Dot Plot Examples: How to Create a Dot Plot in Google Sheets?

A Dot Plot is an invaluable tool for understanding and interpreting data. Dot Plots are simple yet powerful visualizations that give you a sense of your data distribution. They’re great for identifying outliers, spotting trends, and comparing data sets.

This article will provide a guide on how to create a Dot Plot in Google Sheets. In this blog you will learn:

Table of Content:

1. What is a Dot Plot?
2. When to Use a Dot Plot?
3. Dot Plot Examples
4. How to Read a Dot Plot?
5. Types of Dot Plots
6. How to Create a Dot Plot in Google Sheets?
7. Tips for Creating a Dot Plot
8. Wrap Up

What is a Dot Plot?

A Dot Plot is a type of graph that is used to display numerical data. You can use it to compare different data sets and visualize trends and outliers. Dot plots are often used in statistics, visualization, data mining, and analysis.

A Dot Plot comprises individual dots that represent a given data point. Each dot is placed along an axis, usually the horizontal axis, with the points labeled accordingly. You can use the y-axis to demonstrate the frequency of each data.

The main advantage of using a dot plot is that it is easy to construct and interpret. It is also a great way to visualize large datasets.

When to Use a Dot Plot?

You can use dot plots when you want to compare two or more sets of data. You can compare data points, identify trends, and compare distributions. It is easy to see the data points distribution across the data set.

For example, you want to analyze a data set with a large range of values. You want to see the distribution of the values across the range. A Dot Plot can help you quickly identify any patterns in the data.

Dot Plot Examples

Example 1:

As a data analyst, you have data on customers visiting the store at different times. You can use a Dot Plot to analyze this information, as shown below.

Hours of Day	Visitors
12	10
13	9
14	8
15	11
16	10
17	13
18	9
19	6
20	9
21	12
22	5
23	10
24	11

Here is the Dot Plot generated on above data.

Example 2:

Let’s say you have records regarding restaurant orders. You can examine the data using a Dot Plot, as shown below.

Dishes Name	No. of Orders
Breakfast Sausage	15
Chocolate Chip Cookies	12
Cheese Pizza	10
Chicken steak	9
Pancakes	15
Mac and Cheese	7
Cheesecake	8
Burger	6
Russian salad	12
Chicken Soup	10

Here is the Dot Plot for the above data.

How to Read a Dot Plot?

Dot Plot interpretation and reading is straightforward. Each dot on the plot represents a data point. The x-axis of the plot is used to represent the values. The y-axis is used to represent the frequency of each data point.

The distance between each dot can help you identify the distribution of the data points. If the dots are close, the data points are clustered together. Thus, the data is abnormally distributed.

If the dots spread out, it indicates that the data points are more dispersed. Therefore, the data is distributed in a normal way.

Types of Dot Plots

There are two types of dot plots: the Cleveland Dot Plot and the Wilkinson Dot Plot.

1.   Cleveland Dot Plot

William S. Cleveland developed the Cleveland Dot Plot. This type of Dot Plot is an alternative to a Bar Chart. Unlike bar charts, Cleveland Dot Plots do not use equal spacing between each bar. They “stack” the data points on top of each other. This indicates how robust the data is around certain values.

It is used to display a dataset’s distribution rather than the data points’ frequency. The Cleveland Dot Plot is efficient for comparing distributions and identifying outliers. It is also helpful for identifying trends in the data.

2.   Wilkinson Dot Plot

Leland Wilkinson developed the Wilkinson Dot Plot. It compares two or more data sets and is similar to a Histogram. It is composed of individual dots that represent a specific data point. It consists of two sets of data points plotted against each other.

The horizontal axis represents the numerical value of the variable. The vertical axis represents the frequency or proportion of cases with that value.

How to Create a Dot Plot in Google Sheets?

Creating a Dot Plot in Google Sheets is easy with ChartExpo. ChartExpo is an innovative charting and data visualization software. It provides a comprehensive set of features to help you create stunning, easy-to-understand visualizations.

ChartExpo has many advantages:

• Easy-to-use interface – You don’t need to be an experienced designer or programmer to use ChartExpo. Novice users can pick up the basics and create beautiful visuals.
• Comprehensive data integration – ChartExpo allows you to integrate data from multiple sources, including spreadsheets and databases. Thus you can create visualizations that combine data from different sources into one coherent picture.
• Flexible styling options – With ChartExpo, you have control over the look and feel of your visualizations. You can customize the colors, labels, fonts, and other elements. Thus you can create visuals that match your brand and draw attention to key points.
• Comprehensive library of chart types – ChartExpo offers a wide selection of basic to more complex charts. This makes it easy to find the appropriate chart for your data.
• Scalability: ChartExpo is designed to scale as your data grows. It can handle large datasets and complex visualizations.
• Cost Effective: This makes it accessible to both small businesses and large organizations.

How to Install ChartExpo in Google Sheets?

1. You can download ChartExpo directly from the Google Sheets App. To get started, click on Extensions in the top toolbar.
2. In the menu that appears, go to Add-ons press the option Get add-ons.
3. Search for ChartExpo in the bar and click the Charts, Graphs & Visualizations by ChartExpo when it appears in the results.
4. Press the Install button, you will have to accept some permissions and you may have to confirm your Google account.

ChartExpo charts are available both in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Please use the following CTA’s to install the tool of your choice and create beautiful visualizations in a few clicks in your favorite tool.

Example

Let’s make a Dot Plot using the data of customers visiting a store as provided in Example 1 above.

• To get started with ChartExpo, install ChartExpo in Google Sheets.
• Go to Extensions> Charts, Graphs & Visualizations by ChartExpo > Open.

• To access the charts library, click the Add new chart.

• Once ChartExpo is loaded. Click on “Dot Plot” from the list of charts.

• First of all put your data table in the sheet. Now, select your Sheet name from the drop-down shown in the ChartExpo section.
• Select the metrics column, metrics is the numeric column in your data sheet (in our example, we will add the Visitors).
• Select the dimension columns, dimension is the categorical column in your data sheet which contains text information (in our example, we will add the Hours of Day).
• Click the Create chart button to complete the process.

• The Dot Plot will look like as follows.

• If you want to have the title of chart, click on Edit Chart, as shown in the above image.
• To change the title of the chart, click on the pencil icon that is available very next to Chart Header.
• It will open the properties dialog. Under the Text section, you can add a heading in Line 1 and enable the Show. Give the appropriate title of your chart and click on Apply button.
• For persisting these changes click on “Save” button.

• You can export the chart by clicking on the “Export” button.

• Final Wilkinson Dot Plot will look like as follows.

• To change the type of chart from a Wilkinson Dot Plot to a Cleveland Dot Plot, select the “Chart Settings” option.

• Final Cleveland Dot Plot will look like as follows.

Insights

Both Dot Plots display the same outcomes but with different visuals. They have segmented the data points of a data set according to their values. You can see that the highest number of visitors, 13, arrived at 17 hours.

On the other hand, the least, 5, came at 22 hours. These two dots provide a clear idea of the data distribution at a glance.

Tips for Creating a Dot Plot

When creating a Dot Plot, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a meaningful title for the chart. It will help to identify the dataset displayed.
• Organize the data correctly.
• Label the axes clearly, making it easy to interpret the data.
• Select the appropriate color scheme to make the chart more appealing.
• If comparing two or more data sets, distinguish them with different colors.

FAQs

What is a Dot Plot?

A Dot Plot is a graphical representation of numerical data using dots. The dots are placed on the axis according to the value of each data point. You can use it to compare two or more variables and show their relationship.

What type of data is a Dot Plot?

A Dot Plot is used to visualize numerical data. The data points can be any numerical value, including continuous or discrete data. You can use dot plots to identify outliers in the data set.

What is a Dot Plot best used for?

A Dot Plot is used to display numerical data. Dot plots are commonly used to compare sets of related data. They also reveal patterns and relationships between two or more variables.

How do I create a Dot Plot in Google Sheets?

You can create a dot plot in Google Sheets using ChartExpo. First, select the data source. Then ChartExpo will automatically generate the chart with the data. Finally, you can customize the chart by changing the colors and labels to your liking.

Wrap Up

Are you looking for a simple and efficient way to visualize your data? Dot plots are a great choice for visualizing data and comparing different datasets. They are easy to construct and interpret and are a great choice for displaying large datasets.

Dot Plots are excellent for identifying outliers and spotting trends. They will also prove essential when you want to get an idea of the distribution of your data.

With various Dot Plot examples, we have learned how to create one in Google Sheets. Google Sheets gives you the power to create an appealing Dot Plot. With ChartExpo, you can create a Dot Plot and customize it to your liking. You will also discover all sorts of ways to visualize your data.

So why not give it a try?