Plotting means and standard deviations I already have

K

kimhelms

I have a chart that I just cannot figure out how to graph.
It is some survey results and the mean and standard deviation of each
question.
I want the horizontal axis to list 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5,
and 5.0.
I want the vertical axis to list the question topic: eg, a, b, c, d, e, f,
g, h, and i.
For each question, I want to show the mean answer and the standard deviation
on a bar, with a point for the mean and the endpoints being the +/- standard
deviation.
Examples of the data:
Question a - Mean = 3.6875 Std. Dev. = .59387
Question b - Mean = 3.8958 Std. Dev. = .67810
Question c - Mean = 3.1875 Std. Dev. = .65730
etc.

How can I set this up to create a chart like what I need, where I basically
have a bar that stretches plus or minus the standard deviation, with the mean
in the center?
Thanks,
Kim
 
B

Brad

Kim, I may be offering a too simple solution, but I do something similar to
what you are attempting... I think.

Plot the mean values on an x-y chart, then right click the data series on
the chart, select Format Data Series, then Y Error Bars, then highlight
"Both" by clicking on that box under "Display," click the custom and add the
corresponding standard deviation column to the plus and minus fields. It'll
create a graph with a mean and two tails representing the +/- std dev.

From there, you could customize it in any number of ways. Hope this helps.
Brad
 
K

kimhelms

That's what I think I'm trying to do, but I can't get my axes right. I cannot
figure how to get my "questions" as the vertical axis. If I choose Rows, they
become the data points and the values on the x and y axis have no meaning to
what I am trying to do.
I want it to look like below. I understand how to get the error bars in
there, I think. But my bigger issue is getting the data to show in horizontal
bars.

question A ---------X--------
question B ---------x-------
question C -----x----
(where the 'x' is the mean)

Thanks,
Kim
 
K

kimhelms

Thank you!!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
I have been trying to figure this out for almost 2 solid days.
 

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