Introduction to ggplot2

2.1 A worked example

The ggplot2 package builds up a graph in layers. We start with a complex graph and then we add elements one at a time.

# load data
data(CPS85 , package = "mosaicData")

2.1.1 ggplot

The ggplot function plots the data contained in the data frame.

# specify dataset and mapping
library(ggplot2)
ggplot(data = CPS85,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, y = wage))

2.1.2 geoms

Geoms are any objects, including points, lines, and bars, that can be on the graph. They are added by putting geom_point, for exmaple.

# add points
ggplot(data = CPS85,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, y = wage)) +
  geom_point()

# delete outlier
library(dplyr)

## 
## Attaching package: 'dplyr'

## The following objects are masked from 'package:stats':
## 
##     filter, lag

## The following objects are masked from 'package:base':
## 
##     intersect, setdiff, setequal, union

plotdata <- filter(CPS85, wage < 40)

# redraw scatterplot
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, y = wage)) +
  geom_point()

2.1.3 grouping

Variables can be mapped to the color, shape, and size of geometric objects.

# indicate sex using color
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, 
                     y = wage,
                     color = sex)) +
  geom_point(alpha = .7,
             size = 3) +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", 
              se = FALSE, 
              size = 1.5)

2.1.4 scales

Scales help control how variables are placed to the visual characteristics of the plot. Scale functions start with scale_.

# modify the x and y axes and specify the colors to be used
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, 
                     y = wage,
                     color = sex)) +
  geom_point(alpha = .7,
             size = 3) +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", 
              se = FALSE, 
              size = 1.5) +
  scale_x_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 60, 10)) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 30, 5),
                     label = scales::dollar) +
  scale_color_manual(values = c("indianred3", 
                                "cornflowerblue"))

2.1.5 facets

Facets make a graph for each level a given variable. Facets are created with the function facet_.

# reproduce plot for each level of job sector
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, 
                     y = wage,
                     color = sex)) +
  geom_point(alpha = .7) +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", 
              se = FALSE) +
  scale_x_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 60, 10)) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 30, 5),
                     label = scales::dollar) +
  scale_color_manual(values = c("indianred3", 
                                "cornflowerblue")) +
  facet_wrap(~sector)

2.1.6 labels

The labs function creates personalized labels for the axes and legends, as well as a title, subtitle, and caption can be added.

# add informative labels
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, 
                     y = wage,
                     color = sex)) +
  geom_point(alpha = .7) +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", 
              se = FALSE) +
  scale_x_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 60, 10)) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 30, 5),
                     label = scales::dollar) +
  scale_color_manual(values = c("indianred3", 
                                "cornflowerblue")) +
  facet_wrap(~sector) +
  labs(title = "Relationship between wages and experience",
       subtitle = "Current Population Survey",
       caption = "source: http://mosaic-web.org/",
       x = " Years of Experience",
       y = "Hourly Wage",
       color = "Gender")

2.1.7 themes

Theme functions control background colors, fonts, legend placement and other things.

# use a minimalist theme
ggplot(data = plotdata,
       mapping = aes(x = exper, 
                     y = wage,
                     color = sex)) +
  geom_point(alpha = .6) +
  geom_smooth(method = "lm", 
              se = FALSE) +
  scale_x_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 60, 10)) +
  scale_y_continuous(breaks = seq(0, 30, 5),
                     label = scales::dollar) +
  scale_color_manual(values = c("indianred3", 
                                "cornflowerblue")) +
  facet_wrap(~sector) +
  labs(title = "Relationship between wages and experience",
       subtitle = "Current Population Survey",
       caption = "source: http://mosaic-web.org/",
       x = " Years of Experience",
       y = "Hourly Wage",
       color = "Gender") +
  theme_minimal()