Rules for using a broken scale graphs?

[nangwo]

I have a set of data (x values) that range from 900-1000, and y values that range from 1500-1600, and need to sketch a scatter plot, and then comment on the linear relationship and draw a regression line.

My problem is that I don't want to have to put in values that i don't really need as that would take up a lot of space (i.e. x values from 0-899, and y values from 0-1499). I could make each section or unit go but 100s, but then the dots would look all bunched up together so I'd prefer to put it in 10s (900, 910, 920, etc.)

I read you don't have to start an axis at 0 but since i need to draw the regression line on the same graph, i thought that i should somehow show the y-intercept. And I've heard about the broken axis, but I'm not sure whether you can do that when you're plotting a line.

How should i go about this?

[plato]

Does this help?
Re: Graphs

[nangwo]

Does this help?
Re: Graphs

Thanks! But still need something confirmed, so you can still use a broken axis even on linear graphs? Do I have to do anything to the line itself? Or just change the axis and leave everything as it is?

[Hellrocks]

you have an option to draw 2 lines in the axis and skip all the small value and continue with the scale you desire:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/pix1/BrokenY11a.gif

Or you could just start at the x values closer to the ones in your data