STATGRAPHICS® Sigma Express

for Microsoft Excel®

Getting Started
 STATGRAPHICS ® SIGMA EXPRESS
GETTING STARTED

 2012 by StatPoint Technologies, Inc.

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All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, in any form or by any means,
without the express written consent of StatPoint Technologies, Inc.

Reference as: STATGRAPHICS® Sigma Express: Getting Started

STATGRAPHICS and Statlets are registered trademarks of StatPoint Technologies, Inc.

STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express and StatPoint are trademarks of StatPoint Technologies, Inc. All
products or services mentioned in this book are the trademarks or service marks of their respective
owners.

Printed in the United States of America.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... iii
Preface ................................................................................................................................. v
Installation ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Installing STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express................................................................................ 1
1.2 Evaluation Period ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.3 Entering a Serial Number and Activation Code .......................................................................... 8
Template Procedures ......................................................................................................... 11
2.1 Selecting a Template Procedure ................................................................................................... 11
2.2 Completing the Template .............................................................................................................. 12
Data Analysis Procedures...................................................................................................15
3.1 Selecting a Data Analysis Procedure ............................................................................................ 16
3.2 Analysis Windows........................................................................................................................... 20
3.2.1 Copying Graphs to Excel ....................................................................................................... 21
3.2.2 Copying Tables to Excel ......................................................................................................... 23
3.2.3 Analysis Toolbar ...................................................................................................................... 25
Data Input Dialog Button ............................................................................................................ 25
Analysis Options Button .............................................................................................................. 26
Tables and Graphs Button ........................................................................................................... 26
Save Results Button ...................................................................................................................... 28
Graphics Buttons........................................................................................................................... 29
Exclude Button .............................................................................................................................. 30
Help Button.................................................................................................................................... 31
3.2.4 Statlets® ..................................................................................................................................... 32
3.3 Transformations ............................................................................................................................. 35
3.4 Subset Selections............................................................................................................................. 37
Graphics............................................................................................................................. 40
4.1 Modifying Graphs .......................................................................................................................... 41
4.1.1 Layout Options ........................................................................................................................ 42
4.1.2 Grid Options ............................................................................................................................ 44
4.1.3 Lines Options ........................................................................................................................... 46
4.1.4 Points Options ......................................................................................................................... 48
4.1.5 Top Title Options.................................................................................................................... 50
4.1.6 Axis Scaling Options ............................................................................................................... 52
4.1.7 Fill Options............................................................................................................................... 54
4.1.8 Text, Labels and Legends Options ....................................................................................... 55

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 4.1.9 Adding New Text .................................................................................................................... 56
4.2 Jittering a Scatterplot...................................................................................................................... 58
4.3 Brushing a Scatterplot .................................................................................................................... 60
4.4 Smoothing a Scatterplot ................................................................................................................ 63
4.5 Identifying Points ........................................................................................................................... 65
4.6 Copying Graphs to Other Applications ...................................................................................... 69
4.7 Saving Graphs in Image Files ....................................................................................................... 69
System Preferences ............................................................................................................ 71
5.1 General System Behavior .............................................................................................................. 71
5.2 Graphics........................................................................................................................................... 73
Index ..................................................................................................................................77

iv / Table of Contents
Preface
This book introduces users of STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express to installation of the program, basic
system operation, and methods for analyzing data. The program functions as an "Add-In" for
Microsoft Excel. All data entry and management is done in Excel. Statistical calculations are
performed by STATGRAPHICS and the output presented in a separate window. Users may then
copy and paste the results back to Excel or to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or other applications.

Additional PDF files with detailed descriptions of each statistical procedure may be accessed from
within Microsoft Excel by selecting Help - Procedure Documentation from the STATGRAPHICS Add-In
menu.

NOTE: The data files referenced in the manual and in the other PDF files are provided with the
program. They may be found in the DATA subdirectory where STATGRAPHICS is installed, which
is usually c:\Program Files\Statgraphics\STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express.

StatPoint Technologies, Inc.

April, 2012

v / Preface
 1
Chapter

Installation
Installing STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express, accessing it from within
Microsoft Excel, and first-time activation.

1.1 Installing STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express

STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express is distributed in two ways: over the Internet in a file that may
downloaded to your computer, or on a CD-ROM. To use the program, it must first be installed
on your hard disk. As with most Windows programs, installation is extremely simple:

Step 1: If you received the program on a CD, insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. After a
few moments, the setup program should begin automatically. If it does not, open Windows
Explorer and execute the file [Link] in the root directory on the CD-ROM.

If you downloaded the program over the Internet, locate the file that you downloaded and
double-click on it to begin the installation process.

Step 2: If you are running the program from a CD, a dialog box will be displayed asking you to
specify the edition of Microsoft Excel with which STATGRAPHICS will be used and the
desired language:

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Figure 1-1. Installation Selection Dialog Box
Make the desired selections. This will execute the proper MSI file.

If you downloaded the program from the Internet, you can simply execute the EXE or MSI file
that you downloaded.

Step 3: Once installation begins, you will be guided through a series of dialog boxes. The first
dialog box welcomes you to STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express:

Figure 1-2. Welcome Dialog Box

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Just press the Next button.

NOTE: In order to install and activate STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express you must have
administrator rights to your computer. In the event that you need to have a system
administrator present during the installation process, we highly recommend installing
and activating the software while they are present.

Step 4: The second dialog box displays the license agreement for the software:

Figure 1-3. License Agreement Dialog Box

Read the license agreement carefully. If you accept the terms, click on the indicated radio button
and press Next to continue. If you do not agree, press Cancel. If you do not agree with the terms,
you may not use the program.

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Step 5: The next dialog box requests information about the location where the program files will
be installed:

Figure 1-4. Customer Information Dialog Box

By default, STATGRAPHICS is installed in a subdirectory of Program Files if you are running a
32-bit version of Windows, or in a subdirectory of Program Files (x86) if you are running a 64-bit
version of Windows. You may also allow anyone who uses the computer to have access to
STATGRAPHICS by selecting the “Everyone” radio button, or restrict access to only the
current user.

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Step 6: The final dialog box asks you to confirm that you are ready to proceed with the
installation:

Figure 1-5. Confirmation Dialog Box

Press Next to begin installing the program files.

Step 7: When the installation is complete, a final dialog box will be displayed:

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Figure 1-6. Final Installation Dialog Box
Click on Close to complete the installation.

1.2 Evaluation Period

The installation program will install STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express and add it to the Excel menu.
When you next launch Excel, you will see a menu option labeled STATGRAPHICS:

Figure 1-7. Excel 2010 Menu with STATGRAPHICS Menu Item

NOTE: In some cases, STATGRAPHICS will not automatically be added to the Excel
menu. This happens for example when Microsoft Office 14 is installed by downloading it
from the Internet, since it is then installed in a virtual location. If “STATGRAPHICS”
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does not automatically appear on the Excel menu, it can be easily added manually by
following the instructions at [Link]/express/[Link].

If you click on STATGRAPHICS, a menu similar to that shown below will appear:

Figure 1-8. STATGRAPHICS Menu as Displayed in Excel 2010

The STATGRAPHICS procedures are divided into 7 categories, including the 5 categories of the Six
Sigma DMAIC paradigm (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) plus additional sections for Tools
(which includes Monte Carlo Simulation) and Help.

When you first install STATGRAPHICS, you will be given 15 days to evaluate the program before
having to purchase a license. To display the status of your evaluation, select Help - About from the
STATGRAPHICS menu to display the dialog box shown below:

Figure 1-9. Help - About Dialog Box Showing Expiration Date

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The dialog box shows the current version number, the edition, and the expiration date.

1.3 Entering a Serial Number and Activation Code

NOTE: To perform the steps described below, you must execute
Excel with administrator rights. If you are using Windows Vista or
Windows 7, be sure to click on the Excel icon with the RIGHT
button mouse (not the left button) and select Run as administrator
from the popup menu.

In order to continue using STATGRAPHICS after the end of the evaluation period, you must
purchase a license. When you purchase a license, you will receive a serial number that must be
entered into the license manager. To do so, select License Manager from the Help menu. This will
display the dialog box shown below:

Figure 1-10. License Manager Dialog Box

Press the Activate button to display the following activation dialog box:

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Figure 1-11. STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express Activation Dialog Box

Follow the three steps below to activate the program.

Step 1 - Enter personal information and serial number

Enter the required information, including your serial number. As soon as you enter a valid serial
number, the Product key field will be filled with a 16-character key that is unique to your
computer. To activate the program, you will need to enter an Activation Code that matches that
product key.

Step 2 - Request activation code

To receive an Activation Code, press either of the two buttons under Step 2:

9/ Installation
 1. The button labeled 1. Press Here automatically sends your Product Key to StatPoint
Technologies over the Internet requesting an Activation Code. A web service will
respond to that request immediately, sending the Activation Code to the e-mail address
that you supply.

2. The button labeled 2. Press Here accesses your default e-mail program, placing the
information in a new e-mail that you can send to StatPoint. E-mail requests will be
processed during normal business hours.

To avoid delay, use the first method whenever possible.

NOTE: Users who are activating copies obtained under an

institutional site license must use the first method. Activation
codes will only be sent to e-mail addresses issued by the institution
that purchased the site license. Institutional IT personnel should
advise users of this requirement.

Step 3 - Enter activation code

Once your request is processed, an e-mail will be sent to you containing the Activation Code.
Enter the code in the field provided under Step 3 and press the Activate button. If the code
matches your product key, you will see the following message:

Figure 1-12. Activation Message

Press OK to continue. STATGRAPHICS has now been activated and you can now use any of
the procedures.

NOTE: If you install STATGRAPHICS on more than one

computer, you will need a different activation code for each
computer, since it must match the product key.

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 2
Chapter

Template Procedures
Using STATGRAPHICS template procedures.

There are two types of procedures available on the STATGRAPHICS menu:

 Template procedures - These procedures create a new Excel worksheet and load a template
that you complete by editing the worksheet. The data required by these procedures is
typed directly into the template.

 Data analysis procedures - These procedures operate on data that you have already entered
into columns of your Excel WorkBook. They display several dialog boxes for selecting
the data and other options and then create a new window with tables and graphs. After
examining the output and making any desired changes, tables and graphs may be copied
back to the Excel WorkBook or into other applications such as Microsoft Word or
PowerPoint.

This chapter discusses use of the template procedures.

2.1 Selecting a Template Procedure

To use a template procedure, select the desired item from the STATGRAPHICS menu. For
example, suppose you wish to create a priority matrix, which is used to help select between
alternative solutions to a problem. To do so:

Step 1: First load any Excel workbook.

Step 2: Select Priority Matrix from the Measure menu. This will add a new worksheet to
your WorkBook and load the template shown below:

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Figure 2-1. Priority Matrix Template

2.2 Completing the Template

To create the priority matrix, type entries directly into the cells of the worksheet containing the
template. To do so:

1. Develop a list of s solutions. Each solution is assigned to one row of the matrix. Enter a
label for each solution in the first open column.

2. Develop a list of c criteria on which each solution will be judged. Criteria are assigned to
columns of the matrix. Enter a label for each criterion in the first open row.

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 3. Assign weights to the criteria, W1, W2, ..., Wc, the relative values of which express the
importance of each criteria. Enter the values of the weights in the second open row.

4. Score each solution with respect to each criteria by placing a value Si,j in the appropriate
cell of the matrix.

A typical completed priority matrix is shown below:

Figure 2-2. Completed Priority Matrix

The worksheet will automatically calculate a total for each solution according to:

(2.1)

In the above template, Solution B has the highest total.

To save the results of a template procedure, simply save the current Excel WorkBook.

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14/ Template Procedures
 3
Chapter

Data Analysis Procedures

Generating an analysis, selecting tables and graphs, specifying options, and
saving the results.

Data analysis procedures analyze data that you have already placed in an Excel worksheet. As an
example, load the file named [Link] which was copied to the Program Files directory when
STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express was installed. The data show the measurements made on the
available chlorine in samples of a product taken at different lengths of time after production
(from Applied Regression Analysis, third edition, by Draper and Smith, 1998):

Figure 3-1. Sample Data File from a Stability Study

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To analyze data using STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express, it is usually placed in columns beginning
with a header row containing names for each column. A second header row may be included if
desired containing comments for each column. The comment row is often used to display the
units of measurement. Subsequent rows contain the data to be analyzed.

Note that:

1. Each column name should be unique and may contain up to 32 characters. Names may
contain any characters except a quote ( ' ) or a double quote ( " ). Spaces are allowed.

2. Column names do not have to be placed in the first row. However, the data should
follow in the rows immediately below the names.

The sample data set has n = 44 observations for chlorine together with its age measured in weeks.
It contains a single header row with column names but no comments.

3.1 Selecting a Data Analysis Procedure

To execute a data analysis procedure:

Step 1: Select the data to be analyzed by highlighting it in Excel. If no data is selected, it is assumed
that the entire contents of the current worksheet is desired.

Step 2: Select the desired procedure from the STATGRAPHICS menu. To fit a curve relating chlorine
to weeks, select Analyze - Regression Analysis - Simple Regression.

Step 3: Most procedures begin by displaying 2 dialog boxes which are used to specify the columns
containing the data to be analyzed. The first dialog box specifies the structure of the Excel worksheet:

Figure 3-2. Excel Data Selection Dialog Box

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There are 3 choices:

 Column names – indicates that the first non-empty row of the Excel selection contains names
for each of the columns.

 Column names and comments - indicates that the first non-empty row of the Excel selection
contains names for each of the columns, while the row immediately below the names
contains a comment.

 Data only – indicates that all cells contain data. In this case, column names will be automatically
generated to match the column indicators in Excel (“A”, “B”, etc.).

Note that column names do not have to be placed in row #1. However, they must be located in the
first non-empty row of the selected range. As an example, the Excel worksheet below shows a valid
structure containing both column names and comments:

Figure 3-3. Sample Excel Worksheet with Column Names and Comments

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Note that the selected range begins in row #2, so that the column names are located in the first non-
empty row of the selection.

The second dialog box requests the names of the columns to be used by the analysis procedure.
When performing a Simple Regression, the dialog box appears as shown below:

Figure 3-4. Data Input Dialog Box for Simple Regression Procedure
The first two input fields are required:

Y: The dependent or response variable.

X: The independent or predictor variable.

In data entry fields, you can enter either the name of a column such as chlorine or a STATGRAPHICS
expression such as LOG(chlorine). The Select field may be used to select a subset of the highlighted
rows. For example, if you enter a statement such as FIRST(20) in that field, only the first 20 rows in
the worksheet selection will be used. The Select field is discussed in more detail later.

Step 4: Most procedures will next display an Analysis Options dialog box which is used to specify
options for the procedure to be run. For Simple Regression, it has the following form:

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Figure 3-5. Analysis Options Dialog Box for Simple Regression Procedure
The above dialog box allows you to select a model other than a straight line if desired. Usually,
the default selections will be adequate when first running the procedure. The options can be
easily changed after the initial fit is examined.

Step 5: After the options are selected and OK is pressed, a final dialog box will be displayed
showing the available tables and graphs:

Figure 3-6. Tables and Graphs Dialog Box for Simple Regression Procedure
For this example, 3 tables and 2 graphs have been selected. This selection can also be easily
changed after the initial analysis is examined.

Pressing OK will start the procedure.

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3.2 Analysis Windows
Once the data and options have been specified, an analysis window will be created:

Figure 3-7. Analysis Window for Simple Regression Example

The analysis window is a “splitter window”, with multiple panes divided by movable splitter bars.
Tables are located along the left side of the window, while graphs are located along the right.

You can maximize any table or graph by double-clicking on it, in which case it will fill the window:

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Figure 3-8. Simple Regression Analysis Window with Maximized Pane

Double-clicking on the pane a second time restores the multiple pane display.

3.2.1 Copying Graphs to Excel

Once a graph has been created, it can be copied to your Excel worksheet (or any other program)
by pressing the right-mouse button anywhere on the graph and selecting Copy from the pop-up
menu:

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Figure 3-9. Graphics Pop-up Menu Accessed by Right Mouse Button
This places the graph on the Windows clipboard. If you return to Excel, select the cell where the
graph should be pasted and then select Paste, it will be placed in the worksheet as shown below:

Figure 3-10. STATGRAPHICS Graph after Pasting into Excel Worksheet

Since the graph is pasted as a picture, it can be easily moved or resized.

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3.2.2 Copying Tables to Excel
Tables may be handled in a similar fashion. For example, double-click on the graph to minimize
it and then double-click on the upper left pane to maximize the Analysis Summary:

Figure 3.11. Simple Regression Analysis Summary Table

To copy this output to your Excel worksheet, highlight the output that you wish to copy and
press the right-mouse button to display the following pop-up menu:

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Figure 3-12. Tables Pop-up Menu Accessed by Right Mouse Button

There are 2 relevant options:

1. Copy - select this option to copy the data as numeric values with associated text. When
pasted into Excel, the table structure will be preserved so that you can access individual
values.

2. Copy as Metafile - copies the output as a picture. It will then appear exactly as in
STATGRAPHICS, but you will not be able to access individual values.

The figure below shows the output pasted using the first method:

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Figure 3-13. STATGRAPHICS Table after Pasting into Excel Worksheet
Some resizing of rows and columns may be necessary.

3.2.3 Analysis Toolbar

Along the top of the STATGRAPHICS analysis window is an analysis toolbar, shown below:

Each of the buttons on this toolbar performs an important operation.

Data Input Dialog Button

When pressed, this button displays the data input dialog box originally used to specify the data
variables. If you change the data variables and press OK, the analysis will change to reflect the new
selections. This enables you to try different combinations of data without having to start a new
analysis.

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Analysis Options Button

This button redisplays the Analysis Options dialog box shown in Figure 3.5. It could be used in this
case to fit a different type of model, such as the Reciprocal-X model shown below:

Figure 3-14. Fitted Reciprocal-X Model

Tables and Graphs Button

This button redisplays the list of tables and graphs that may be added to the analysis window.

Pane Options Button

In addition to options that apply to the entire analysis window, many individual tables and graphs
have options that apply only to them. These options are accessible by first maximizing the selected
table or graph and then pressing Pane Options. For the Fitted Model Plot, displayed above, the pane
options are:

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Figure 3-15. Pane Options Dialog Box for the Fitted Model Plot
For example, removing the check mark alongside Confidence Limits and pressing OK will replot
the graph without the inner limits:

Figure 3-16. Fitted Model Plot Without Confidence Limits

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Save Results Button

This button allows you to save numerical results calculated by the statistical analysis back to
columns of your worksheet. For Simple Regression, it displays the following choices:

Figure 3-17. Simple Regression Save Results Dialog Box

To save information:

1. Check the items of interest in the Save field.

2. For each item to be saved, assign a column name under Target Variables.

3. Press OK. This will put the selected data on the Windows clipboard.

4. Return to your Excel worksheet, highlight the cell where you wish the results to be
pasted, and select Paste.

This will place the data into the Excel worksheet, as shown below:

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Figure 3-18. Excel Worksheet with Saved Results

Graphics Buttons
Whenever a graph is maximized within the analysis window, several additional buttons are enabled.
These buttons include:

Graphics options – displays a dialog box used to change colors, labels, axis scaling, and other similar
features.

Add text – used to add additional text to the graph.

Jitter – used to offset points randomly in the horizontal or vertical direction to prevent their
overplotting each other.

Brush – colors points on a scatterplot according to the value of a selected variable.

Smooth/Rotate – smoothes a 2-dimensional plot, or rotates a 3-dimensional plot.

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 Pan or zoom – stretches or zooms the graph in the X-, Y-, or Z-direction.

Explore – dynamically explores response surface and contour plots.

Identify – displays a label identifying a point when clicked on with the mouse.

Locate by name – highlights in red any points with values equal to that entered in the Locate field
(used in conjunction with the Identify button).

Locate by row – highlights in red any points corresponding to the row number entered in the Row
field.

Each of these buttons is described in detail in Chapter 4.

Exclude Button

Some statistical procedures allow you to interactively remove suspected outliers from an
analysis by maximizing a graph, clicking on the suspect point, and pressing this button. For
example, the plot in Figure 3-13 shows one point that is well outside the prediction limits.
Clicking on that point and pressing the Exclude button causes the model to be refit without the
point. The fitted model plot shows the new model, indicating the point (or points) that have
been removed with an X:

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Figure 3-19. Fitted Model after Excluding a Suspected Outlier
All of the other tables and graphs in the analysis window will also change to reflect the new
model.

Multiple points may be excluded from a model by clicking on them one at a time and pressing
the Exclude button. Clicking on a point that has been removed will put it back into the model.

Help Button

Pressing this button will open a PDF file describing the selected analysis. These PDF files
contain a description of all dialog boxes and options, provide formulas for important statistical
calculations, and illustrate the use of the analysis with a typical example.

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3.2.4 Statlets®
There are a number of special menu selections called Statlets that are somewhat different than
standard analyses. Rather than creating multiple panes with various tables and graphs, they
contain only a single graph. In addition, instead of using the Analysis Options and Pane Options
dialog boxes, they put all options on a control bar at the top of the analysis window.

As an example, select Analyze – Regression Analysis – Curve-Fitting Statlet from the

STATGRAPHICS menu. Complete the data input dialog box as shown below:

Figure 3-20. Data Input Dialog Box for Curve-Fitting Statlet

The analysis window that appears when OK is pressed is shown below:

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Figure 3-21. Initial Analysis Window for Curve-Fitting Statlet
A linear regression model has been fit to the data. Notice the extra control bar with the
following options:

 Add regression – draws the fitted regression line.

 Add LOWESS smooth – adds a scatterplot smoother to the display.

 X power and Y power – fits a linear model relating a power of Y to a power of X,

according to the equation Yp = a + b Xq.

 Limits – sets the percentage for the prediction limits.

As changes are made on the dialog box, the graph updates immediately. For example, changing
the power of X gives a fit with a much better R-squared:

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Figure 3-22. Model Fit After Transforming X

Statlets allow you to interact with your data in interesting ways.

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3.3 Transformations
As mentioned previously, much flexibility is gained by allowing users to enter algebraic and
other expressions on data input dialog boxes. For example, a user wishing to fit a model
involving a logarithm or square root may be so directly on a data input box without changing the
data in their worksheet. For example, the same reciprocal-X model shown in the previous
section could have been fit to the stability study data by fitting a linear model to chlorine versus
the reciprocal of weeks. To do so, the data input dialog box would have been completed as
shown below:

Figure 3-23. Data Input Dialog Box Showing Algebraic Expression for X

Any algebraic expression can be entered in the data input fields, using the following symbols:

Operation Symbol Example

Addition + weeks+8
Subtraction - weeks-2
Multiplication * weeks*10
Division / weeks/100
Exponentiation ^ weeks^2
Figure 3-24. Algebraic Symbols
When more than one operation is included, normal algebraic precedence rules apply (such as
multiplication and division before addition and subtraction).
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Expressions may also involve special operators, such as LOG, SQRT or ABS, as in the example
below:

Figure 3-25. Data Input Dialog Box Showing Use of Special Operators

The following table shows the most common operators:

Operator Use Example

ABS Absolute value ABS(X)
AVG Average AVG(X)
DIFF Backward differencing DIFF(X)
EXP Exponential function EXP(10)
LAG Lag by k periods LAG(X,1)
LOG Natural logarithm LOG(X)
LOG10 Log base 10 LOG10(X)
MAX Maximum MAX(X)
MIN Minimum MIN(X)
SD Standard deviation SD(X)
SQRT Square root SQRT(X)
STANDARDIZE Conversion to Z-scores STANDARDIZE(X)
Figure 3-26. Common STATGRAPHICS Operators

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3.4 Subset Selections
Every data input dialog box contains an optional input field labeled (Select:). If not blank, this
field is used to select a subset of the rows that contain data. For example, to restrict the fit to the
first 25 rows of data, enter:

Figure 3-27. Data Input Dialog Box Using Select Field to Restrict Rows Used

Operators that may be placed in the Select field are:

Entry Use Example

FIRST(k) Selects the first k rows. FIRST(25)
LAST(k) Selects the last k rows. LAST(25)
ROWS(start,end) Selects rows between start and end, ROWS(11,30)
inclusive.
EXCLUDE(m) Selects all rows except row m. EXCLUDE(7)
RANDOM(k) Selects a random set of k rows. RANDOM(25)
Figure 3-28. Operators Used in Select Field to Select Subset of Data Rows

Note that row numbers correspond to the location within the selected data, not the row
numbers in the Excel worksheet. For example, if column names are located in row 1 of your
Excel file, then a statement such as ROWS(11,30) will select the data in Excel rows numbered 12
through 31. You may find it convenient to add an additional column to your Excel file with
observation numbers, although such a column is not required.

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The Select field may also contain Boolean expressions to control the selection of rows, as in the
dialog box shown below:

Figure 3-29. Data Input Dialog Box Using Boolean Expression in Select Field

Valid Boolean expressions are shown in the following table:

Entry Use Example

column < value Selects only rows for which column weeks < 30
is less than value.
column <= value Selects only rows for which column weeks <= 30
is less than or equal to value.
column > value Selects only rows for which column weeks > 30
is greater than value.
column >= value Selects only rows for which column weeks >= 30
is greater than or equal to value.
column = value Selects only rows for which column weeks = 30
equals value.
column <> value Selects only rows for which column weeks <> 30
does not equal value.
condition1 & condition2 Selects only rows that meet both weeks <= 30 & chlorine > 0.4
conditions.
condition1 | condition2 Selects only rows that meet at least weeks <= 30| chlorine > 0.4
one of the conditions.
Figure 3-30. Common Boolean Expressions Used to Select Subset of Rows

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Boolean expressions may involve any data variable, whether part of the current analysis or not.
Expressions used with numeric variables are written without quotes. Expressions used with
categorical variables require double quotes, as in Color = "Red".

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 4
Chapter

Graphics
Modifying graphs, saving graphics profiles, interacting with graphs, saving
graphs in image files, and copying graphs to other applications.

The statistical procedures in STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express create hundreds of different types of
graphs. To facilitate the data analysis process, default titles, scaling, and other attributes are selected
whenever a new graph is created. For analysis purposes, the defaults often suffice. But when it comes
time to publish the final results, creating a publication-quality graph is important.

This chapter describes everything you need to know to work with graphs in STATGRAPHICS Sigma
Express. It shows you how to dress them up for publication. It shows you how to copy them to
applications such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. It also shows you how to interact with graphs.
For example, you might see an interesting point and wish to know more about it. Or you might want
to spin a 3D plot around to get a sense of any relationship that might be present between the variables
portrayed on the X, Y and Z axes.

As an example, we will consider again the data in the [Link] file. To begin, the fitted model plot
relating the amount of chlorine to the age of the product will serve to illustrate some of the important
graphics operations.

40/ Graphs
4.1 Modifying Graphs
The Simple Regression procedure is commonly used to fit curves relating a response variable Y and an
explanatory variable X. As illustrated in the last chapter, a Reciprocal-X model provides a good fit to
the relationship between the chlorine column and the weeks column.

When first created, a plot of the fitted Reciprocal X model is displayed as shown below:

Plot of Fitted Model

chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-1. Fitted Model Plot with Default Titles and Scaling

The titles, scaling, point and line types, colors, and other graphics attributes were automatically
selected.

41/ Graphics
4.1.1 Layout Options
To modify a graph once it has been created, first double-click on it so that it fills the analysis
window. Then click on the Graphics Options button located on the analysis toolbar. A tabbed
dialog box will be displayed, with tabs corresponding to different graphics elements.

The Layout tab of the Graphics Options dialog box is used to change some of the basic features of
the graph:

Figure 4-2. Layout Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

This includes the orientation of the axis tickmarks, the thickness of the axes, and the color of the
graph’s background and border. For example, changing the Background color to yellow and
adding 3D Effects modifies the plot as shown below:

42/ Graphics
 Plot of Fitted Model
chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-3. Plot after Modifying Background Color and Selecting 3D Effects

NOTE: This color change can be seen in the help documentation provided with your
software by clicking on Help – Getting Started.

43/ Graphics
4.1.2 Grid Options
The Grid tab is used to add a grid to the plot:

Figure 4-4. Grid Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

Adding a gray, dashed-line grid in Both directions produces the following graph:

44/ Graphics
 Plot of Fitted Model
chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-5. Plot after Adding a Grid

45/ Graphics
4.1.3 Lines Options
The Lines tab is used to specify the type, color and thickness of lines on a graph:

Figure 4-6. Lines Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

A plot such as that of the fitted model has three line sets: the line of best fit, the inner confidence
limits, and the outer prediction limits. To change any of these types, click on radio button #1, #2 or
#3 and then select the desired attributes. Increasing the thickness of the center line results in:

46/ Graphics
 Plot of Fitted Model
chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-7. Plot after Modifying Thickness of Line Type #1

NOTE: You can only change the thickness of solid lines.

47/ Graphics
4.1.4 Points Options
The Points tab is used to specify the type, color and size of points on a graph:

Figure 4-8. Points Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

Radio button #1 controls the attributes of the first set of points on a graph. In the current example,
there is only one set. Changing the points to solid diamonds creates the following plot:

48/ Graphics
 Plot of Fitted Model
chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-9. Plot after Modifying Point Type #1

49/ Graphics
4.1.5 Top Title Options
The Top Title tab is used to specify the text and font type for the information displayed above a
graph:

Figure 4-10. Top Title Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

Graphs have up to 2 title lines. An entry such as “{3}” in a title field indicates that the text is
automatically generated by the analysis procedure, usually containing variable names or
calculated statistics. You may change any title, including those that are automatically created.
You may also drag the title to a new location with your mouse directly on the graph:

50/ Graphics
 Fitted Reciprocal X Model for Stability Study
chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 10 20 30 40 50
w eeks

Figure 4-11. Plot after Modifying the Top Title

51/ Graphics
4.1.6 Axis Scaling Options
The Graphics Options dialog box also contains tabs that allow you to modify the axis titles and scaling:

Figure 4-12. X-Axis Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

There are several important fields on this dialog box:

1. Title: title plotted along the axis.

2. From, To, By, and Skip: sets the tickmark scaling. The value in Skip is used to prevent
displaying certain tickmarks if they run into each other. For example, a value of 1 in the Skip
field would skip showing every other tickmark.

3. No Power: suppresses the display of large and small numbers using labels such as (X 1000).

4. Axis Labels: changes the orientation of the tickmark labels.

52/ Graphics
 5. Scaling: draws the axis using two different base 10 logarithmic scales.

6. When Data Change: specifies whether the scaling should stay constant or change if new data are
plotted.

7. Title Font and Tickmark Font: changes the color, size, or style of the title and tickmarks.

The output generated from the above dialog box changes is shown below:

Fitted Reciprocal X Model for Stability Study

chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46
chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
age in w eeks

Figure 4-13. Plot after Modifying the Axis Titles and Scaling

53/ Graphics
4.1.7 Fill Options
Some plots, such as histograms, contain solid areas. The Fills tab on the Graphics Options dialog box
controls the color and fill type of bars, polygons, and pie slices:

Figure 4-14. Fills Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

Radio button #1 controls the first fill type on a graph. In a histogram, all of the bars use the first fill
type. On some graphs, such as piecharts, more than one fill type is used. In those cases, radio buttons
#2 through #20 control the other fill types.

For plots such as histograms, setting a non-solid fill type is often a good idea when printing the results
in black and white:

54/ Graphics
Figure 4-15. Frequency Histogram with Modified Fill Type

4.1.8 Text, Labels and Legends Options

For graphs containing additional legends or labels, tabs are included on the Graphics Options dialog box
that allow you to change the text and fonts.

55/ Graphics
4.1.9 Adding New Text

Additional text may also be added to any graph by pressing the Add text button on the
analysis toolbar. A dialog box will be generated in which to enter the new text:

Figure 4-16. Dialog Box for Adding New Text

The text string will be initially positioned under the top title, but may be dragged to any location with
the mouse:

Fitted Reciprocal X Model for Stability Study

chlorine = 0.368053 + 1.02553/w eeks

0.5

0.48

0.46 < outlier

chlorine

0.44

0.42

0.4

0.38
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
age in w eeks

Figure 4-17. Plot after Adding New Text String

56/ Graphics
After text is added, click on it and then press the Graphics Option button if changes need to be made.

57/ Graphics
4.2 Jittering a Scatterplot
When one or both of the variables in a scatterplot are discrete, the chance of points being
exactly in the same location and obscuring each other can be large. The analysis toolbar has a
Jitter button that overcomes this problem by randomly offsetting points in the horizontal and/or
vertical direction. For example, consider the following plot of data contained in the [Link]
file:

Plot of MPG City v s Cylinders

55

45
MPG City

35

25

15
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Cylinders

Figure 4-18. Scatterplot of Miles per Gallon versus Cylinders

The plot shows the miles per gallon obtained in city driving by 93 different makes and models of
automobiles, plotted versus the number of cylinders in the car’s engine. Although there are 93 rows in
the worksheet, there are many less points than that on the plot. The small number of points is due to
exact ties amongst the cases, which cause some points to plot exactly on top of others.

If you press the Jitter button on the analysis toolbar, a dialog box will appear allowing you to add a
little jitter (random offset) to the points:

58/ Graphics
Figure 4-19. Jittering Dialog Box

In this case, adding a small amount of horizontal jitter gives a much better picture of the
location of the points:

Plot of MPG City v s Cylinders

55

45
MPG City

35

25

15
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Cylinders

Figure 4-20. Scatterplot after Horizontal Jitter

Each point has been offset a small random amount along the horizontal axis. Jittering a plot
affects only the display. It has no effect on the data in the datasheet or any calculations made
with it.

59/ Graphics
4.3 Brushing a Scatterplot
An interesting method of visualizing relationships between variables is to color the points of a
scatterplot according to the value of another variable. For example, consider the following
Matrix Plot for selected variables from the [Link] file:

MPG City

MPG Highway

Length

Width

Weight

Figure 4-21. Matrix Plot for Data from the 93cars File
The scatterplot in each cell of the matrix plots the values of variables corresponding to its row
and column identifiers.

Suppose you wish to visualize how the horsepower of the automobiles is related to the 5 plotted
variables. If you press the Brush button on the analysis toolbar, the following dialog box will
be displayed:

60/ Graphics
Figure 4-22. Dialog Box for Selecting Brushing Variable

Select a quantitative variable to use to code the points. After selecting the variable to brush with,
a floating dialog box will appear:

Figure 4-23. Floating Dialog Box for Selecting Brushing Interval

The two slider bars are used to specify lower and upper limits for the variable. All points in the
plot are colored red if they fall within the specified interval. For example, in the plot below, all
automobiles with horsepower between 55.0 and 121.15 are colored red:

61/ Graphics
 MPG City

MPG Highway

Length

Width

Weight

Figure 4-24. Matrix Plot after Brushing Points

It is evident from the above plot that Horsepower is strongly correlated with the other variables.

62/ Graphics
4.4 Smoothing a Scatterplot
To help visualize the relationships between the variables in a scatterplot, a smoother may be
added. To smooth a scatterplot, press the Smooth/Rotate button on the analysis toolbar. This
will display the following dialog box:

Figure 4-25. Scatterplot Smoothing Dialog Box

Smoothing a scatterplot is done by selecting a set of locations along the X-axis and at each
location plotting a weighted average of the specified fraction of the points that are closest to that
location. One of the best methods for smoothing is called LOWESS (LOcally WEighted
Scatterplot Smoothing), usually with a smoothing fraction between 40% and 60%. The result of
smoothing the Matrix Plot of the automobile data is shown below:

63/ Graphics
 MPG City

MPG Highway

Length

Width

Weight

Figure 4-26. Smoothed Matrix Plot using Lowess with a 50% Smoothing Fraction

The smooth helps illustrate the type of relationships between the variables.

64/ Graphics
4.5 Identifying Points
To display the row number and coordinates corresponding to any point on a graph, you may
hold the mouse button down on the point. A small box will be displayed in the upper right
corner of the plot, showing the row number and coordinates of the point:

Figure 4-27. Displaying Information about a Selected Point

At the same time, the row number of the point will be placed into the Row field on the analysis
toolbar:

Figure 4-28. Analysis Toolbar Showing Row Number of Selected Point

Additional information about the point may be obtained by pressing the Identify button and
selecting a column from the Excel worksheet:

65/ Graphics
Figure 4-29. Point Identification Dialog Box

In the Point Labels field, select an option for which labels will be displayed. If you select Click point
to label and press OK, clicking on any point will add the value of that variable to the Label field on
the analysis toolbar:

Figure 4-30. Analysis Toolbar Showing Make of Selected Point

The binoculars buttons to the right of the Label and Row fields may be used to locate points
on a graph. If you enter a value into either edit field and then press the corresponding Locate
button, all points in the graph matching the entered value will be highlighted. For example, the
plot below colors the points for all Hondas red:

66/ Graphics
 Plot of MPG City v s Weight

55

45
MPG City

35

25

15
1600 2100 2600 3100 3600 4100 4600
Weight

Figure 4-31. Plot Highlighting All Hondas

This technique is also quite effective on a Matrix Plot. In the following display, all points
corresponding to row #42 have been highlighted:

67/ Graphics
 MPG City

MPG Highway

Length

Width

Weight

Figure 4-32. Matrix Plot Highlighting Row #42

Locating a point in a Matrix Plot can help identify whether it is an outlier with respect to more
than one variable. The color used to highlight the points is specified on the Graphics tab of the
System Preferences dialog box, accessible from the Tools menu.

68/ Graphics
4.6 Copying Graphs to Other Applications
Once a graph has been created in STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express, it can be easily copied to
other programs such as Microsoft Excel, Word or PowerPoint by:

1. Maximizing the pane containing the graph.

2. Clicking on the graph with the right mouse button and selecting Copy from the popup
menu.

3. Selecting Paste while in the other application.

By default, graphs are pasted in “Picture” format, which corresponds to a Windows metafile. In
rare cases when you wish to paste the graph in some other format, you can select Paste Special
instead of a simple Paste.

To copy both the graph and its enclosing window, a third-party screen capture tool is
recommended. In producing this manual, a program called SnagIt has been used, which is
available for purchase at [Link]. If you use SnagIt, we recommend that you set the
Input option to “Window” and the Output option to “Clipboard”. You can then paste images
directly into any document.

4.7 Saving Graphs in Image Files

Individual graphs may also be saved in image files by maximizing a graph and then selecting Save
Graph from the right-mouse-button popup menu. A dialog box will be displayed on which to
specify a file name and image format:

69/ Graphics
Figure 4-33. File Selection Dialog Box for Saving Graph in Image File
For saving graphs that are to be read into Word or PowerPoint, saving the graph as a Windows
metafile gives the most flexibility. If the graph is to be displayed on a web page, saving it as a
JPEG file is recommended.

70/ Graphics
 5
Chapter

System Preferences
Setting preferences for system behavior.

STATGRAPHICS Sigma Express contains many options, each of which has a default value that
has been selected to meet most users’ needs. If desired, you can set new defaults for many of
these options. There are 2 main places in the program to do this:

1. General system behavior: set by System Preferences, accessible from the Tools menu.

2. Graphs: set by selecting Graphics Options while viewing any graph. The Profile tab of the
Graphics Options dialog box allows you to save multiple sets of graphics attributes.

5.1 General System Behavior

The default values for general system behavior and selected statistical procedures may be
changed by selecting System Preferences from the Tools menu. This displays a tabbed dialog box
with a General tab for overall system behavior and other tabs for statistical analysis defaults:

71/ System Preferences

Figure 5-1. Preferences Dialog Box

Some of the most important options that may be set are:

 Confidence Level: default percentage used for confidence limits, prediction limits,
hypothesis tests, and interpretation of P-values by the StatAdvisor.

 Significant Digits: number of significant digits used when displaying numerical results. The
indicated number of digits will be displayed, except for trailing zeroes that will be dropped.
A separate entry is provided for saving numerical results back to the Excel worksheet.

 System Options: options that apply system-wide.

o Sort Variable Names: whether to list column names in alphabetic order on data input
dialog boxes. Otherwise, column names will be listed in the same order as in the
worksheet.

72/ System Preferences

 o 4-Digit Years: whether dates should be displayed with 4-digit years rather than 2-digit
years. By default, 2-digit years such as 2/1/05 are assumed to represent dates between
the years 1950-2049.

 StatAdvisor: sets the behavior of the StatAdvisor.

o Add to Text Panes: whether StatAdvisor output should be added to the bottom of text
panes.

o Highlight References in …: whether to highlight in a special color values on text

panes that are referred to by the StatAdvisor.

 Analysis Headers: whether to use a blue font to display the analysis title at the top of the
Analysis Summary pane.

For a description of the options on the other tabs, refer to the PDF document titled System
Preferences.

5.2 Graphics
Maximizing a pane containing a graph within any analysis window activates the Graphics Options
button on the analysis toolbar. That button displays a tabbed dialog box that allows you to
change the appearance of a graph, as described in detail in Chapter 4. Also included on that
dialog box is a tab labeled Profile, which enables you to save sets of graphics attributes in user
profiles and change the default profile that is used when a new graph is created:

73/ System Preferences

Figure 5-2. Profile Tab on Graphics Options Dialog Box

To change the system defaults:

1. Modify the features of a graph in any analysis window. Set the colors, fonts, and other
options that you want future graphs to reflect.

2. Select Graphics Options from the analysis toolbar and go to the Profile tab.

3. Check Make Default.

4. Select any of the 12 user profiles and press the Save as button (the system profiles are
read-only).

5. Enter a name for the profile to be saved:

74/ System Preferences

 Figure 5-3. Save Profile Dialog Box

6. Press OK to save the current set of graphics attributes (colors, fonts, point and line
styles, etc.) in a new profile.

The next graph created will use the newly saved profile.

You can also apply other saved profiles to a new graph by creating the graph with default
settings and then:

1. Select Graphics Options from the analysis toolbar and go to the Profile tab.

2. Select any of the 15 profiles and press the Load button.

The current graph will be immediately updated to reflect the settings in the selected profile.

You can also use the System Profile Designer on the Tools menu to help set all graphics attributes at one
time. It displays sample 2D and 3D plots containing all attributes used thoughout the program:

75/ System Preferences

Figure 5-4. Graphics Profile Designer

Use Graphics Options to change all settings and then save a new graphics profile.

76/ System Preferences

Index
ABS, 36 fills tab, 54
activation, 6 grid tab, 44
activation code, 9 layout, 42
analysis headers, 73 lines tab, 46
analysis toolbar, 25 points tab, 48
analysis window, 20 profiles, 73
AVG, 36 text, labels and legends, 55
brushing a scatterplot, 60 top title tab, 50
column names, 16 graphs
confidence level 3D effects, 42
setting default, 72 adding text, 56
data analysis procedures, 11 axis scaling, 52
data input dialog box, 25 axis titles, 52
dates, 73 background, 42
DIFF, 36 changing default appearance, 73
Exclude, 30 copying to other applications, 69
EXP, 36 excluding points, 30
FIRST, 37 fonts, 53
formulas identifying points, 65
absolute value, 36 log scaling, 53
average, 36 modifying, 41
backward differencing, 36 rotating, 63
conversion to Z-scores, 36 rotating axis labels, 52
exponential function, 36 saving in image files, 69
lag by k periods, 36 toolbar buttons, 29
log base 10, 36 installation, 1
maximum, 36 jittering a scatterplot, 58
minimum, 36 LAG, 36
natural logarithm, 36 LAST, 37
square root, 36 license agreement, 3
standard deviation, 36 license manager, 8
Graphics Options LOG, 36
axes, 52 LOG10, 36

77/ Index
lowess smoothing, 63 SD, 36
matrix plot, 67 select fields, 18
MAX, 36 [Link], 1
menu, 7 significant digits
MIN, 36 setting default, 72
MSI file, 2 smoothing a scatterplot, 63
Pane Options, 26 sorting variable names, 72
panes, 20 SQRT, 36
Preferences, 71 STANDARDIZE, 36
priority matrix, 11 StatAdvisor
RANDOM, 37 defaults, 73
ROWS, 37 Tables, 26
Save Results, 28 template procedures, 11

78/ Index