C. W. BAKER HIGH SCHOOL

Making Graphs Using Excel

Compiled by Mr. Kevin Murphy

STEP 1

Enter your experimental data into columns in a new Excel workbook. The data to be graphed should be in adjacent columns, with the x-axis data to the left of the y-axis data.

STEP 2

Highlight the data by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the cursor over the data, then release the mouse button.

STEP 3

Click the mouse on the Chart Wizard button (circled in the picture below).

STEP 4

The Chart Wizard dialog box should appear. Select "XY (Scatter)" as the chart type, then click the "Next" button Warning: DO NOT SELECT "LINE" AS THE CHART TYPE!!! Line graphs are used only for business applications and never for scientific applications.

STEP 5

A preview of the graph appears. Make sure that "Columns" is selected since the data were originally entered into columns. Click the "Next" button.

STEP 6

Select "As New Sheet," then click on "Finish."

STEP 7

The nearly-finished graph appears.

STEP 8

You can add a best-fitting straight line to your graph. To add the line, click the right mouse button on one of the data points in the graph. Select "Add Trendline..." from the menu that appears.

STEP 9

Select "Linear" as the type, then click the "Options" tab at the top of the dialog box.

STEP 10

Click on options to set the origin to zero if appropriate (be careful, not all graphs pass through the origin). You may also check the appropriate boxes to have the equation of the line printed on the chart. This is useful if you are interested in the slope of the line.

Final Step

 The best-fitting straight line, and its equation appear on the graph. Your graph is finished! You can print your graph from Excel, or you can copy the graph and paste it into your lab report in Microsoft Word.