do you need to type reports or use Excel?

[robert zellmer]

I've received a few questions about using Excel and if reports
have to be typed.  Most of the material below has been covered
on my web pages or e-mails I've sent or those from Dr. Moga.
You should have learned much of what's below during the exp 1
(SOL) day two lab day (that's coming up for Monday labs on
Sept. 11).

1)  You need to type your report using the template provided on
         Carmen.  You can write certain parts, mainly the sample
         calculations.  It can be a little tedious typing in equations.
         You can write them out and then incorporate them into your
         Word doc by scanning them or taking a picture (scans are
         usually better) of your written portions and incorporate it into
         the Word document template.  Just make sure they're organized
         and neat, certainly neat enough for someone to read easily.
         Use *PEN* so that when you scan them or take a picture they are
         more easily read by the TA (pencil can come out a little light).

         You can use the equation editor in Word to do the equations but
         for some reason it doesn't always show up properly in the on-line
         grading system.  Remember, check the file you upload to make
         sure things are readable.  If not, often making a PDF from the
         Word doc and uploading that will take care of the problem.

2)  You do not have to use Excel.  However, I would suggest learning
         how to use it.  It will come in handy later in the semester.  
There
         are a few labs which will require a lot of calculations and 
graphs.
         They will go much quicker if you use Excel.  Besides, it's a very
         useful skill to have.

3)  If you use Excel (or a similar program) you can have it do the
         calculations.  That's really the best thing to do in terms of 
saving
         time. *You will still have**to show sample calculations in the
         report. *Just printing the equations as they appear in Excel is
         not sufficient.

         If you make the Excel sheet look like the data tables in the report
         template (with titles, headings, etc.) you can incorporate the 
Excel
         worksheet into Word. You could import the data tables from the
         report template into Excel or just copy the titles and headings 
from
         the template into an Excel worksheet to make the tables. Then have
         Excel do the calculations for you by programming in the equations.

         You also have to make sure you have units (best to put them in the
         headings) and have the correct number of sig. fig.  You can't set
         sig. fig. in Excel but can set the decimal places to get the 
correct
         sig. fig.  See my help files for exp 14 and how to use Excel on how
         to do this.  By the way, if you set the numbers in your tables 
to the
         correct number of s.f. before making the graph you will get the
         correct number of s.f. for the axes labels.

         Word will incorporate Excel worksheets fairly easily.  You can also
         copy and paste a table from Excel into Word.  If you can't figure
         out how to do this you can copy all the data back over to the data
         tables in the Word template you download from Carmen.

4)  If you've done your graphs in Excel just incorporate them from Excel
         into Word.  In Excel set the *margins *to *0 inches* for your 
graphs.
         Even if you intend to print a graph and scan it before putting 
it into
         Word you want to set the margins to 0 inches (it will then 
default to
         the minimum margins your printer can do, most newer printers can
         print pretty much to the edge).

         You have to be careful when you transfer them into Word since 
it often
         messes up the margins unless you transfer them in using the 
proper settings.
         Also, the default for displaying graphs is "Landscape" mode 
(the page laying
         on it's side with the 11.5 inch side running horizontally). 
This usually gives
         the better looking graph.  Use "Landscape" mode unless we tell 
you otherwise.
         Make sure when you bring the graph into Word it stays in 
Landscape mode.

         Look at my examples and help pages for using Excel and the 
reports and
         graphs.

         I wish I could tell you exactly how to do all of these things.  
Unfortunately there's
         lots of versions of Microsoft office and they work slightly 
differently and the
         way Word and Excel are set up are slightly different in the 
versions.  It's not hard
         to figure out though.  Just start playing around.  There are 
many sites with tutorials
         on how to use Word and Excel on the web.

Microsoft Office Training Center - Office Support 
<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjXg6Ljk5_NAhVp3IMKHaiJCb0QFggeMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.office.com%2Fen-us%2Farticle%2FOffice-Training-Center-b8f02f81-ec85-4493-a39b-4c48e6bc4bfb&usg=AFQjCNFVwuwx6tSLDUupA2V7eYGIiCDr-w>

Microsoft Office Training | Microsoft Learning 
<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjXg6Ljk5_NAhVp3IMKHaiJCb0QFgguMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Flearning%2Foffice-training.aspx&usg=AFQjCNGBgKVvct8jRZM-uNp9KjGlKGudpg>

How-to tutorials - Microsoft Download Center 
<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjXg6Ljk5_NAhVp3IMKHaiJCb0QFgg1MAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fdownload%2Fhow-to-tutorials.aspx&usg=AFQjCNFXdWDJeJHmpapN6-ty0nEqNZUAyw>

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/

             I'm sure there are tutorials on Youtube and elsewhere as well.

Dr. Zellmer
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