The best type of graph for showing means for several different treatments is typically a bar graph with error bars or a box plot.
- Bar graphs with error bars are commonly used to compare mean values across different groups or treatments. The bars represent the mean of each treatment group, and error bars (such as 95% confidence intervals or standard errors) indicate the variability or uncertainty around the mean. This makes it easy to visually compare the central tendency and variability between treatments
- Box plots provide a statistical summary of the data distribution for each treatment, showing the median, quartiles, and potential outliers. They are useful to visualize differences in central tendency and spread across groups, especially when the data distribution is not symmetric
Other options include:
- Dot plots or violin plots that show individual data points or data distribution shapes along with summary statistics, providing more detailed insight into the data spread and overlap between treatments
- Line graphs connecting means over time or ordered treatments can be useful if the treatments have a natural order or time sequence
In summary, for simply showing means and comparing several different treatments, a bar graph with error bars or a box plot is generally the best choice due to clarity and ease of interpretation
