Data Visualization: Plots You Should be Using More

Inspired by this blog post

1- Parallel Coordinates — A parallel coordinates graph arrays multiple variables alongside one another with each scaled from highest to the lowest value (highest at the top, lowest at the bottom) and with lines connecting each entity’s position for each variable, horizontally across the graph. Due to a large number of cases represented, it is often presented using an interactive view where individual lines can be selected and highlighted.

Some great examples in life sciences: 

http://www.statisticsviews.com/details/feature/6314441/Visualising-Statistics-The-importance-of-seeing-not-just-describing-data.html

https://www.computer.org/csdl/trans/tg/2009/06/ttg2009061001-abs.html

Reference to a nice article: http://www.mdpi.com/2227-9709/4/3/21


2- Horizon Charts — Horizon charts show time-series data with both negative and positive values on the vertical scale, using coloring or shading to show negative values while transposing them above the baseline “horizon”.

Some great examples in life sciences:

http://homer.ucsd.edu/homer/ngs/ucsc.html

Nice References:

http://www.canoo.com/blog/2017/11/17/deutsch-friday-fun-li-horizon-charts/
http://www.perceptualedge.com/blog/?p=390
http://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/visual_business_intelligence/time_on_the_horizon.pdf

3- Box plots - are drawn for groups of scale values (e.g. expression profiles). They enable us to study the distributional characteristics of a group of values as well as the level of the values. To begin with, values are sorted. Then four equal-sized groups are made from the ordered scores. That is, 25% of all scores are placed in each group. The lines dividing the groups are called quartiles, and the groups are referred to as quartile groups. Usually, we label these groups 1 to 4 starting at the bottom (https://www.wellbeingatschool.org.nz/information-sheet/understanding-and-interpreting-box-plots).

Some nice examples in life sciences: 

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep42460

http://biochemres.com/beautiful-minimalist-boxplots-with-r-and-ggplot2

4- Scatter Plot / PCA Classification -  A scatter plot (also called a scatterplot, scatter graph, scatter chart, scattergram, or scatter diagram) is a type of plot or mathematical diagram using Cartesian coordinates to display values for typically two variables for a set of data. If the points are color-coded, one additional variable can be displayed. The data are displayed as a collection of points, each having the value of one variable determining the position on the horizontal axis and the value of the other variable determining the position on the vertical axis. The scatterplot is one of the most used plots in life sciences. 

This is a well-known plot, then not introduction. 

5- Genome Circles (Circos) -  Circos uses a circular composition to show connections between objects or between positions, which are difficult to visually organize when the underlying layout is linear (or a graph, which can quickly become a hairball). In many cases, a linear layout makes impossible keeping the relationship lines from crossing other structures, deteriorates the effectiveness of the graphic.

Reference explaining what is Genome Circus here: http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/template/circos/$url_root/tableviewer/

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