape at a glance, and see each outlet, by name, within ...