R: Plotting Factor Variables

plot.factor {graphics} | R Documentation

## Plotting Factor Variables

### Description

This functions implements a scatterplot method for `factor` arguments of the generic `plot` function.

If `y` is missing `barplot` is produced. For numeric `y` a `boxplot` is used, and for a factor `y` a `spineplot` is shown. For any other type of `y` the next `plot` method is called, normally `plot.default`.

### Usage

    ## S3 method for class 'factor'
    plot(x, y, legend.text = NULL, ...)

### Arguments

`x, y` | numeric or factor. `y` may be missing.
`legend.text` | character vector for annotation of y axis in the case of a factor `y`: defaults to `levels(y)`. This sets the `yaxlabels` argument of `spineplot`.
`...` | Further arguments to `barplot`, `boxplot`, `spineplot` or `plot` as appropriate. All of these accept graphical parameters (see `par`) and annotation arguments passed to `title` and `axes = FALSE`. None accept `type`.

### See Also

`plot.default`, `plot.formula`, `barplot`, `boxplot`, `spineplot`.

### Examples

    require(grDevices)

    plot(weight ~ group, data = PlantGrowth)           # numeric vector ~ factor
    plot(cut(weight, 2) ~ group, data = PlantGrowth)   # factor ~ factor
    ## passing "..." to spineplot() eventually:
    plot(cut(weight, 3) ~ group, data = PlantGrowth,
         col = hcl(c(0, 120, 240), 50, 70))

    plot(PlantGrowth$group, axes = FALSE, main = "no axes")  # extremely silly

[Package graphics version 3.5.1 Index]