Box plots are especially effective for comparing batches

Although the box plot of a single data set shows various useful aspects of the distribution of values, it is no more informative than a dot plot, stem and leaf plot or histogram.

However box plots come into their own when two or more batches of data are to be compared. The most important differences between different the batches are usually precisely the aspects that are highlighted by their box plots. Since the box plots hide the individual values, differences between batches are clearer.

The most important differences between the batches are usually precisely the aspects that are highlighted by their box plots. Since the box plots hide the individual values, differences between batches are clearer.

Rice yields

The diagram below shows jittered dot plots of the rice yields (tonnes/hectare) in all major rice-producing countries of the workd in 1996/97.

Use the pop-up menu to display the data as box plots. The differences between the regions should now be more apparent.