Best examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices

Strong examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices

If you want your appendix to pull its weight, you need more than a random dump of figures. You need targeted, defensible choices. Some of the best examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices show up in projects where the main text stays lean, while the appendix does the heavy lifting for transparency and reproducibility.

Think of a health sciences thesis comparing vaccination rates across counties. The main results section might show a single polished figure, but the appendices often feature additional bar charts for subgroups, line graphs over time, and scatterplots of vaccination rate vs. hospitalization rate. Those are real examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices being used to document the full story without overwhelming the narrative.

The same pattern shows up in education research, economics, and psychology: the main text gives the highlight reel; the appendix gives the raw, visual evidence.

Common types of charts and graphs that belong in appendices

Before you even think about layout, you need to pick the right visual. The best examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices tend to fall into a few familiar categories, each with a clear job.

Bar charts for group comparisons

Bar charts are workhorses in social science and health research. They’re ideal when you’re comparing discrete groups or categories.

Real examples include:

• A psychology study showing mean anxiety scores for treatment vs. control vs. waitlist groups, with separate bar charts in the appendix for each demographic subgroup (e.g., age brackets, gender). The main text might only show the overall comparison; the appendix bar charts give a fuller picture.
• An education paper comparing reading scores across three curriculum types. The appendix can show bar charts broken down by grade level and by school district, which would be too detailed for the main results section.

When you’re building your own examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices, bar charts work best when readers might reasonably ask, “But what about this subgroup?” and you want a clear visual answer.

Line graphs for trends over time

If your data involve repeated measurements, line graphs belong in your appendix. They reveal patterns that a single summary statistic can’t.

For example of good practice:

• A public health paper tracking flu incidence over five years might include, in the appendix, line graphs by region, age group, and vaccination status. The primary article might show one overall line graph; the appendix expands it into several detailed versions.
• An economics thesis examining unemployment rates before and after a policy change might place line graphs by industry or by state in the appendix, even if only the national trend appears in the main body.

These are classic examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices being used to show that your main findings hold up across time and subgroups.

Scatterplots for relationships and outliers

Scatterplots are where you expose the real structure of your data: clustering, outliers, and non‑linear relationships.

Real examples include:

• A medical research paper on BMI and blood pressure that includes, in the appendix, scatterplots with regression lines for different age bands. The main text may only report the correlation coefficient; the appendix lets reviewers visually inspect the relationship.
• An environmental science paper plotting air pollution levels vs. asthma admissions. The appendix can show scatterplots by season or by neighborhood income level, demonstrating that the relationship isn’t driven only by one subset of cases.

These examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices are particularly valued by reviewers, because they allow a quick visual check for anomalies and model assumptions.

Histograms and density plots for distributions

Whenever you state that your data are “approximately normal” or that a variable is “skewed,” you should be ready to show it. Histograms and density plots are ideal for this.

Strong examples include:

• A statistics-heavy thesis that includes histograms of residuals for each regression model in the appendix. This lets readers verify assumptions without cluttering the main article.
• A clinical trial report that shows histograms of baseline lab values (like cholesterol or HbA1c) for each treatment arm, confirming that randomization produced similar distributions.

These are quiet but powerful examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices: they don’t grab attention, but they protect you from criticism about model assumptions and sample balance.

Boxplots for variability and outliers

Boxplots give a compact snapshot of medians, spread, and outliers across groups.

For example of effective use:

• An education research paper on test scores might include boxplots for each classroom or teacher in the appendix, while the main text only reports school-level averages.
• A sports science study comparing training programs could place boxplots of performance measures for each group in the appendix, showing both central tendency and variability.

When you’re looking for examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices that highlight variability rather than just averages, boxplots are a smart choice.

Real examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices by discipline

Different fields have different expectations. If you want your appendices to look credible to experts, it helps to mimic real-world patterns.

Health and medical research

In health and medical papers, appendices often carry the visual burden of transparency. If you scan reports from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or large clinical trials, you’ll see:

• Flow diagrams of participant recruitment and retention (often labeled as figures in appendices).
• Bar charts and line graphs for adverse events by treatment arm.
• Kaplan–Meier survival curves for subgroups, placed in appendices when the main text only shows overall survival.

These are some of the best examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices because they provide the detail regulators and clinicians expect without overwhelming the results section.

Public health and epidemiology

Public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regularly publish technical reports where appendices contain:

• Time-series line graphs of disease incidence by region.
• Heat-map style charts for county-level rates.
• Scatterplots comparing coverage rates to health outcomes.

These real examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices show how large, complex datasets can be broken into readable visual chunks.

Education and psychology

In education and psychology, appendices often serve two purposes: documenting measurement and showing robustness.

Common examples include:

• Bar charts of test score distributions by school or class.
• Scatterplots of predictor variables vs. outcomes to check for nonlinearity.
• Line graphs of learning curves across multiple sessions in cognitive or behavioral studies.

If you look at dissertations hosted by major universities like Harvard University, you’ll see that examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices often accompany detailed tables, giving readers both numeric and visual versions of the same patterns.

Economics and policy

Economics papers, especially those using large administrative datasets, often push extensive visuals into appendices:

• Event-study graphs (a style of line graph) showing outcomes before and after a policy change for many subgroups.
• Scatterplots of treatment intensity vs. outcomes across regions.
• Histograms of key variables to show distributions and support modeling choices.

These examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices are standard in top journals because they provide evidence that results are not driven by a few extreme observations or modeling quirks.

How to design charts and graphs specifically for appendices

The best examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices don’t just recycle main-text visuals; they are designed for a slightly different job.

Prioritize clarity over aesthetics

Appendix figures should be readable when printed in black and white and when scaled down. That means:

• Use clear labels, not cryptic abbreviations.
• Avoid color combinations that collapse into the same gray tone.
• Keep gridlines light and secondary.

A good example of an appendix-ready chart: a bar chart comparing four groups, each labeled with short but descriptive names, with values annotated above bars so readers don’t need to guess.

Use consistent numbering and cross-references

Every figure in your appendices should be labeled and easy to cite in the main text. A common pattern is:

• Appendix A, Figure 1: Bar chart of mean test scores by school.
• Appendix A, Figure 2: Histogram of baseline scores.
• Appendix B, Figure 1: Scatterplot of study hours vs. test scores.

Then, in the main results section, you might write: “Additional subgroup analyses are presented in Appendix A, Figures 1–2, and Appendix B, Figure 1.” This mirrors how many style guides, including APA and journal-specific manuals, expect you to handle examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices.

Match each visual to a specific claim

You should be able to finish this sentence for every appendix figure: “This figure supports or checks the claim that …”

For example of targeted use:

• A histogram in the appendix supports the claim that residuals are approximately symmetric.
• A scatterplot supports the claim that the relationship between variables is roughly linear.
• A line graph for each subgroup supports the claim that the effect appears across demographics.

If you can’t articulate that link, the figure probably doesn’t belong, or it needs to be redesigned.

2024–2025 trends: transparency, open data, and visual documentation

Current research culture is moving decisively toward transparency and reproducibility. That shift affects how you should think about examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices.

Recent trends include:

• Journals and funders increasingly expect detailed visual diagnostics for models, not just final results. That means more residual plots, influence plots, and subgroup graphs in appendices.
• Open data and open code requirements are common in fields like psychology and biomedicine. Alongside sharing raw data, researchers are encouraged to share the exact charts and graphs used to inspect and clean data, often as appendix figures.
• Pre-registered studies frequently include planned analysis visuals in appendices, so reviewers can compare what was promised vs. what was reported.

If you want your work to look current in 2024–2025, your appendices should reflect these practices. That means more diagnostic plots, more subgroup visuals, and clearer labeling that connects visuals to analytic decisions.

For guidance on ethical and transparent reporting, resources from organizations like the National Library of Medicine and major journal publishers outline expectations for figures and appendices in modern research.

Practical tips for creating strong appendix figures

To turn your own work into one of the better real examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices, keep a short checklist in mind.

Focus on:

• Readability at small sizes: Test-print a page with multiple figures.
• Self-contained captions: A reader should understand a figure’s purpose without hunting through the text.
• Alignment with style guides: Follow your discipline’s standard (APA, AMA, Chicago, etc.) for figure labels and placement.
• Data integrity: The appendix is not the place to “pretty up” results; it’s where you show the raw reality of your data.

When in doubt, ask: “If a skeptical reviewer asked for more detail, would this figure satisfy them?” If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

FAQ: examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices

How many charts and graphs should I include in my appendices?
There’s no fixed number. Include enough visuals to document your methods, show important subgroups, and support key assumptions, but not so many that the appendix becomes unreadable. Many theses and journal articles end up with anywhere from a handful to several dozen examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices, depending on data complexity.

Can I move figures from the main text into the appendix?
Yes, especially if your main text is overloaded. Keep the core visuals that are central to your argument in the results section, then move detailed subgroup charts, diagnostics, and secondary analyses to the appendix. Update your figure numbering and cross-references accordingly.

What is a good example of a figure that belongs only in the appendix?
A classic example of an appendix-only figure is a set of histograms or Q–Q plots used to check model assumptions. These are important for transparency but not central to the story you tell in the main text. Another example is a full set of subgroup scatterplots that confirm your main relationship holds across different groups.

Do appendix charts and graphs need to follow the same style as main-text figures?
They should be consistent in fonts, labeling style, and general design. However, appendix figures can be more detailed, with extra labels, notes, or panels. Consistency helps readers recognize that all of your visuals belong to the same coherent study.

Should I describe appendix figures in the methods or results section?
Briefly mention them where they are relevant. For instance, in the methods you might write that you examined residual plots (see Appendix C), and in the results you might note that subgroup patterns are shown in Appendix B. This signals to readers that examples of charts and graphs in research paper appendices are not afterthoughts, but integral parts of your argument.