Graphs & Charts — Teacher's Notes
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Introduction

Graphs or charts can be created using spreadsheet software. Using the Chart Wizard in Excel 97 makes it fairly easy to create new charts.

Materials & Software

  • Microsoft Excel 97

Objectives

  • Use spreadsheet software to enter data
  • Use spreadsheet chart feature to create a chart
  • Use chart wizard
  • Create pie, column (sometimes called bar), line and other charts
  • Add or modify titles to a chart
  • Add or modify a border on a chart
  • Add additional text for sub-titles
  • Modify colors and patterns
  • Adjust scales on a axis
  • Change font and style
  • Add or remove gridlines
  • Add or remove legend
  • Add or remove data labels
  • Change print orientation
  • Use print preview feature
  • Proofread, save, and print

Prerequisite Skills

  • Use File: Open, Save, Save As, and Print options
  • Enter data in a spreadsheet
  • Understand basic spreadsheet concepts and skills

Time Allotted

One class period.

How to Begin (Directions & Procedures)

Spreadsheet Setup

  1. Enter data into your spreadsheet.
  2. Make sure the data is contigous with no blank rows or columns.
  3. Highlight the area on the spreadsheet that you want to graph using a mouse drag from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner or use shift and the arrow keys to highlight.

Using Chart Wizard

  1. Click the Chart Wizard tool or select Insert, Chart from the menu.

    Excel Toolbar with data highlighted
  2. Step One of the Chart Wizard is to choose the type of chart. Then click the Next Button.

    Chart Wizard -Step 1 of 4 - Chart Type
  3. Step Two of the Chart Wizard is to decide on the Data Range and the Series.
  4. The Data Range is usually okay, so click the Next > botton.

    Chart Wizard- Step 2 of 4 - Chart Source Data - Data Range tab
  5. Click on the Series tab to adjust the information there.
  6. If more than one series is in your chart, you may want to name each series for the legend. The dialog box below shows where the names are entered. Click on Next to continue.

    Chart Wizard- Step 2 of 4 - Chart Source Data - Series tab
  7. The third step of the Chart Wizard has many options on tab so the spreadsheet can be customized.
  8. The Title Options is the first tab on the Chart Options dialog box. The title of the chart needs to be entered along with the titles for the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as needed.


  9. The Axes Options is the second tab on the Chart Options. Generally nothing needs to be changed here.


  10. The Gridlines Options is the third tab on the Chart Options dialog box. Gridlines can be turned on and off. Minor gridlines can be added. Usually what is needed is the Major gridlines for the Y-axis or the Z-axis need to be checked.


  11. The Legend Options is the fourth tab on the Chart Options dialog box. This is the place to decide whether or not you want a legend and where you want it placed if you decide to have one. A legend is usually only need if there is more than one series of data. If a legend is used, it is usually place on the right or the bottom of the graph.


  12. The Data Label Options is the fifth tab on the Chart Options dialog box. Data labels are values or text that appear on the top of each bar, at the intersection of lines on line graph, or by the side of each piece of a pie. Data Labels are usually placed on a line, bar, or column graph when it makes sense to have the exact number displayed. On a pie chart the label and the percent are almost always shown.


  13. The Data Table Options is the last tab on the Chart Options dialog box. This option shows a table with the data displayed at the bottom of the chart. It is generally left off of a chart but there are times it makes sense to show the reader the data from which the chart is generated.


  14. The last step in the Chart Wizard is the decision of placing the chart in the spreadsheet or on a new sheet. I always change the selection to As new sheet. Then I give the chart a new name. That way it has its own named tab for sheet at the bottom of the Excel sheets. Finish is then clicked and the chart is created.


Modifying a Chart

  1. Adding Patterns and Changing Colors. Colors and patterns can be changed so when the graph is printed, each series prints a different pattern instead of all black. To do this click on one of the bars, slices, or lines of chart., then right click with the mouse, and choose Format Data Series. Next choose the tab Patterns and the button Fill Effects...


  2. Four tabs are on the Fill Effects dialog box. Choose Pattern.

  3. For printing choose any Foreground color and a white Background. Then OK until you are back to the graph.
  4. Changing Text Orientation. To change the orientation of text titles, Click on the object or axis of the title you want to change, then right click the object and choose the Format Menu.
  5. Next choose the Alignment tab. Then under Orientation, drag red text diamond to the orientation you want. Then OK until you are back to the chart.


  6. Changing the Scale of the Vertical Axis. Click on the axis, then right mouse click to axis the menu, next choose the Format Axis option. Once in the Format Axis dialog box select the Scale tab. Once in the menu the starting number, the maximum number, the increments, and the type of scale used can all be changed.


  7. Adding a Border. Click on the "white" area off the chart. Then right hand mouse click to access the Format Chart Area option in the menu. Select Format Chart Area. On the left hand side of the Patterns tab is the Border option. Change the button to Automatic, Shadow, or Custom to set the border the way you want. Then click OK. Adding a border helps set the area for the person to look at when viewing the graph.


  8. Adding Gridlines. To add gridlines to a chart, right hand mouse click on the "white" area of the chart and then select the Chart Options... item. Choose the Gridlines tab. Any of the gridlines types can then be check. Generally only the Major Gridlines on the Y-axis or Z-axis need to be checked.


  9. Changing the Font and/or Size. To change a font and size, click on the text you want to change, then use the font tool and font size tool on the toolbar to change the text.
  10. Adding a Subtitle. Click on the "white" area of the chart. Click on the Edit line or hit the F2 key. Type the text you want and hit the Enter key. The text will show up in the center of the chart. Drag it to the position you want it. Format it as you prefer.
  11. Modifying the Spreadsheet Data. Using the tabs at the bottom of the chart, you can switch back to the sheet that contains the data from which the chart is generated. As you change information in the sheet, it also changes the appearance of the chart. Using the tabs you can switch back and forth between the two.

Resources

  • Samples of charts and graphs
  • Inclass survey
  • Microsoft Office 97 Pro—Step by Step by Bonita Sebastian published by Computer Literacy Press 1997.

 Extension Activities

  • Find five charts from the newspaper or magazines.
  • Make a graph of how you use your time.
  • Make graphs of math functions.
  • Make graphs of trig functions.
  • Make a graph of data for a science project.
  • Make a graph of a survey.

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