Graphics:Twoway Scatterplots | Stata Learning Modules

This module shows some of the options when using the twoway command to produce scatterplots. This is illustrated by showing the command and the resulting graph. This includes hotlinks to the Stata Graphics Manual available over the web and from within Stata by typing help graph.

Two Way Scatterplots

….	Basic twoway scatterplot twoway (scatter read write)
Schemes
	Using Economist Scheme twoway (scatter read write) , scheme(economist)

	Using s1mono Scheme twoway (scatter read write) , scheme(s1mono)
Marker Placement Options (i.e. Jitter)
	Scatterplot with jitter twoway (scatter write read, jitter(3))	Without jitter twoway (scatter write read)
Marker Label Options

	Using small black square symbols. twoway (scatter write read, msymbol(square) msize(small) mcolor(black))

	With markers red on the inside, black medium thick outline twoway (scatter write read, mfcolor(red) mlcolor(black) mlwidth(medthick) )

	Identifying Observations with Marker Labels twoway (scatter read write, mlabel(id))

	Using large red marker labels at 12 O’clock twoway (scatter read write if id <=10, mlabel(id) mlabposition(12) mlabsize(large) mlabcolor(red))

	Markers at 90 degree angle at 12 O’clock with a gap of 5 twoway (scatter read write if id <=10, mlabel(ses) mlabangle(90) mlabposition(12) mlabgap(5))	If mlabgap option is omitted twoway (scatter read write if id <=10, /// mlabel(ses) mlabangle(90) mlabposition(12))

	Modifying marker position separately for variables (1) generate pos = 3 replace pos = 1 if (id == 5) replace pos = 5 if (id == 6) replace pos = 9 if (id == 3) twoway (scatter read write if id <= 10,mlabel(ses) mlabv(pos))	If option mlabv is not used twoway (scatter read write if id <= 10, mlabel(ses))
Connect Options
	Connecting with straight line egen mread = mean(read), by(write) twoway (scatter mread write, connect(l) sort)	If the sort option is omitted twoway (scatter mread write, connect(l))

	Medium thick black dotted connecting line twoway (scatter mread write, connect(l) clwidth(medthick) clcolor(black) clpattern(dot) sort)

	Show gaps in line when there are missing values egen sdread = sd(read), by(write) twoway (scatter sdread write, connect(l) sort cmissing(n))	Omitting cmissing option twoway (scatter sdread write, connect(l) sort)

Footnotes

#1. Notice that the variable pos is used to control the position of the marker label. As shown in the code (repeated below), pos is assigned a value of 3 representing 3 O’Clock, and then when id is 5 the position of the marker label is 1 O’Clock, and when id is 5 the position is 5 O’Clock, and then when id is 3 the position is 9 O’Clock, allowing us to avoid labels that run off the edge of the graph or overwrite each other.

generate pos = 3 replace pos = 1 if (id == 5) replace pos = 5 if (id == 6) replace pos = 9 if (id == 3)

Graphics:Twoway Scatterplots | Stata Learning Modules

Two Way Scatterplots

Basic twoway scatterplot

Schemes

Using Economist Scheme

Using s1mono Scheme

Marker Placement Options (i.e. Jitter)

Scatterplot with jitter

Without jitter

Marker Label Options

Using small black square symbols.

With markers red on the inside, black medium thick outline

Identifying Observations with Marker Labels

Using large red marker labels at 12 O’clock

Markers at 90 degree angle at 12 O’clock with a gap of 5

If mlabgap option is omitted

Modifying marker position separately for variables (1)

If option mlabv is not used

Connect Options

Connecting with straight line

If the sort option is omitted

Medium thick black dotted connecting line

Show gaps in line when there are missing values

Omitting cmissing option