Graphing Data Overview
see also 

Minitab provides a flexible suite of graphs to support a variety of analysis needs. Many customization options are available when you create a graph and many more are available after you create it.

Types of graphs

 Use the following chart to select a graph from the Graph menu that fits your needs:

To ...

Use ...

Examine relationships between pairs of variables

Scatterplot, Bubble Plot, Matrix Plot, or Marginal Plot

Examine and compare distributions

Histogram, Dotplot, Stem-and-Leaf, Probability Plot, Empirical CDF, Probability Distribution Plot, or Boxplot

Compare summaries or individual values of a variable

Boxplot, Interval Plot, Individual Value Plot, Line Plot,  Bar Chart, or Pie Chart

Assess distributions of counts

Bar Chart or Pie Chart

Plot a series of data over time

Time Series Plot, Area Graph, or Scatterplot

Examine relationships among three variables

Contour Plot, 3D Scatterplot, 3D Surface Plot, or Bubble Plot

In addition to the graphs available from the Graph menu, Minitab offers analysis-specific graphs on the Stat menu, such as control charts. Minitab also has built-in graphs as part of many statistical analyses. Character graphs are available, but do not appear on a menu by default (with the exception of Stem-and-Leaf). To add character graphs to a menu, use Tools > Customize > Command.

Customizing a new graph

Customization options differ by graph, but most dialogs have the following options:

Option

Use to ...

Scale

Add or customize axes and ticks, gridlines, reference lines, and other scale elements.

Labels

Add or customize titles, footnotes, data labels, and other label types.

Data View

Add or customize data symbols, connect lines, regression lines, distribution fits, and other data view elements.

Multiple Graphs

Display relationships between multiple variables. Graph variables can be plotted on separate graphs, on separate panels on the same graph, or overlaid on the same graph.

Data Options

Use subsetting to specify a subset of data to plot,  frequency to include a frequency column, and group options to specify how to handle missing values and empty cells (see Missing Values and Graphs).

Many graphs also have unique options, which are described in the Help topic for that graph.

After you create a graph, you can:

·    Customize graph elements, the view or layout of the graph, all areas of the graph, and added graph elements and information

·    Add any element to a graph that is available when you create the graph

·    Edit graph data and update graphs, transform scales, and change variables

·    Brush data points to identify corresponding observations in the worksheet

·    Print and save the graph

You can also manage, arrange, and name Graph windows using the Graphs folder in the Project Manager.