IB Biology (9-8-2017): How to Make a Table & Graph on Excel, by ATOMIC Teacher on YouTube. 15 min 14 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 14 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Open a blank Excel workbook. Put your independent variable in the left column and your dependent variable in the right column, with one row per reading or trial.
Type a heading in each column that names the quantity and its unit, such as Time (s) or Absorbance (a.u.). Keep units out of the number cells.
Enter your data under the headings. Use the same number of decimal places in each column so the table looks consistent and reads easily.
Add a title row above the table naming the experiment, and rename the sheet tab at the bottom to something clear like Raw Data.
Select the headings and all the data, then go to Insert and pick Scatter with straight lines and markers for continuous data, or Column for categories.
Click the chart, use the plus button beside it, and add Chart Title, Axis Titles and Gridlines. Type the quantity and unit into each axis title.
Right-click an axis and choose Format Axis to set the minimum and maximum so your data fills the plot area instead of bunching in a corner.
Right-click a data point and choose Add Trendline. Tick Display Equation on chart and Display R-squared value on chart to show the fit.
Drag the chart edges to resize it, move it below the table, then save the file with Ctrl and S before you copy the graph into your lab report.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a scatter chart rather than a line chart for continuous measurements, since a line chart spaces the x values evenly and distorts your results.
Select only the headings and data cells, never the title row, or Excel will try to plot the title as a data series.
Write the unit once in the column heading instead of repeating it in every cell.
Check the R-squared value and the trendline against your points, because a poor fit usually means a data entry mistake.
Questions
Which chart type should I use for biology data?
Use a scatter chart when both variables are measured numbers, such as time and absorbance. Use a column chart when the x values are categories, such as different pH levels or species names.
How do I add error bars in Excel?
Click the chart, open the plus button, tick Error Bars and choose More Options. You can then set a fixed value or link the bars to a column of calculated uncertainties.
Why does my graph show the wrong numbers on the x axis?
This usually happens with a line chart, which numbers the points 1, 2, 3 instead of using your x values. Change the chart type to scatter and the real x values will appear.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
