ISYE 6414
Students will be invited to given a login for this site after Final Project groups are finalized onJanuary 27.
Checkpoints, the Final Report and Peer Reviews will be submitted via this account.
Your individual code will be submitted via your group's GitHub repository, which we'll invite you to after your account is created.

Graphics Requirements

Well-designed graphics are essential for communicating your findings effectively.
What Counts as a "Graphic"?

Graphics = tables + charts + graphs + any other visual element. Your 5 required in-text graphics can be any combination of these. A well-formatted table of model coefficients counts the same as a visualization.

General Requirements

  • Use the same font as your report
    Graphics should use Times New Roman or Computer Modern (matching your report font). We expect the Final Report to look like a professional, academic paper with consistent typography throughout.
  • All graphics must be legible
    Overlapping or too-small labels will be penalized. Ensure all text in your graphics is readable at the document's standard viewing size.
  • Graphics should be appropriately sized
    Taking up half a page for a simple graph will be penalized unless it's a beautiful custom graphic that demands that size. Be judicious with space.
  • Include clear labels, titles, and captions
    Every graphic needs a descriptive title, labeled axes, and a caption explaining what the reader should take away from it.

Graphics Requirements for Final Report

Final Report Graphics Requirement
Your Final Report must contain exactly 5 graphics in-text (combination of tables and data visualizations including charts and graphs) within the 14-20 page body. At least 1-2 graphics should be impressive "show-stoppers" with excellent visual design, coloring, and labeling.

Additional Graphics in Appendices

You may include additional graphics in the appendices if you have insightful visualizations that don't fit within your 5 in-text graphics.

Appendix Graphics Are Not a Dumping Ground

The option to include appendix graphics is not carte blanche to dump every graphic you can think of creating. Appendix graphics should be:

  • Genuinely insightful visualizations that support your analysis
  • Graphics that provide valuable supplementary information
  • Visualizations that didn't make the "top 5" but still contribute meaningfully
Same Quality Standards Apply
All appendix graphics must meet the same General Requirements as in-text graphics: they must not be pixelated, must have proper titles and captions, must use appropriate fonts, and must be legible. Low-quality appendix graphics will be penalized.

What Graphics to Include

Your graphics should communicate findings, not document your process. Think of the difference between your working notebook (where you explore data) and your final paper (where you present conclusions).

Focus on Results and Insights

Good graphics for your Final Report:

  • Model results tables — coefficient estimates, confidence intervals, model comparisons
  • Visualizations of key findings — graphics that directly support your conclusions
  • Relationship visualizations — but only when they reveal something specific you discuss in your narrative
  • Anomalies or notable patterns — graphics that highlight something important you discovered
Avoid Routine Diagnostic Graphics

These belong in your code/analysis, not your Final Report (unless they reveal something unusual worth discussing):

  • Residual plots, QQ plots, and other model diagnostics
  • Generic correlation heatmaps (unless a specific correlation is central to your argument)
  • Distribution histograms just to show "here's my data"
  • Scatterplot matrices or pair plots
  • Any graphic where your only caption would be "Figure X shows..."

The test: if you can't write a substantive caption explaining what insight the reader should take away, it probably doesn't belong in your report.