Minitab Tutorial

The Minitab statistical system can be found on computers in the labs listed on the syllabus. A student version is available in the bookstore for approximately $75. An evaluation copy is available free for 30 days at www.minitab.com or it may be rented for the semester for approximately $26 at www.e-academy.com.

Getting Started:

Click Start on bottom left of screen and point to Programs > Minitab 13 > Minitab.

Getting data into Minitab:

Choose the File > Open Worksheet…

Select the directory where the file is located and open the appropriate file. If you are using the CD-ROM provided with the textbook, you will need to switch to the CD-ROM drive and Open the Datasets and Minitab folders.

Double click on the Minitab worksheet (data set) that you wish to open.

The data should appear in the lower spreadsheet-like grid in Minitab.

Doing Analyses:

Histograms:

Select Graph > Histogram

Double click on the variable in the left window you desire to display in the histogram. It will appear as the X variable to be graphed:

Then click on the Options… button. The number of classes can be selected by clicking "Number or Intervals:" and entering the desired number of classes:

Click on OK twice and the histogram should appear:

 

Getting the Output:

For assignments a hard copy is required with your comments on the printout. This can be done in two ways:

  1. Print out the graph directly and hand-write your comments on the directly.
  1. If it is in a graphics window select File > Print Graph… (Make sure the graphics window is active, that is, clicked on so that the title bar is selected.)
  2. If the output is in the upper session window, make sure it is the active window and select File > Print Session Window…
  1. Cut from Minitab and paste to a word processor like Microsoft Word. Make sure both Minitab and your word processor are running.
  1. If it is in a graphics window select Edit > Copy Graph… (Make sure the graphics window is active, that is, clicked on so that the title bar is selected.) Then switch to your word processor and past the output in the desired location. You may then type comments directly into the word processor.
  2. If the output is in the upper session window, highlight the desired output to be copied. Select Edit > Copy. Then switch to your word processor and past the output in the desired location. Again, you may then type comments directly into the word processor.

 

Other Analyses:

Descriptive Statistics:

Select Stat > Basic Statistics > Display Descriptive Statistics…

Double click on the desired variable in the left window. Click OK.

 

Stem-and-Leaf Plots:

Select Stat > EDA > Stem-and-Leaf…

 

Double click on the desired variable in the left window. Click OK.

 

 

 

Boxplots:

Select Stat > EDA > Boxplots…

Double click the desired variable in the left window to enter the first Y variable. Click in the second Y cell and double click the next variable. Continue until all variables are entered into the Y column.

Select Frame > Multiple Graphs … Click on "Overlay graphs on the same page." Click OK.

The output shoul appear like this:

Scatter diagrams are created by selecting Graph > Plot… Pie charts are found on the same menu.

Pareto charts are created by choosing Stat > Quality Tools > Pareto Chart …