Spreadsheet Tutorial 3: Column Graphs, Error Bars, and Standard Error of the Mean

Topic
Resource Type
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
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Description

In this activity, students explore different ways of creating simple bar graphs and adding error bars from calculated statistical values using built-in functions in Excel or Google Sheets. Students apply what they learned by plotting beak size measurements of Galapágos finches collected before and after a drought.

This activity covers statistical concepts including standard error of the mean and confidence interval.

Student Learning Targets

  • Use a spreadsheet program to calculate the standard error of the mean for a sample data set.

  • Create a bar graph and add error bars showing the standard error of the mean.

Details
Estimated Time
One to two 50-minute class periods.
Key Terms

analysis, average, column graph, confidence, data, Galapágos finches, mean, plot, standard deviation, sum of squares, variance

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Version History
Date Published
Date Updated
Curriculum Connections
Common Core (2010)

Math.N-Q.1, Math.F-LE.5, Math.A-SSE.3, Math.A-REI.3, Math.S-ID.5, Math.S-IC.3; MP1, MP2, MP4, MP5

AP Biology (2019)

SP4, SP5

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