BISC 111/113:Statistics and Graphing

BISC 111/113: Introductory Organismal Biology

 Introduction to Organismal Biology Lab  Calendar and Assignments

 Statistics and Graphing  Science Writing Guidelines

 Lab 1: Biodiversity  Lab 2: Population Growth  Labs 3-6: Plant Biology  Labs 7-9: Animal Biology  Lab 10: Laboratory Exam  Lab 11: Population Growth 2  Lab 12: Beetle Presentations

Making a Pie Chart in Excel 2008

 * 1) Open a new workbook page in Excel 2008.
 * 2) Enter your Category and Number data in Column A and Column B, respectively.
 * 3) Highlight both category and number data, but not the column labels. To generate a graph, chose "Charts" and then "Pie" from the Menu bar directly above the workbook. Then select the pie chart format you prefer. The farthest left option is both simple and clear, and generates both the chart and its legend, as in the image below.

Making a Column Graph in Excel 2007 (Windows Vista)
1) Once you have a spreadsheet of raw data, make a new summary table in the Excel sheet (as shown below) for ease of graphing. Create one row with heading titles, a second row for the means, and a third row for the SD calculations. 2) Calculate the mean of each group (Data Set A and B) using the  AutoSum function located under the “Home” tab on the right-hand side. a. In the summary table, click on the empty cell in which you want the first calculated mean to be displayed. Then select “average” from the AutoSum drop down menu.

b. Next, highlight a single column of raw data to be averaged and hit return. The mean should now be displayed in your summary table. 3) To begin graphing, click on the “Insert” tab at the top of the toolbar. Then highlight the first two rows of your summary table including column titles and the row with means.  Next, click on the image of the “Column” graph under the ‘Charts’ box below the main toolbar.  Then choose the 2D column graph image. 4) Your graph should automatically appear, but you will need to edit the finalized graph in the following ways:

a. Add error bars representing SD (Standard Deviation) b. Label both axes (include proper units) c. Remove the title from the top d. Remove the grayscale background e. If needed, choose patterns for each column so it is easy to read the legend (i.e., different colors all look grey on a printout)

5) To make these changes, highlight your graph by clicking on it. This should display the Chart Tools Layout tab under which you will see the following options: a. Go to the Analysis section of tools on the right and select ‘Error Bars’.  Scroll down to ‘More Error Bar Options’, then select ‘Both’ under Display Direction, End Style as ‘Cap’, and ‘Custom’ for Error Amount.

b. Click on the ‘Specify Amount’ button, and a window pops up with an entry for both positive and negative error values (see below). In each entry window, go and highlight the row of SD values, and click ‘OK’. Your SD values should now correspond with their respective means as error bars. c. Next, click on ‘Chart Title’ in the ‘Labels’ box and select ‘None’. This will remove the default title. You do not want any title printed on the graph itself.

d. Under ‘Axis Titles’, you can label the axes. Just drop down the menu to select from Title, Horizontal, and Vertical axis and enter/edit the text on the graph. Remember to include units where appropriate.

e. Once you are happy with the graph, highlight it, then copy and paste into Word where you’ll finish it off with an appropriate caption below.

The caption should summarize the data in the figure and verbally describe only “what” is shown in the figure, but not “why” you may be seeing a particular pattern. Any interpretation of the data is saved for the discussion section of a report.

Making a Column Graph in Excel 2008 (Mac)
1) Once you have calculated your means and standard deviations (SD) in JMP (see JMP tutorial for instructions), open up a new Excel spreadsheet and save it to the desktop.

2) First, create a summary table of the data you want to graph. One row will contain the column headings for each experimental group of data.  Create one row for the mean values and the next row for the standard deviation values (SD’s) that will be represented as the error bars. 3) To begin graphing, first highlight only the first 2 rows of your summary table including column titles (Strain A, Strain B, Strain C, and Strain D) and the row with means. (Do not highlight the SD row, as we will add the SD as error bars later.) 4) Next, click on the ‘Charts’ tab below the main toolbar. Then select the Column graph tab. 5)  Your graph should automatically appear: 6) Next, you will need to add your SD values as error bars corresponding to their respective means.

a. Double click on one of your columns on the graph and a ‘Format Data Series’ window will pop up. b. From the menu on the left, select ‘Error Bars’ and then select Display ‘Both’ and add ‘Cap’ for the End Style. c. Under error amount, select ‘Custom’ and then click on ‘Specify Value’. This will open a new window for Custom Error Bars. In the ‘Positive Error Value’, clear the window, then highlight the entire row of SD values in your summary table. Do the same for the ‘Negative Error Bar’ and then click ‘Okay’. d. You should now have both +/- SD as error bars for each mean. 7) Edit the finalized graph to label the axes, remove the default title, etc. to meet the standards for a properly formatted graph. (See the Science Writing section for guidelines.)

a. Open the ‘Toolbox’ on the main toolbar. In the Toolbox window, click on the ‘Formatting Palette’ icon on the far left (it has a capital A).

b. Under ‘Chart Options’, you can label the axes. Just drop down the menu to select from Title, Horizontal, and Vertical axis and enter/edit the text on the graph. You can also highlight the default title and click delete to remove it.

c. Colors: Please note that assignments are handed in as black and white printouts. Thus, color differences alone will not illustrate different groups represented on one graph. If you have mutiple groups that are not individually labeled on the y-axis (as shown here), be sure to add a legend and choose fill patterns that will differentiate between the columns.

d. Once you are happy with the graph, highlight the blue edge of the graph, then copy (Command + C) and paste (Command + V) into Word where you’ll finish it off with an appropriate caption.

Making a Column Graph in JMP
1) Go to Graph > Chart > Select your categorical variable as your X level, and any of the continuous variables as your Statistics > pull down the Statistics menu.

2) Select Mean > OK.

3) Under Chart menu (pull down the red arrow) on your new graph, select Y options > Std Error Bars.

4) You can clean it up by fixing axis labels and removing non-essential legends.

5) To copy into Word, use the white cross in the JMP menu to highlight what you want > copy and Paste. It may be easier to add your caption in Word since you can change the font, use italics etc.



Making a Linear Regression in Excel
1) Create a summary table with each variable you would like to graph in its own column. In this case, we are looking at time vs.  plant weight (g). 2) Highlight the cells you want to graph (time on the x axis). Select the Chart tab from the menu, and select ‘XY Scatter'. 3) This should display a scatter graph. 4) Next you will add a trendline. Select Chart: Add trendline.

a. In this window click Options and check display equation on chart and display R2 value on chart.

b. This gives you the line equation including the slope and a measure of how well the data fit the line (R2).

Use the absolute value of the slope for your calculation.

TO ADD A SECOND SERIES OF DATA TO THE SAME GRAPH

5) If you need to add another series of data to the same graph, in the Select Data Source window, click on the ‘Add’ button which adds a new series of data to your graph then select the new data set in the y-values window.

Making an XY Scatter Graph in Excel
1) Create a summary table with each variable you would like to graph in its own column. In this case, we are looking at time vs. VO2 (L/min). 2) Highlight the dependent variable you want displayed on the y-axis. In this case, VO2 (L/min). Then select the Chart tab from the menu, and select ‘XY Scatter’ and then ‘Straight Marked Scatter’ (the line connected with dots). 3) This should display a scatter graph with the correct units on the y-axis but an incorrect default x-axis. 4) Now you must specify the x-axis values, in this case, time (minutes). First, highlight the graph so the border shows up in blue. Then go up to the very top menu bar and select ‘Chart’ then select ‘Source Data’ from the drop down menu. 5) Here you can see the data series for your y-axis is already entered. Click on the window for the X values, then go back to your data and highlight all the values in your time (min).  Then click on OK in the Select Data Source Window.  Your graph should now show the correct scale for both your x and y-axes. 6) Now you can properly label your axes and edit your graph.

TO ADD A SECOND SERIES OF DATA TO THE SAME GRAPH

7) If you need to add another series of data to the same graph, (e.g., a plot of VO2 values for a second subject, in the Select Data Source window, click on the ‘Add’ button which adds a new series of data to your graph. Then you must specify both x and y-values like you did for the first scatter plot.

Image Processing in iPhoto and Photoshop
Processing Images in iPhoto

Photos taken with a digital camera need to be reduced to kb size to use in your Word docs. Changing image size and/or cropping your image can accomplish this. The minimal steps included in this document should produce a good quality image but for more extensive help please refer to the Wellesley College Computing website. Here you will find directions for downloading software, such as Photoshop, as well as directions for using it to edit your digital photos. The link for PCs (search under P for Photoshop after getting to the page) is and for Mac OS operating systems it's.

If working in iPhoto: 1) Open the image in iPhoto by double clicking on it.

2) Go to Photos: Photo info and note the current size of your picture. You need to reduce the image to kb size to avoid filling mailboxes with their quota when you try to email your photos or your documents.

Below the image is the edit icon.

3) Click on edit: Notice your picture will reframe with new icons.

4) Click on Crop and cut out the section of the picture you want.

5) Check Photos: photo info – if you are now in kb (not Mb), you can use this photo.

6) Click on effects or any of the other options to try to improve the clarity of your image.

7) If you are satisfied with the photo: export it to the desktop and use this version.

8) If the image is still too large, use the icons on the lower right. Clicking email will open this window: 9) Use the drop down menu and select small. 10) Select small and save the picture.

Processing Images in Photoshop

Photoshop provides more options for improving your photo and it is on the lab computers. After downloading to iPhoto on the macs in the lab, select the images you wish to modify and drag them to a desktop or to a folder with your initials. Be sure to trash your photos after you select and email the final version to the conference.

1) Open Photoshop and within Photoshop use File: Open.  Browse for your image. 2) Go to Image: Image size: and notice the size and resolution of the image. 3) This picture is still too large. Notice it is 1.69M. You can change the size of your picture in several ways, but crop it first. Be sure the rectangle tool is highlighted.  4) Outline the area you wish to keep and select Image: Crop.

5) Once you have the area you wish to keep, click on Image: Adjustments: Auto color to see if the computer can enhance the image for you. You can also adjust color on your own Image: Adjustment: levels.  Once you are happy with the area and color save the image

6) Recheck the image size, most likely it will still be too large.

7) To reduce the size, start by changing the image width and height, this will provide you with a way to keep images similar in size. The shape of each cropped image is important; similarly sized images will make a more attractive figure.

8) If your image is still too large, you can change the resolution. Usually a resolution of about 100 will bring a cropped image to a reasonable size (kb).