[Grammar] Definite article before the graph's name

[nyggus]

Hi,

Imagine I'm writing an essay about, say, the line plot (as one of the plot types). I'm using the name "line plot" a lot throughout the essay. Should I use the definite article before the "line plot" every time, or can omit the definite article before "line plot"? I'm getting overwhelmed by the the line plots.

Thanks,
nyggus

 

[teechar]

It's hard to say without seeing the text. Can you upload it to our Editing and Writing Topics sub-forum?

 

[GoesStation]

You have to use the article when writing about a specific line plot. When referring to line plots in general (as I have just done in this sentence), you don't use an article. When using line plot as an attributive noun, you don't use an article.

Line plot 17 demonstrates that oranges cannot learn algebra. The line plot shows n in the y axis and standard algebra test score in the x axis. Note the cluster of results at x=0.

 

[nyggus]

You have to use the article when writing about a specific line plot. When referring to line plots in general (as I have just done in this sentence), you don't use an article. When using line plot as an attributive noun, you don't use an article.

Thanks. I did mean line plot in general, so it seems I can get rid of all the definite articles that fill the page as monkeys fill a jungle with their screams. I'll get what I need: the page with line plots without the thes, like the jungle with monkeys without the screams.

 

[GoesStation]

Submit an excerpt to the writing forum to see if you're on the right track.

 

[nyggus]

An example here (submitting here not to the writing forum because it's from Wikipedia).