Bar Graphs and Histograms
Introduction
Bar graphs are created in much the same way scatter plots and line graphs are. Histograms are a specialized type of bar graph used to summarize groups of data.
Creating a bar graph with one independent variable
Data is entered into Excel much in the same way as it is with scatter plots and line graphs:
Note that the independent variable is placed in the first column while the dependent variable is placed in the second column. The headers at the top of each column are not necessary, but they do help identify the variables.
With the data shown above highlighted, start the Chart Wizard from the toolbar:
If the Chart Wizard is not visible on the toolbar, you can also choose Insert > Chart...
Choose the Column Chart type and the Chart sub-type in the upper left corner (basic bar graph). This chart type creates a vertical bar graph, which Excel refers to as a Column chart. If you want to create a horizontal bar graph, choose the Bar chart type. Click Next when you are done.
Confirm that your Data Series are in Columns in your spreadsheet. Your Data range should reflect your selection of the independent and dependent data (plus possibly your column headers) in absolute cell references. The preview should show a pretty good representation of what your chart will look like. Click Next when you are done.
Enter your titling. Also make sure to go to the Legend tab and click off the Show Legend option. You will not need a legend with only one independent variable. Click Next or Finish when you are done.
Your final graph should look something like the one above. Note that when the graph is selected, your independent and dependent variables are highlighted in purple and blue boxes, respectively.
Creating a bar graph with two independent variables
A multiple bar graph depicting data using two independent variables is created in the same way as a simple bar graph:
