Which claims does a graph actually support?

A graph places observations on chosen scales. Changing an axis can make the same differences look larger or smaller without changing the data. Describe the numbers and the pattern before making a claim. Two quantities changing together does not by itself show that one caused the other. A shared pattern is called an association. A graph alone does not prove a cause. A positive association means larger values of one quantity tend to accompany larger values of another; a negative association means the opposite. Scatter plots also show variation around a pattern. Changing the vertical axis range affects appearance, not observations. A causal claim requires suitable evidence about alternatives, not just a visible trend.