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HowTocreate Error Bars For SD

This document provides instructions for creating customized error bars in a graph from experimental data. It describes how to [1] determine the mean and standard deviation from repeats of data points, [2] plot the graph with markers and add trend lines, [3] add error bars by specifying the standard deviation values, and [4] properly label and format the graph. The purpose of the error bars is to represent the variability or spread of repeated measurements from the mean value at each data point.

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seth odiwuor
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23 views

HowTocreate Error Bars For SD

This document provides instructions for creating customized error bars in a graph from experimental data. It describes how to [1] determine the mean and standard deviation from repeats of data points, [2] plot the graph with markers and add trend lines, [3] add error bars by specifying the standard deviation values, and [4] properly label and format the graph. The purpose of the error bars is to represent the variability or spread of repeated measurements from the mean value at each data point.

Uploaded by

seth odiwuor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Make Customized Error Bars (SCN)

1. Before making the customized error bars, create the table of data
(Please note that there are 5 repeats for each temperature)

2. Determine the mean value


click ok

This value is to too many decimal places


as the processed data must be to the
same, or less than, the raw data.
As there are five values
for each data set we can
also calculate Standard
deviation. If there were
less than 5 we would
calculate range
Once you have done it
for the first series of
data, highlight and drag
the box across. This
will take the formula
across and
automatically generate
the SD for the other
series of data points.

Now to reduce the


decimal places to
reflect that of the
raw data.
Now that we
have both mean
and standard
deviation values
we are ready to
plot our graph
Highlight the data
you wish to graph
then click on the
insert tab.

Click on scatter and


the click on scatter
with markers. In most
cases we do not
connect the points to
our graph
Right click on a
plotted point and
select ‘add trend
line’

That is acceptable in
a graph such as this

Then you can chose


the appropriate trend
line for your data

To add error bars


right click on the
graph and you will
see chart tools in the
top tab, click on
layout and you will
see
This will appear

Double click on
the vertical error
bars
Select ‘specify value’

When the custom


error bars box appears
highlight your
standard deviation
values for both the
positive error and
negative error.

Then click ok and delete the other error


bars. Also remove the series and linear
legend

Click on the design tab and add chart title


and axis titles making sure you include
the uncertainties and units in both
Now you may have noticed that the values on the
x-axis do not correspond with those in the table. To
fix this right click on the graph and click on ‘select
data’.

From their highlight series 1 and then click ‘Edit’

Highlight the data you would like for each axis as


appropriate.

To add labels and


titles left click on
your graph and go to
the format tab at the
top and add chart
title and axes titles
as below.
And it should look something like this

And now you are ready to export to Word. REMEMBer:


under your graph indicate that your error bars represent
standard deviation as they could represent a variety of
different things.

Also remember that a larger bar indicates a greater spread


of values from the mean and a smaller bar indicates a
smaller spread of values from the mean. This has
relevance when it comes to discussing the reliability of
your data in your conclusion and evaluation (i.e. the idea
that when you repeated your experiment you got similar
values (greater reliability) each time…. Or not (less
reliability).

You are expected to discuss the standard deviation in


your conclusion

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