A positive association means larger values of one quantity tend to accompany larger values of another; a negative association means the opposite. Scatter plots also show variation around a pattern. Changing the vertical axis range affects appearance, not observations. A causal claim requires suitable evidence about alternatives, not just a visible trend.
Engineering and scientific investigation · Discover & try
Which claims does a graph actually support?
Reading level 3 of 5 · IndependentChange
Word help
Association
A tendency for quantities to vary together.
Axis range
The displayed minimum and maximum of a graph scale.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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Invented paired observations. Playback reveals fixed points; changing the axis range changes appearance, not data or evidence.
What to look for
- Change the axis range without changing the data.
- Compare an upward pattern with a flat one.
Explain what you noticed
In a hypothetical study, ice-cream sales and visitor numbers rise together. What does the graph alone establish?
Keep this idea: A graph’s appearance and an association are not, by themselves, proof of cause.
Follow the sources
- NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook — Scatter Plot
- NIST/SEMATECH Engineering Statistics Handbook — Strong Positive Linear Correlation
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