Logarithmic axes

If your data span a wide range of values, it can be easier to visualize the results when you make one of the axes logarithmic. Distinguish between transforming your data to logarithms (which creates a new results table) from choosing a logarithmic axis (which only stretches the axis, without altering your data).

Examples:

These figures show the advantage of displaying data on a log axis. The graph on the left has a linear X axis. Going from left to right, every major tick adds 100 nM to the concentration. The low concentrations on the left are hard to discern. The same data are plotted on the right using a logarithmic X axis. Going from left to right, every major tick increases the dose tenfold. Since the doses were prepared by serial dilution, they are equally spaced on a logarithmic axis, and you can easily see all the data.