Data Analysis Tools

This page provides links to online data analysis tools you may find useful.

StatsKey: Save data in a spreadsheet as a .csv file (usually under the File-Export option). Use the Upload File button in the StatKey menu bar to bring your data file into StatsKey. Now, select the Box plot tab to display the data. See menu image below. You will need to include Min, Q1, Q2, Q3, and Min values. This tool also lets you instantly toggle between the Box plot, histogram, and dot plot of your data, if you wish.

Desmos Graphing: Enter data in a table. Use "wrench" tool to assign axis labels, units, and range. A best-fit line may also be added by typing in the expected equation. Use the slider to adjust slope or intercept to match your data. Record the resulting equation using actual variables and units. Desmos does not know what to do with units in an equation, sadly! This app also does not appear to allow a title to be added to the graph, so remember to add your title when you print it or electronically insert it into a report. See example below (note the absence of a title.)

Box and Whisker Plots (tutorial link): Use the Purple Math tutorial to review how to make box and whisker plots (3 parts). When you make a b&w plot for science data, remember to include a labeled axis with correct unit. Make a summary table of the 5 key points (min, Q1, Q2, Q3, and max) using appropriate sig figs and units on each value. Put a descriptive title on your b&w plot to indicate what the data represents (ex: change in mass for stretched steel wool).

• • • Hint: when making a b&w plot by hand, put your data into a spreadsheet, and then sort the data from lowest to highest value. SO much easier to find the quartiles!

Desmos Box Plot generator: enter your data list into the data set brackets in the left side bar (L={ }), and Desmos will create the plot for you and display the 5 key quantities in the side bar. You can change the location and size of the box plot relative to the axis using the a and b sliders at the bottom of the sidebar. Be sure to label the axis clearly (quantity name and unit) using the "wrench" tool at the top right, and record the values of min, max, Q1, Q2, Q3 (with units!) in your records. Remember to add a descriptive title after you print it or add it to a document. See examples below (note the absence of a title.)

Histogram Tutorial: (Histogram tutorial1; Histogram tutorial 2) A histogram is a special kind of bar graph used to analyze multiple trials of the same kind of data. This might be Unit 1 test results for all chemistry students, or how many hours each sophomore spent studying in one week.

To make a histogram, you must divide your data range into equal subsections (each subsection is called a bin). The bins are marked along the scale of a horizontal axis. The frequency of data within each bin is recorded using a vertical bar whose length shows how many data points were found in that bin (the frequency). See example below.

This analysis tool allows you to see how data is distributed across the full data range and answer questions like:

• Which bin has the most data points?

• Is the data concentrated in a specific range?

• Where in the data range is the central tendency of the data seen?

• Do there appear to be outliers?

Be sure to label the axes (both), and put a title at the top describing the data being analyzed (like, "Mass Change for Burning Matches"

Desmos Histogram Template (link): Go to the Data and Bins section in the left sidebar and enter your data in the "v" (values) column of the table (max 50 data points). Use the slider under the data table to select the number of bins you want to display (b = 5 means your data is divided into 5 equal bins.) You can see the effect of different number of bins as you move the slider from 1 to 20. See example below (note the absence of a title.)