Using Microsoft Excel to Record Data

Introduction

The use of spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel) for data entry, processing, analysis, and presentation is a very useful time-saving tool. Spreadsheets consist of labeled rows and columns. Data are entered into row-column intersections called "cells."

Spreadsheet software allows data to be entered into organized rows and columns. Cut and paste functions also allow easy entry and placement of data into the spreadsheet. Careful manipulation of the spreadsheet permits the creation of attractive tables suitable for presentation into publications. Mathematical functions permit rapid data transformation and computation of descriptive statistics (e.g., averages and standard deviations). Most modern spreadsheet programs also perform more sophisticated statistical analyses such as t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. Finally, relationships between variables may be illustrated in the form of graphs.

In this laboratory exercise, you will learn how to use Microsoft Excel to enter data in an organized way. In addition, you will become familiar with some of the procedures for using the Macintosh PowerBook laptop computer.

Procedures and Assignment

After receiving a demonstration for how to use the Macintosh PowerBook laptop computer and how to access some of the functions of Microsoft Excel, you will use your environmeter data for entry into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Use these data to carry out the exercise described below.

Turn on your PowerBook computer and startup Microsoft Excel. After Excel has loaded, enter your data into the spreadsheet. Save this file to your folder on the BWET server.

First set up your columns for data entry as follows:

ColumnParameter

ASample Number

BSite Name

CLatitude

DLongitude

EElevation (m)

FRelative Humidity (%RH)

GAir Temperature (ºC)

HWater Temperature (ºC)

IWind Speed (km/h)

These parameters should be entered as column headings in row 1. The actual data for each sample should be entered as rows. Be sure to save your spreadsheet periodically.

Clicking on the "1" identifying row 1, select the entire row. From the "Insert" pull down menu select insert "Row" three times to add three blank rows above the rows containing your data. In the top row, enter your name. Leave the next row blank. Enter a descriptive title into the third row.

Save your work.

Once you have completed entry of the data, you should print the worksheet. From the “File” pulldown menu, select “Page Setup…”. Then click the “Landscape” button. Under scaling, select the “Fit to 1 page(s) wide by 1 page(s) tall. Click “Okay” then print.