data visualization: basics

A bar chart can be horizontal of vertical (sometimes called a column chart). Here's what it is and when to use it.

• It compares totals
• Totals should be consecutive. (daily, monthly. yearly, etc.)
• It should compare at least three totals. (If you only have two totals, just tell the reader the percent change.)
• It should illustrate a trend.
• It can include groups of bars to compare multiple totals.

From any spreadsheet or text document, you can click on the word "docs" to return to the main Google Docs page. Do that now from your pie chart spreadsheet, which will autosave and close.

From there you can click "Upload" to import an Excel spreadsheet or text file with values separated by commas. This text file must end in ".csv"

On the Upload page, click "Select files to upload." This will open a dialog box. Navigate to your sample files and select "BarChart-CARobberyStats.xls" and hit the "Select" button. At the bottom of the page, click the "Start upload" button.

Once the upload finishes, the name will appear as a link. Click the link to open the spreadsheet.