Ill try to add something here. AMMETERS as mentioned above must ALWAYS be in series. The question is series with what. To see the alternator charging the battery just put it in line with the single wire from the alternator to the battery.
What it "looks" like you were asking is to read any charge/discharge from the battery and that is a whole different deal. To do that you need a 500AMP+ meter cause if you put it in series with the battery, when you hit the starter your going to make a flash cube of the ammeter if its only a 30-60 AMP meter.
I blew a couple of em up before I went to Navy Electronics school hahahahah. Now I realize its best to just put an ammeter in series with the alternator OR switch it off during starting.
Another option to this is to not put the starter in the circuit but let everything else run through the ammeter. This gives a general indication of whats being used/vs/whats being charged. Limitation here is it won't show a drain outside of what you have hooked up to the meter.
Most folks have gone to using a voltmeter so they dont have a 60-500 AMP hot wire in the insturment panel.
Since now we can get 1,000 CCA batteries, its even more of a case to only use a voltmeter.
Voltmeter is simplicity itself in use, just remember your battery is 12.6 volts and any reading above that is a charge. Usually youll see 15-17 volts right after starting. And it can be hooked between ground and the "on" side of the ignition switch or nearly anywhere theres a direct hot wire. It uses like 16 or 18 gage wire and is way easier to do the wiring on.
An ammeter doesnt really give a battery status, but a voltmeter actually does.
If ya want more let me know, I'm full of general (some say useless) info.
Hope I shed some light.
Scotty
