Once you’ve selected your desired customizing options via the menus, your results will typically be available in three formats: table, bar/line chart and map (the map view is under construction). You can toggle among these three views by selecting the labelled display tab.
Display Options: Table, Chart, or Map
In some cases, a display format will not be available. For example, if too many factors are selected (multiple indicators with levels of geography, years and ages), your query will be too complex to chart or map. (However, results will always be available in table format.)
Table Options
TIMS has a number of Table options, including column sorting and data grouping, which help organize your output. These options will help you to better visualize your output and have the potential to increase your understanding of your results.
Sorting
Table columns can be sorted in alphabetical order and from highest to lowest by clicking the column title. Sorted columns are indicated by a sort glyph displayed at the column header's right edge. To sort multiple columns, click column headers with the SHIFT key pressed down.
Table Options
Column Order
The position of any given column can be changed by clicking its column heading and dragging it to a new position on the header row.
Grouping
Data can be nested or grouped by dragging one or more columns to the grouping box located on the top left-hand (outside) position of the table. (The table above provides a hint “Drag a column header here to group by that column”). The Table below shows current smoking grouped by sex (the sub-pop column was dragged to the grouping box).
Table Grouping
Chart Options
TIMS has a number of Chart options, described below, including a toggle to view bar/line charts, error bars, and different x-axis variables.
Bar/line Chart
TIMS produces bar charts and line charts. You can toggle back and forth between these two views by selecting the appropriate box on the Chart Options toolbar.
Chart Options Menu
Tip: For grouped results—such as age, income, or geography—a bar chart will likely be the better display option. If you are charting multiple time periods, a line chart might communicate your results better.
Show error bars
The vertical lines in the charts represent 95% upper and lower confidence limits, which mean that there is a 95% chance that the confidence interval will contain the true value of the quantity being estimated. Two or more estimated values are significantly different from each other if they have non-overlapping confidence intervals. If downloading or printing charts, we recommend that you retain error bars to aid in the interpretation of significance. On some line charts with multiple lines of data, vertical error bar lines may pile up on each other and distract from the results.
Invert x-axis
If you select more that 1 independent factor to chart (for example, current smoking by sex and age), choosing Invert x-axis will transpose your independent variables to offer a potentially better view of your results. For example, you can view your results by age (grouped by sex) or by sex (grouped by age).
Maps
Under construction
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