U UniGraph

Tutorials

UniGraph chart tutorials

Step-by-step guides for every chart type in UniGraph, written for students who want clean academic figures without fighting code first.

Author Bowen

Quick start

  1. Import an Excel or CSV file.
  2. Choose your major and chart type.
  3. Select X/Y data ranges vertically or horizontally.
  4. Adjust image parameters, then create the chart.
Scatter Line Bar Histogram Pie Waterfall Risk-return Portfolio Cumulative Heatmap Dual Y-axis Analysis

Scatter plot

Best for lab measurements where every point is an observed X/Y pair.

  1. Choose Manual X/Y plot and select Scatter.
  2. Set X and Y ranges; vertical mode means one column plus start/end rows.
  3. Open Image parameters to name axes, units, colors, and title.
  4. Enable fit or one-click analysis when you need regression results.

Tip: For physics reports, keep academic style and add error bars when uncertainty is available.

Line chart

Best for trends over time, current, voltage, or any ordered variable.

  1. Select Line after importing your data.
  2. Make sure X values are ordered from small to large or in time order.
  3. Use academic style for thin lines and clearer points.
  4. Switch to scientific notation if tick labels are too long.

Tip: Use line charts for continuous trends, not unrelated categories.

Bar chart

Best for comparing categories such as expenses, departments, or experiment groups.

  1. Use Accounting visuals or Manual X/Y plot, then select Bar.
  2. Choose a category column and a numeric value column.
  3. Keep labels short; rotate labels if categories are long.
  4. Use title and units to make the meaning explicit.

Tip: Sort values before import if you want a ranked bar chart.

Histogram

Best for seeing the distribution of one numeric variable.

  1. Select Histogram and choose the numeric data range.
  2. Use one variable only; categories should not be used here.
  3. Check whether the distribution is centered, skewed, or has outliers.
  4. Add a clear title describing the sample.

Tip: Histograms explain spread; bar charts compare categories.

Pie chart

Best for showing composition, such as expense shares or portfolio weights.

  1. Choose Accounting visuals and select Pie chart.
  2. Set the category column and value column.
  3. Use positive values only and avoid too many slices.
  4. If there are many small items, group them before import.

Tip: Pie charts work best for 3 to 6 categories.

Cash-flow waterfall

Best for explaining how inflows and outflows build a final result.

  1. Choose Accounting visuals and select Cash-flow waterfall.
  2. Use one column for labels and one column for signed amounts.
  3. Positive values increase the total; negative values decrease it.
  4. Use a title such as Monthly cash movement or Budget bridge.

Tip: Waterfall charts are more explanatory than ordinary bars for financial movement.

Risk-return chart

Best for comparing assets by volatility and average return.

  1. Choose Finance and select Risk-return chart.
  2. Select at least two asset price or value columns.
  3. UniGraph calculates returns, standard deviation, and mean return.
  4. Read rightward as higher risk and upward as higher reward.

Tip: Use consistent date intervals for all assets.

Portfolio chart

Best for showing how selected assets are allocated in a simple portfolio.

  1. Choose Finance and select Portfolio chart.
  2. Select the asset columns you want to include.
  3. Use clear asset names in your spreadsheet headers.
  4. Use the chart as a visual summary, not as investment advice.

Tip: Keep asset names short so labels remain readable.

Cumulative return chart

Best for comparing asset growth paths over time.

  1. Choose Finance and select Cumulative returns.
  2. Select asset columns with aligned dates or periods.
  3. Use the legend to compare growth paths.
  4. Check sudden jumps for missing or abnormal data.

Tip: Clean missing values before comparing multiple assets.

Correlation heatmap

Best for seeing whether assets move together or independently.

  1. Choose Finance and select Correlation heatmap.
  2. Select multiple asset columns.
  3. Read values close to 1 as strong positive movement together.
  4. Read values close to 0 as weaker relationship.

Tip: Correlation is useful, but it does not prove causation.

Dual Y-axis chart

Best for combining two saved charts with different Y units.

  1. Create the first chart and keep it in the right figure manager.
  2. Click New figure and create the second chart.
  3. Click Dual Y-axis chart and choose the figures to combine.
  4. Name the combined chart and verify both axes are labeled.

Tip: Use dual axes only when the two variables share the same X meaning.

One-click data analysis

Best for experiment reports that need slope, intercept, regression equation, r, and R².

  1. Create a manual X/Y chart first.
  2. Click One-click analysis in the left panel.
  3. Select the X range used for the regression.
  4. Choose which results to add back onto the chart.

Tip: Report both the equation and R² when explaining a linear relationship.