Data Window -this window lets you enter and edit data into a Minitab worksheet.

The main window contains four subwindows: On a mainframe machine typing the command minitab starts the MINITAB package. On the Geology & Geophysics PC.network you can access Minitab for windows version by double clicking the mouse on the Minitab icons which are found in More Applications. MINITAB is available on the Geology & Geophysics PC network, on the KB centre PC network and on Edinburgh University mainframe machines such as holyrood. MINITAB is an ideal package for learning statistics. MINITAB is a particularly easy package to learn and to use it has excellent self-help facilities, has been well tested, includes modem statistical methods and is widely used both inside and outside the University. Numerous high-quality statistical packages are available in Edinburgh good ones include MINITAB and Splus. Much better, however, are statistical packages that have been specially written to be 'user friendly' and to include a comprehensive suite of up-to-date statistical methods. Spreadsheets such as EXCEL contain a number of statistical functions, and these can be very helpful. The recent advent of spreadsheets and statistical/graphical software packages has transformed elementary statistical analysis from a rather mathematical subject, backed up by dense statistical tables, into a readily accessible technique. Analysis is the step between obtaining data and applying it to solve practical problems.

Data analysis includes (i) organising measurements into a meaningful order or into groups, (ii) reducing the data into manageable quantities, (iii) forming succinct descriptions of the main features of the data, and (iv) elucidating any anomalies for subsequent examination.

Measurements are of little use until they are 'analysed'. (Roy Thompson, Geology & Geophysics Department) Practical statistical analyses using MINITAB Practical statistical analyses using Minitab

Multiple regression in minitab express