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Designing Effective Graphics Using MATLAB

Designing Effective Graphics Using MATLAB. The Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication ENGINEERING SERIES. The Purpose of Using Graphics. In your own problem solving As part of design As analysis of operating data For persuasion and interpretation

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Designing Effective Graphics Using MATLAB

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  1. Designing Effective Graphics Using MATLAB The Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication ENGINEERING SERIES

  2. The Purpose of Using Graphics • In your own problem solving • As part of design • As analysis of operating data • For persuasion and interpretation • Dramatize relationships • Promote identification • Make complex information accessible

  3. Criteria for Good Graphics • Purpose clear? • Pattern and arrangement lead eye without distraction? • Similar items grouped and indicated? • Graphic hierarchy consistent? • Fonts legible?

  4. Criteria for Good Graphics (contd.) • Critical components defined? • Essential calculations behind claims shown? • Any significant reference or standard omitted? • Presenters’ expertise demonstrated?

  5. Types of Graphics in Matlab • Line graph • 2D • 3D

  6. Types of Graphics in Matlab • Column or bar graph

  7. Types of Graphics in Matlab • Pie graph • Shows “whole to part” relationships

  8. Types of Graphics in Matlab • Ribbon graph

  9. Select Right Type of Graphic • What Is Your Purpose? • Problem solving? • Persuasion and interpretation? • Who Is the Audience? • What are their backgrounds? • What do they want to know? • What Is the Context? • Presentation? • Report/Paper?

  10. Context Affects Graph Qualities • Presentation • Big titles, labels, etc. • Can use any color • Can use animation • Report • Smaller titles, labels, etc. • Often just black and white • Animation impossible

  11. 2D Plot Tips • Use the best line style/size for the situation. • Think about the best placement of legend/key. • Incorporate error bars, if necessary. • Use gridlines sparingly.

  12. An Example • You have: • Vector 1: x(0:0.2:10); • Vector 2: sin(x); • Vector 3: cos(x); • You are asked to: • Plot sin(x) vs. x and cos(x) vs. x in the same figure. • Customize the figure so that it is suitable for presentation.

  13. A Simple Matlab Program clear all; X=[0:0.2:10]; sinx=sin(x); cosx=cos(x); plot(x,sinx,x,cosx); xlabel('x'); ylabel('y'); title([‘sin and cos Functions']);

  14. Default Plot Given by Matlab

  15. We Want … • Titles and labels bigger • Lines thicker • Colors more contrasting • Key data points visible • Legend or labels close to lines

  16. How to Get What We Want

  17. Open the Property Editor

  18. Edit Figure Properties

  19. Edit Axes Properties

  20. Edit Line Properties

  21. So Far, A Better-Looking Figure

  22. Insert Legend

  23. Edit Legend Properties

  24. Insert Y Grid Line

  25. Final Version!

  26. Frequently Used Functions • “plot” • “xlabel”, “ylabel” • “title” • “xlim”, “ylim” • “axis” • “legend” • “errorbar” Type “help xxx” in Matlab command window for detailed information on the usage of the function xxx.

  27. Other 2D Plotting Commands • “loglog”: graph with logarithmic scales for both axes. • “semilogx”: graph with a logarithmic scale for x-axis and a linear scale for y-axis. • “semilogy”: graph with a logarithmic scale for y-axis and a linear scale for x-axis. • “plotyy”: graph with y-tick labels on the left and right side.

  28. A Whole Lot More … • 2D contour • “contour” • “contourslice” • 3D plots • “plot3” • “mesh” • “surf” • Movie • “getframe” • “movie”

  29. Plotting in Excel

  30. Selecting Chart Type and Inputting Data

  31. Adding Labels and Selecting Location

  32. What do we need to change?

  33. Formatting your Chart

  34. Adding a Trendline

  35. Formatting the Data

  36. Editing the Line and Markers

  37. Formatting the Font

  38. Final Product!

  39. Other Features • Logarithmic axis • Select the axis you want to change • Right click or select the “Format” option in your toolbar and select “Format Axis” • Click on the “Scale” tab • Check the box marked “Logarithmic Scale”

  40. Lead through Excellence in Engineering Communication • More resources are available for you • under “Engineering Communication” at Connexions at http://cnx.org • at the Cain Project site at http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj • in your course Communication Folder in OWLSPACE.

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