Minitab Directions, Descriptive Statistics

General
We have Minitab 12 in the CS Lab (2121 Nevins Hall). It is the only place on campus with Minitab. These directions
are for version 12.
You can download a demo copy of Minitab 15. It is very different from version 12 and these directions do not apply.
However, you should read them as a guide to fulfilling your project requirements.

Starting a Minitab Session

To start Minitab:
1. Double-click the Minitab icon on the desktop if it is there.
2. Choose Start / Programs / Minitab 12 for Windows / Minitab.
3. Double-click any .MPJ file. These are Minitab project files.

Minitab Basics - Memorize these Facts

When Minitab is loaded, you will see two windows: the Session window and the Data window. There will be data
in the Data Window or you will type it in yourself. You will then choose commands from the menus at the top of
the screen and the output will appear in the session window or will appear as a new window that pops up.
To make a window active, means to move the mouse anywhere on the window and issue a left mouse click.
Note that the Session window can be scrolled when the window is active. This is important because it contains the
history of commands you have entered as well as the results.
Data in Minitab is stored in columns. Each column is labeled C1, C2, etc.
You can also give a column a more meaningful name as shown in the figure.
The figure shows an example of two samples of numeric data.
All of the directions below assume that you have two columns of data exactly
as shown in the figure on the right. Thus, the directions reference C1 and C2.
If you have more than two columns of data, or you have text labels for the
data, then the directions will have to modified accordingly.
Convert all time data to either minutes or seconds. Minitab does have a datetime data type but it will not be convenient. Save yourself time and dont
forget this.
If you ever see a column number that looks like this: C2-T, this means that
Minitab has detected some text in the column and is therefore going to treat the entire column as text. Thus, you
cant do any computations on it, etc. If this happens, you should just retype your data making sure not to put any text
in.

Minitab General Purpose Directions

1.

Entering Data - Typing Data Into the Data Window

If your data is time DO NOT type in minutes and seconds (e.g. 1:45). Convert all data to either seconds or
minutes (e.g. either 105 seconds or 1.75 minutes.)
a.
b.
c.

2.

Make the data window active.

Type in data using the arrow keys for navigation. Data is stored in columns. If you have more than one
data set, each should be typed into separate columns.
Column headings should be typed in the space just above the first row.

Saving your work.

Choose File / Save Project from the menus. If necessary, type in a file name like: A:HW-ONE.
Note that Minitab will automatically give it the file extension, .MPJ, so that the complete file name is: A:HWONE.MPJ. A file of this type if referred to as a Minitab Project File. It cannot be read by any other software
(that I am aware of) besides Minitab.

3.

Printing
Any window (data, session, graph) can be printed by making the window active and then choosing File / Print
from the menus.

4.

Copy/Paste All windows in Minitab including graphics can by copy/pasted into a word processor. To copy a
graphic from Minitab into Word, with the most flexibility, follow these directions:
a.
b.
c.
d.

In Minitab, make graph window active.

Press Ctrl+c (or Edit / Copy Graph)
In Word, choose: Edit / Paste Special)
Select: Picture (Windows Metafile) and then choose: OK.

To get rid of the extra white-space around the graph:

a.
b.

Select graph. Choose Picture Tools, Format, Crop. Now, the crop tool is active and the cursor has changed
shapes.
Drag Crop Tool over size handles.

To resize your graph:

a.
b.
a.
b.
c.

Select graph.
Press and hold the Shift Key while you use the mouse to drag a Corner Handle in or out.
or
Right-click the graph.
Choose: Format Picture / Size.
Change the values for Size or Scale and then choose: OK.

To treat your graph as a character This means that you can align to graphs side-by-side as if they were
characters. Your graph will probably already be in this mode. However, if you start dragging the graph around
(as opposed to cut/paste) its mode will change and the results can sometimes be unpredictable.
a.
b.

Click the graph. Then choose Picture Tools, Format, Wrapping.

If you want to treat it as a character, choose: Inline with Text.

Descriptive Statistics for Quantitative Data - Minitab Directions

1. Numerical Descriptive Statistics
a.

Choose Stat / Basic Statistics / Descriptive Statistics

from the menus.

b.

In the box that is labeled Variables, type in the

column(s) of the data that you want to summarize
(e.g. C1 C2).

c.

Click on OK and the output of this command goes to

the session window.

d.

Copy this data Word.

2. First Histogram
a.

Choose Graph / Histogram from

the menus.

b.

In the box that is labeled Graph

Variables, type the column of the
data that you want to make a
histogram of (e.g. C1).

c.

Click the Options button at the

bottom of the window.
i.
ii.
iii.

iv.

d.

Under Type of Histogram,

choose, Percent.
Under Type of Intervals,
choose, CutPoint.
Under Definition of
Intervals, choose, Number
of Intervals and then type in
the appropriate value (the
square root of the sample
size)
Choose OK for the
Histogram Options window.
This will return you to the
Histogram window.

Choose OK for the Histogram window. This will generate a new window that shows the histogram.

Note that if you choose Cutpoint Positions you can specify the beginning and endpoints for a histogram and the
bar (interval) width. For instance, if you type in 10:20/2 you will get a histogram that starts at 10 and ends at
20, and each bar has width 2. Thus, there are 5 bars in this histogram. I expect you to start (as the directions
above specify) by providing the number of bars (intervals) and let Minitab make you a default histogram. From
there, I expect you to play with the values for Cutpoint Positions to make the histogram better.
To alter the number of ticks on the y-axis (as needed):
a.
b.
c.

Choose: Graph / Histogram from the menus.

Then choose: Frame / Tick.
On the Tick window you can change the Positions for the
Y Direction using the cutpoint positions format. The
value in the figure on the right: 0:50/5 specifies that
there will be 11 ticks, starting at 0, and incrementing by
5 up to 50. If you change this, you will want to go back
an reset it to Auto the next time you make a histogram.

To truncate a histogram (as needed):

a.
b.

Choose: Graph / Histogram from the menus.

Then choose: Frame / Min and Max.
Warning: any changes you make on the previous two optional steps, will stay in effect when you go
on to make another histogram. If you dont want those same changes on your new histogram, youll
need to go back unchange everything.

Copy the graph window into Word.

3. Second Histogram
Repeat steps 2a-2e above using C2 instead of C1.

4. Same Scale Histograms (these steps will produce two more histograms)
a.

Choose
Histogram
menus.

b.

In the box that is labeled

Graph Variables, type in
C1 and C2 as shown in the
diagram.

c.

Click the Options button

at the bottom of the
window.
i.

ii.

iii.
iv.

Graph
from

/
the

Under Type of
Histogram, choose,
Percent.
Under Type of
Intervals, choose,
CutPoint.
Under Definition of Intervals, choose, Number of Intervals and then type in the appropriate value (the
square root of the largest sample size)
Choose OK for the Histogram Options window. This will return you to the Histogram window.

d.

Choose Frame / Multiple Graphs

i.
Click the button that says, Each graph on a
separate page.
ii.
Click the button that says, Same X and Y.
iii. Choose OK for the Multiple Graphs window.

e.

Choose OK for the Histogram window. This will

generate two new windows that show the histogram.

f.

Print these graph windows or copy each one to Word,

then close the windows.

Note: you should change the cutpoint positions and/or the ticks to make the histograms more
understandable.

5. Box Plots
a.
b.

c.

d.

Choose Graph / Boxplot

from the menus.
In the box that is labeled
Graph Variables, type
(under the heading that
says Y) the column(s) of
the data sets that you want
to make side-by-side
boxplots of, e.g. C1 and
C2 as shown.
Click the Options button
at the bottom of the
window.
i.

Click on the button

that says to
Transpose X and Y

ii.

Click on OK.

Click on the Frame arrow at the bottom of the window.

Choose Multiple Graphs.
i.
ii.
iii.

e.

Click the button that says to Overlay graphs on

the same page.
Click OK.
If you are using Version 15, make sure your
histograms are in the same graph, not two
separate graphs.

Back on the Box Plot window

shown above, choose Edit
Attributes.
i.

Click the box that says, Fill

Type. This will select the
two items in the column.

ii.

Click the down arrow right

beside Fill Type box.

iii.

Click on None.

iv.

Click on OK.

f.

Click on OK to close the Box Plot window. This will generate a new window that shows two boxplots in
one graph.

g.

Print the box-plot graph window or copy it to Word.

To alter the number of ticks on the axis of the

Box Plot:
a.

Choose: Graph / Box Plot from the menus.

b.

Then choose: Frame / Tick

c.

On the Tick window you can change the

Positions for the Y Direction using the
cutpoint positions format. The value in the
figure on the right: 0:50/5 specifies that
there will be 11 ticks, starting at 0, and
incrementing by 5 up to 50. If you change
this, you will want to go back an reset it to Auto the next time you make a Box Plot.

To truncate a box plot:

a.

Choose: Graph / Box plot from the menus.

b.

Then choose: Frame / Min and Max.

6. Z Scores These directions assume that you have two data sets, in C1 and C2.
a.

Sort first data set.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

b.

Choose Manip / Sort.

Under the heading, Sort
column(s), type C1.
Under the heading, Store sorted
column(s), type C1.
Under the heading, Sort by
column, again type C1.
Click on OK.

Calculate z-scores for first data

set.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

Choose Calc /
Standardize.
Under the heading, Input
column(s), type C1.
Under the heading, Store
results in, type C3.
Click on OK.

When you finish, the sorted

data will be in C1 and the zscores will be in C3.

c.

Sort second data set.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

d.

Choose Manip / Sort.

Under the heading, Sort column(s), type C2.
Under the heading, Store sorted column(s), type C2.
Under the heading, Sort by column, again type C2.
Click on OK.

Calculate z-scores for second data set.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

Choose Calc / Standardize.

Under the heading, Input column(s), type C2.
Under the heading, Store results in, type C4.
Click on OK.

When you finish, the sorted data will be in C2 and the z-scores will be in C4.
e.

Print the data window or copy it to Word. If you drag your mouse along the column headers in the
worksheet, you will select entire columns. Then, you can copy and paste into Word.