Dept. of Computer
Science
CSCI A111
A Survey of Computers and Computing
Fall 1998 - First 8 Weeks
Module 6 - Advanced Spreadsheets - Charting
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Learning Objectives
At the completion of this module, you will know
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How to select data to graph
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When to use the different types of charts
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Why labels, titles, and legends are important
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How to edit various facets of a chart
Drills
Practice with Making Charts
Download the file "uscomp.xls" and the file "suicides.xls". Each of these
files contains some data and a few sample ways of charting the data (most
good, some bad).First, study the charts. Why do some "succeed" where others
"fail", particularly when the charts are presenting the same data?Now,
recreate each of the charts on your own. Make sure that all facets of the
chart are identical (chart types, labels, axes, colors, etc.)Tests for
this module will consist of having to replicate two charts which are presented
to you, as well as creating a chart were you have to choose the appropriate
type of graph to use-so completing this drill is the best possible practice
for the tests.
Practice Creating New Charts
Download the file "execute.xls" from FirstClass. This spreadsheet contains
the number and methods of executions for all states since 1977.Your task
is to create some useful charts to visualize this information. Some charts
you might consider
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Charting methods of executions
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Charting number of executions by state
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Charting number of states employing one method vs. number of states employing
more than one method
Note that sometimes, additional calculations may have to be performed to
produce new values which will be better suited for presenting the information
in a graph.
Rules You Must Adhere To
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Always title your graphs
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Always indicate units
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Always label your graphs' axes
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Never use a graph to lie or misrepresent data
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Never use a pie chart except to show "parts of a whole"
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Never use 3D just to be "cool", as it often obscures the data.