4th Edition

A Visual Guide to Stata Graphics

By Michael N. Mitchell Copyright 2022
    499 Pages
    by Stata Press

    Whether you are new to Stata graphics or a seasoned veteran, this book will teach you how to use Stata to make publication-quality graphs that will stand out and enhance your statistical results. With over 1,200 illustrated examples and quick-reference tabs, this book quickly guides you to the information you need for creating and customizing high-quality graphs for any type of statistical data. Each graph is displayed in full color with simple and clear instructions that illustrate how to create and customize graphs using Stata commands. Whether you use this book as a learning tool or a quick reference, you will have the power of Stata graphics at your fingertips.

    1 Introduction

    1.1 Online supplements

    1.2 Using this book

    1.3 Types of Stata graphs

    1.4 Schemes

    1.4.1 Schemes included with Stata

    1.4.2 Community-contributed schemes

    1.4.3 Schemes included with this book

    1.4.4 Setting schemes

    1.5 Options

    1.6 Building graphs

    1.7 Point-and-click interface

    2 Twoway graphs

    2.1 Scatterplots

    2.2 Regression fits and splines

    2.3 Regression confidence interval fits

    2.4 Line plots

    2.5 Area plots

    2.6 Bar plots

    2.7 Range plots

    2.8 Distribution plots

    2.9 Contour plots

    2.10 Options

    2.11 Overlaying plots

    3 Scatterplot matrix graphs

    3.1 Marker options

    3.2 Controlling axes

    3.3 Matrix options

    3.4 Graphing by groups

    4 Bar graphs

    4.1 Y variables

    4.2 Graphing bars over groups

    4.3 Options for controlling gaps between bars

    4.4 Options for sorting bars

    4.5 Controlling the categorical axis

    4.6 Controlling the legend and labeling bars

    4.7 Controlling the y axis

    4.8 Changing the look of bars

    4.9 Graphing by groups

    5 Box plots

    5.1 Specifying variables and groups

    5.2 Options for controlling gaps between boxes

    5.3 Options for sorting boxes

    5.4 Controlling the categorical axis

    5.5 Controlling the legend

    5.6 Controlling the y axis

    5.7 Changing the look of boxes

    5.8 Graphing by groups

    6 Dot plots

    6.1 Specifying variables and groups

    6.2 Options for controlling gaps between dots

    6.3 Options for sorting dots

    6.4 Controlling the categorical axis

    6.5 Controlling the legend

    6.6 Controlling the y axis

    6.7 Changing the look of dot rulers

    6.8 Graphing by groups

    7 Pie charts

    7.1 Types of pie charts

    7.2 Sorting pie slices

    7.3 Changing the look and color and exploding pie slices

    7.4 Slice labels

    7.5 Controlling the legend

    7.6 Graphing by groups

    8 Options available for most graphs

    8.1 Changing the look of markers

    8.2 Creating and controlling marker labels

    8.3 Connecting points and markers

    8.4 Setting and controlling axis titles

    8.5 Setting and controlling axis labels

    8.6 Controlling axis scales

    8.7 Selecting an axis

    8.8 Graphing by groups

    8.9 Controlling the legend

    8.10 Adding text to markers and positions

    8.11 Options for text and textboxes

    8.12 More options controlling the display of text

    9 Standard options available for all graphs

    9.1 Creating and controlling titles

    9.2 Using schemes to control the look of graphs

    9.2.1 Schemes included with Stata

    9.2.2 Community-contributed schemes

    Graph schemes sensitive to color vision deficiency

    The 538 family of schemes

    The lean family of schemes

    9.2.3 Schemes included with this book

    9.2.4 Example #1: An overlaid scatterplot with fit lines

    9.2.5 Example #2: An overlaid scatterplot with fit lines and confidence region

    Example #3: A bar chart

    The grstyle way of customizing graphs

    9.2.6 Customizing schemes

    9.2.7 Using the set scheme command

    9.3 Sizing graphs and their elements

    9.3.1 Sizing/resizing graphs with absolutely sized versus relatively sized units

    9.4 Changing the look of graph regions

    10 Styles for changing the look of graphs

    10.1 Angle

    10.2 Color

    10.2.1 Named colors

    10.2.2 Color intensity

    Increasing brightness

    Decreasing brightness

    The brightness spectrum

    10.2.3 Color opacity

    10.2.4 Overlapping colors

    10.2.5 Specifying colors using RGB, CMYK, and HSV values

    10.3 Clock position

    10.4 Compass direction

    10.5 Connecting points

    10.6 Line patterns

    10.7 Line width

    10.8 Margin

    10.9 Marker size

    10.10 Orientation

    10.11 Marker symbol

    10.12 Text size

    11 Appendix

    11.1 Overview of statistical graph commands

    11.2 Common options for statistical graphs

    11.3 The marginsplot command

    11.4 Saving, redisplaying, and combining graphs

    11.5 Exporting graphs

    11.6 More examples: Putting it all together

    11.7 Common mistakes

    Biography

    Michael N. Mitchell is a senior statistician working in the area of sleep research as well as working on prevention of child maltreatment with the Children’s Data Network. He is the author of three other Stata Press books—Interpreting and Visualizing Regression Models Using Stata, Data Management Using Stata, and Stata for the Behavioral Sciences.