Violin and raincloud plots
Shows the full shape of a distribution as a smoothed density (kernel density, Gaussian kernel) with a boxplot inside; the raincloud version also shows every case as a dot.
Menu: Graphs → More charts → Violin / raincloud plot…
When should I use it?
- Showing bimodal or skewed distributions that a boxplot hides.
- Showing all data points in small samples (raincloud).
What are the assumptions?
- Scale variable; at least a handful of cases per group.
How do I run it in StatLab?
- Choose the variable and an optional group variable.
- Choose violin or raincloud.
How do I read the output?
| Output | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Shape | Estimated density (Scott bandwidth), trimmed to the data range. |
| Inner box | Tukey hinges and whiskers. |
Worked example
On the practice survey dataset (File → Sample dataset), this command — which the dialog's Paste button also produces — runs the procedure:
PROC vizViolin /y=score /x='' /kind=violin.
Computed by StatLab's validated procedure code when this page was built. The example only illustrates the steps; choose variables that fit your own research question.
What are common mistakes?
- Over-reading bumps in the density when n is small.