Statistical Analysis with Excel For Dummies. Joseph Schmuller

this book, then, you see material about Excel on the Mac and on the iPad — particularly when MacOS and iPadOS differ substantially from Windows. Otherwise, it’s been my experience that Mac users and iPad users are a hearty lot and know how to adapt. (So? Enough … Apple polishing?)

      Making its debut in this edition is the increasingly popular topic of logistic regression (see Chapter 21).

      In Chapter 20, I’ve added a section on simulating a business. It’s my first foray into Excel’s What If analysis tools.

      In this edition, I’ve moved the discussion about some of the lesser used charts from Chapter 3 to an online appendix you can download at www.dummies.com/go/statisticalanalysiswexcelfd5e.

Speaking of online appendixes, I’ve moved an online appendix from the fourth edition, “When Your Data Live Elsewhere,” into this edition. I think it’s useful information you should have at your fingertips. Also moving from online to printed page is an appendix called “Tips for Teachers (And Learners).”

      And finally, due to popular demand, you can download this edition’s spreadsheets! (Again, available at www.dummies.com/go/statisticalanalysiswexcelfd5e.) The spreadsheets contain just the data. You still have to follow the steps I provide to complete the analyses.

What’s New in Excel (Microsoft 365)

      I work with the cloud-based subscription version of Excel, which is part of Microsoft 365. As part of the subscription, I receive updates you may not have if you work with Excel 2021 — a stand-alone product. Were you to examine the two incarnations of Excel up close and personal, you probably wouldn’t find much difference in functionality. (But see the section on array functions in Chapter 2.)

      Although Excel hasn’t added any new statistical functions, the Windows version (of 365) has an exciting new feature called linked data, which enables you to look up information about a variety of topics (movies, universities, stocks, and more) without leaving Excel. (Exciting as it is, we won’t be working with this one.)

      The Mac and iPad have added Data from Pictures. As its name suggests, this feature looks at a picture of a data table and puts the data into a spreadsheet. I cover this topic in Chapter 2.

      A new feature in Windows and Mac called Analyze Data offers insights about your data. I cover this feature in Chapter 2 as well.

      An add-in called XLMiner Analysis ToolPak mimics Excel’s Analysis Toolpak (an extensive set of analytical tools) and adds logistic regression, which, as I mentioned, I cover in Chapter 21.

Foolish Assumptions

      This isn’t an introductory book about Excel or about Windows, Mac, or iPad, so I'm assuming that you

       Know how to use your computer: I don’t spell out the details of pointing, clicking, selecting, and other basic actions.

       Have Excel (Microsoft 365 subscription) installed on your machine and can work along with the examples: I don’t walk you through the steps of Excel installation. Incidentally, I work with the 32-bit version — it seems to get the updates more quickly than the 64-bit version does. Excel 2021 should work for most of the examples, but the subscription version receives the latest updates.

       Have worked with Excel: I don’t go into the essentials of worksheets and formulas. I do fill you in on a few Excel fundamentals in Chapter 1, however.

      If you don't know much about Excel, consider looking into Greg Harvey's excellent Excel books in the For Dummies series.

Icons Used in This Book

      As is the case with all For Dummies books, icons appear all over the place. Each one is a little picture in the margin that lets you know something special about the paragraph it sits next to.

      

This icon points out a hint or a shortcut that can help you in your work and make you an all-around better human being.

      

This one points out timeless wisdom to take with you long after you finish this book, young Jedi.

      

Pay attention to this icon — it's a reminder to avoid an action that may gum up the works for you.

      

This icon indicates material you can blow right past if statistics and Excel aren't your passion.

Where to Go from Here

      You can start the book anywhere, but here are a few hints. Want to learn the foundations of statistics? Turn the page. Introduce yourself to Excel's statistical features? That's Chapter 2. Want to start with graphics? Hit Chapter 3. For anything else, find it in the table of contents or in the index and go for it.

Beyond This Book

      In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book comes with a free, access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that will help you quickly use the tools I discuss. To find this Cheat Sheet, visit www.dummies.com and search for Statistical Analysis with Excel For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box. And don’t forget to check out the bonus content on this book’s companion website, at http://www.dummies.com/go/statisticalanalysiswexcelfd5e.

      If you’ve read any of the previous editions, welcome back!

      If not, it’s nice to meet you.

Part 1

      Getting Started with Statistical Analysis with Excel: A Marriage Made in Heaven

IN THIS PART …

       Find out about Excel’s statistical capabilities

       Explore how to work with populations and samples

       Test your hypotheses

       Understand errors in decision-making

       Determine independent and dependent variables

Chapter 1

      Evaluating Data in the Real World

      IN THIS CHAPTER