List of Figures

Box 7

Nature’s abstract-writing template, https://www.nature.com/nature/for-authors/formatting-guide. © 2021 Springer Nature Limited. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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1

Figure terminology. Image by author (2020).

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2

Using a semi-logarithmic axis can fill the data rectangle more evenly. From Fricke et al. (2019), https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.06494. © 2019 Nordic Society Oikos. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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3

Too much explanation within the data rectangle can draw the attention away from the data. From Himanen et al. (2010), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2010.06.00. © 2010 Gesellschaft für Ökologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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4

A range-frame figure. Data modified from the mtcars R dataset, version 3.6.2. Image by author (2020).

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5

A Tufte plot. Data from Imboma et al. (2020), http://doi.org/10.3390/insects11040212. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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6

An example of a superfluous third dimension, which carries no information at all — the area of the circle diagram is related to the number represented. Notice also the double data presentation. From de Maagd et al. (1999), https://doi.org/10.1016/S1360-1385(98)01356-9. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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7

When the axis is broken, we cannot correctly judge the slope of the curve. Source: Fig. 3 from Reckinger et al. (2010), https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-100X.2009.00522.x. © Society for Ecological Restoration International. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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8

When multi-panel figures are presented, their axes must be identical, or at least comparable. Data show the (natural logarithms of) winning times at 20th century Olympic Games at 100m and 400m sprint distances. Image by author (2020). Data modified from Cleveland (1993).

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Box 10

Plotting Symbols. Image from Cleveland (1994), p. 164. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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8a

When identical data points are to be represented, do not combine two forms of data presentation. Fig. 2 from Murray et al. (1998), https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2656.1998.00217.x. © British Ecological Society. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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9

When there are few identical data points, you can draw them touching each other. From Magura & Lövei (2019), http://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.12504. © 2017 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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10

When numerous data points overlap, drawing them as touching points would grossly distort graphical perception. Modified from Elek et al. (2017), https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2017.18.3.4. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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11

Too many data points sitting on the horizontal axis make this graph cluttered. From Godinez-Alvarez et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6285. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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12

Moving away the horizontal axis increases clarity. Figure from Audusseau et al. (2020),https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11080478. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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13

An identical, visually gentle background grid helps to compare the position of the data points on different panels. Figure from Elek et al. (2017), https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2017.18.3.4. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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14

Due to the incorrect scale on the horizontal axis, the rate of change cannot be correctly perceived. From Davies et al. (1999), https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.1999.00450.x. Reproduced with permission.

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15

A grouped bar chart. The same type of data from the three countries can be easily compared but a “country profile” is nearly impossible to perceive. From Gausman et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228435. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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16

A stacked bar chart. Due to the constantly shifting baselines, the smaller differences are difficult to interpret. From Masaki et al. (2019), https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.06236. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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17

A circle diagram with numbers: a case of double data presentation. From Klimek-Kopyra et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10080314. CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

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18

A sample dot plot. M. Ferrante, unpublished data. Image by author (2020).

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19

A multi-way dot plot, presenting survival data by various ground beetle species exposed to pesticides. Data from Greenop et al. (2020). Image by author (2020).

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20

An alternative multi-way dot plot of the same data. Data from Greenop et al. (2020). Image by author (2020).

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21

A figure with too few data points. From McMahon et al. (2003), https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00685.x. © 2003 British Ecological Society. Reproduced with permission.

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22

A figure with two incomparable panels. From Whitfield (2003), https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00672.x.

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23

Data from Figure 22, re-drawn. Image by author (2020).

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24

A cluttered figure with faulty horizontal axis. From Davies et al. (1999), https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.1999.00450.x. Reproduced with permission.

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25

The horizontal axis with true-to-time indicates a sudden change in some sites between February and March. Image by author (2020).

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26

A figure with a seemingly unavoidable clutter. From Oedekoven & Joern (2000) https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081, © 2000 by the Ecological Society of America. All rights reserved. Permission for further reuse must be obtained from the relevant holder of the exclusive rights.

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27

The clutter on Figure 26 can be removed by plotting individual treatments separately. Image by author (2020).

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28

Relative abundances of dominant bacterial phyla in the faeces of three arctic birds. Fig. 3 from Cho & Lee (2020), CC-BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6299.

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29

A multi-way dot plot makes Gestalt recognition possible, as well as comparing microbiome profiles within and between the studied species. Data from Cho & Lee (2020) redrawn. Image by author (2020).

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