Data Visualization with Google Sheets

In the last lesson, you learned how to copy data – specifically, MSA-level unemployment data for Tennessee – into a Google Sheet and analyze it to learn newsworthy information including which MSA had the best and worst unemployment rates, how the MSAs compared to the national unemployment figure, and how each MSA’s current unemployment figure compared to its figure from a year ago.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use your data to make an online, interactive column chart in Google Sheets like this one, which uses data from 2015:

… and embed the chart in a post on your WordPress site. The result should look something like this post on The Data Reporter showing a column chart of Tennessee MSA unemployment data from June 2015, except that yours should show the current data you compiled while working on the last lesson. You’ll also learn how to make and customize other types of charts, specifically a line chart and a bar chart.

This video will show you the steps. Remember: you can watch it full screen, if you like.

If you’d like to try making a pie chart, below are the data shown in the video. See the source for the current data, if you like.

SectorJobs
Trade, Trans., Utilities194,100
Professional, Business Svcs.171,400
Education, Health154,100
Government120,100
Leisure, Hospitality115,200
Manufacturing82,100
All other175,800

And here are the data used in the video for making the line chart. Again, you could see the source for the current data, if you like.

MonthJan-Dec, 2017Jan-Nov, 2018
Jan3.62.6
Feb3.42.7
Mar3.22.7
Apr32.6
May2.82.5
Jun2.82.8
Jul2.82.8
Aug2.72.8
Sep2.62.9
Oct2.63
Nov2.72.6
Dec2.6

If you have trouble embedding your chart in a WordPress page using the approach shown in the video, try this alternative approach. Some students find it easier. It’s the approach I’ve begun using myself.