Question 1

Matplotlib or Seaborn for academic plotting?

Accepted Answer

Seaborn for quick statistical charts; Matplotlib for fine-grained custom figures. In practice: use Seaborn for rapid exploration, then refine with Matplotlib.

Question 2

Chinese characters showing as boxes in Matplotlib?

Accepted Answer

Matplotlib does not support Chinese by default. Solution: download and install Chinese font TTF files, place in matplotlib font directory, delete font cache, set plt.rcParams['font.sans-serif'] = ['SimHei'].

Question 3

How to export figures for journal submission?

Accepted Answer

Vector formats first (PDF/SVG/EPS) — infinitely scalable. If bitmap required, use TIFF or PNG at 300 DPI.

Python Academic Data Visualization Tutorial | Matplotlib/Seaborn Chart Beautification and SCI Publication Standards

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