Question: Which axis of the graph would you look at to assess the effectiveness of an intervention?

When you’re looking at a graph that represents your data, the Y-axis is where those quantitative values of behavior are being displayed. It’s a data path that has risen to the top of your graph if the behavior has increased. Or if it decreased, then the data path is going to be at the bottom, or lower on the graph as compared to baseline. Either way, the y-axis is where we look for those quantitative values that those high or those low paths on the graph. Higher behavior is higher on the y-axis in terms of value. Lower— less behavior, is lower on the y-axis in terms of value.

The x-axis is where we distribute the time of our measurement, the day, the month, the session, etc. Even though it does seem like the IV is presented horizontally, when you look at it visually, its effect on behavior, the measurement, is actually evidenced on the y-axis, the vertical axis.

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