Be able to label the graph or chart including chart title, legend, sector labels, sector values, percentages, category axis title, value axis title, category axis labels, value axis labels, data value labels

Published by Patrick Mutisya · 8 days ago

IGCSE ICT 0417 – Graphs and Charts – Labeling Guide

Topic 16 – Graphs and Charts

Learning Objective

Be able to label a graph or chart correctly, including:

  • Chart title

  • Legend (key)

  • Sector labels (for pie charts)

  • Sector values and percentages (pie charts)

  • Category‑axis title

  • Value‑axis title

  • Category‑axis labels

  • Value‑axis labels

  • Data‑value labels (bars, lines, points)

Why Accurate Labelling Matters

Accurate labelling ensures that the information conveyed by a graph or chart is clear, unambiguous and can be interpreted correctly by the reader. In the IGCSE ICT exam, marks are awarded for each correctly placed label.

Common Types of Graphs/Charts

  1. Bar chart (vertical or horizontal)

  2. Line graph

  3. Pie chart

  4. Histogram

  5. Scatter plot

Labeling Checklist for All Charts

ElementWhat to IncludeTypical Placement
Chart TitleDescriptive phrase summarising the dataCentered above the chart
Legend (Key)Symbols/colours with their meaningsRight‑hand side or below the chart
Category‑Axis TitleWhat the categories represent (e.g., “Month”, “Product”) Below the horizontal axis (or beside vertical axis)
Category‑Axis LabelsNames of each category (e.g., Jan, Feb, …) Evenly spaced along the axis
Value‑Axis TitleUnits of measurement (e.g., “Sales (£)”, “Number of Students”) Vertical side of the chart, rotated 90°
Value‑Axis LabelsScale marks (e.g., 0, 20, 40, …) Along the value axis at regular intervals
Data‑Value LabelsExact numbers shown on bars, points or line markers Above/inside bars, on data points, or at line ends
Sector Labels (Pie)Name of each sector (e.g., “Transport”) Inside or just outside each slice
Sector \cdot alues & Percentages (Pie)Numeric value and/or percentage (e.g., “£1200 (30%)”) Near the sector label

Step‑by‑Step Labelling Procedure

  1. Read the data set and decide which type of chart best represents it.

  2. Draw the axes (if applicable) and plot the data points or sectors.

  3. Add the chart title. Make it concise but informative.

  4. Label the category axis and write the category‑axis labels.

  5. Label the value axis and write the value‑axis labels using an appropriate scale.

  6. If the chart uses colours or patterns, create a legend that matches each colour/pattern to its meaning.

  7. Place data‑value labels on each bar, point or line segment.

  8. For pie charts, add sector labels together with the sector values and, if required, the percentage of the whole.

  9. Review the chart to ensure every element is legible and correctly positioned.

Examples

Example 1 – Bar Chart

Data: Monthly sales (in £) for a small shop.

Suggested diagram: A vertical bar chart showing sales for Jan–Jun with a title, axis titles, axis labels, data‑value labels on each bar, and a legend if colours are used.

Example 2 – Pie Chart

Data: Household expenditure (in £) for four categories.

Suggested diagram: A pie chart divided into four sectors (Housing, Food, Transport, Entertainment) with sector labels, values and percentages, plus a chart title.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Omitting the chart title or making it too vague.

  • Leaving out axis titles – the reader may not know what the numbers represent.

  • Using an inconsistent scale on the value axis (e.g., mixing increments of 5 and 20).

  • Placing data‑value labels where they overlap or become unreadable.

  • For pie charts, forgetting to show percentages when required.

  • Incorrectly matching legend symbols to the data series.

Practice Tasks

  1. Given the table below, draw a vertical bar chart and label every required element.

    2. MonthUnits Sold
    January120
    February150
    March130
    April170
    May160
    June180

  2. Create a pie chart for the following data and include sector labels, values and percentages.

    3. CategoryAmount (£)
    Rent800
    Food400
    Transport200
    Leisure100

  3. Label the line graph below (description only). Identify the chart title, axis titles, axis labels, and data‑value labels.

    4. Suggested diagram: A line graph showing temperature (°C) over a week (Mon–Sun). Include a title “Weekly Temperature”, y‑axis title “Temperature (°C)”, x‑axis title “Day of Week”, axis labels for each day, and data‑value labels at each point.

Summary

Correctly labeling graphs and charts is essential for clear communication of data. Remember the checklist, follow the step‑by‑step procedure, and double‑check each element before finalising your chart.