Definition
Data display
A data display arranges data in a table, chart, plot, or graph so patterns and comparisons are easier to see.
What it means
Raw answers can look like a jumble. A data display gives them an organized shape. You might put each category in a row, use bars to compare counts, or plot points to show change. Choose a display that fits both the kind of data and the question you are asking.
Remember it
Turn a pile of facts into a view you can read.
Example
Twenty children choose a snack: 8 choose apples, 7 choose bananas, and 5 choose oranges. A data display could list those three counts in a table or show three bars with lengths 8, 7, and 5. Either version makes apples the largest category easy to spot.
Watch for
A decorated picture is not a reliable data display unless every value is encoded by a clear, consistent rule.
Common mix-up
Data display is the broad family; a graph is one kind of data display.
Exact meaning
A data display is a structured visual or table-based representation of data. Its form—such as a table, pictogram, bar chart, line plot, or line graph—uses agreed positions, marks, labels, or symbols to show values, categories, or relationships.