Making Charts in Excel
Entering the Data.
1. At the top of each column, type in the Label
(example: time in seconds, degrees in F., distance in cm., etc.)
2. Put the Independent data (what you set) in the left column, and the Dependent data (what you measure) in the right column.
3. When entering the data, be sure to ONLY enter numbers. If you need to, enter decimals, but NO fractions.
Starting the Chart/Graph
Highlight the labels and the data.
Either click the “Chart Wizard” icon or click Insert -> Chart
Choosing which type of Chart to use
1. Line graph: use when you are showing how something changes (like distance over time, or temperature over time)
2. Pie chart: use when you want to compare different parts of a whole group (parts of a product, preferences from a survey). It’s important the all the different parts together total 100% (the whole group).
3. Bar graph : use when you want to compare different groups. The different items do NOT have to be the entire population. (like comparing different types of cereal, or different basketball teams, etc.)
You can get a preview of the graph by clicking and holding “Press and Hold to View Sample.”
Creating the graph/chart correctly
Line Graph
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “XY scatter”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click the icon on the bottom left.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. For “Value (X) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed on the bottom of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the left column)
8. For “Value (Y) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed to the left of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the right column)
9. If you are graphing only ONE line, click the Legend tab, and un-click “Show Legend”
10. Click Next
11. Click Finish
12. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
13. Copy and paste it into your Word document
Pie Chart
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “Pie”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click any of the icons on the left or middle.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. Click the Data Labels tab.
8. Click “Value” if you want the data numbers to show, or click “Percent” if you want the percentage to show.
9. Click Next
10. Click Finish
11. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
12. Copy and paste it into your Word document
Bar Graph
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “Column”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click either the upper left icon or the one right below it.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. For “Category (X) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed on the bottom of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the left column)
8. For “Value (Y) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed to the left of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the right column)
9. If you are graphing only ONE line, click the Legend tab, and un-click “Show Legend”
10. Click Next
11. Click Finish
12. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
13. Copy and paste it into your Word document
1. At the top of each column, type in the Label
(example: time in seconds, degrees in F., distance in cm., etc.)
2. Put the Independent data (what you set) in the left column, and the Dependent data (what you measure) in the right column.
3. When entering the data, be sure to ONLY enter numbers. If you need to, enter decimals, but NO fractions.
Starting the Chart/Graph
Highlight the labels and the data.
Either click the “Chart Wizard” icon or click Insert -> Chart
Choosing which type of Chart to use
1. Line graph: use when you are showing how something changes (like distance over time, or temperature over time)
2. Pie chart: use when you want to compare different parts of a whole group (parts of a product, preferences from a survey). It’s important the all the different parts together total 100% (the whole group).
3. Bar graph : use when you want to compare different groups. The different items do NOT have to be the entire population. (like comparing different types of cereal, or different basketball teams, etc.)
You can get a preview of the graph by clicking and holding “Press and Hold to View Sample.”
Creating the graph/chart correctly
Line Graph
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “XY scatter”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click the icon on the bottom left.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. For “Value (X) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed on the bottom of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the left column)
8. For “Value (Y) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed to the left of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the right column)
9. If you are graphing only ONE line, click the Legend tab, and un-click “Show Legend”
10. Click Next
11. Click Finish
12. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
13. Copy and paste it into your Word document
Pie Chart
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “Pie”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click any of the icons on the left or middle.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. Click the Data Labels tab.
8. Click “Value” if you want the data numbers to show, or click “Percent” if you want the percentage to show.
9. Click Next
10. Click Finish
11. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
12. Copy and paste it into your Word document
Bar Graph
1. Under Chart type on the left, click “Column”.
2. Under Chart sub-type on the right, click either the upper left icon or the one right below it.
3. Click Next
4. The chart should look correct. If not, be sure you have the data entered correctly.
5. Click Next
6. Type in an appropriate title (what the graph is all about)
7. For “Category (X) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed on the bottom of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the left column)
8. For “Value (Y) axis”, type in what kind of data is listed to the left of the chart. (Should be the same you used for the top of the right column)
9. If you are graphing only ONE line, click the Legend tab, and un-click “Show Legend”
10. Click Next
11. Click Finish
12. Stretch the graph to the size you want it.
13. Copy and paste it into your Word document