One-Minute Summary
To choose an appropriate table or chart type, begin by determining whether your data are categorical or numerical.
If your data are categorical:
Determine whether you are presenting one or two variables.
If one variable, use a summary table, bar chart, pie chart, or doughnut chart. If emphasizing the vital few from the trivial many, use a Pareto chart.
If two variables, use a two-way table.
If your data are numerical:
If charting one variable, use a frequency and percentage distribution with or without a histogram.
If charting two variables, if the time order of the data is important, use a time-series plot; otherwise, use a scatter plot.