Computer skills needed in labs (Graphs, tables etc..)

[tennisball80]

Do you guys get taught how to draw graphs and make complicated data tables for labs on computers in Freshman year ?

I found myself horrible at making data tables and graphs by hand and I want to use computers to do them but I don't know how.

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[RySerr21]

Dont stress yourself.......how complicated can a data table be? You have your data and you type it in to the table with appropriate labels. If you have a computer with microsoft office, familiarize yourself with the Excel program....its basically a giant spreadsheet that allows you to do all sorts of cool things (make data tables, all kinds of graphs, etc). No one is really goign to sit you down and teach you this unless you take a course on Excel or something (no idea of those exist). You just go by trial and error and you ask people for help when you need it. I do remember in calculus we had to go to an hour and a half lab every week and we made all types of weird graphs of derivatives and i dont even know what........but in those situation thats why you have the professor and he/she will teach you how to use the program.

 

[Crazyday]

Google is also a huge help for learning how to use new programs (especially widespread ones, such as excel).

 

[Silverman780]

most colleges also have a computer lab stocked full of people that know how to do those things as well....

 

[niranjan162]

you can learn everything you need to know in college from the internet

 

[Algophiliac]

RySerr21, which calculus course was this lab work done in? That actually sounds interesting!

These programs are fairly easy to learn, Tennis, so don't fret too much. The two we use most often are Excel for post-lab graph and data table construction and Logger Pro for actual data collection and real-time data table and graph construction. That being said, I learned all of these "on the job", so to speak, as I'm sure everyone else did. Just relax.

 

[Vicviper]

You're going to be using Excel up the ying yang in your lab classes, so learning some of the ins and outs will be very important. If you really need help, your freshman professors will be more than happy to help you learn how to do the excel graphs they're asking you to do as long as you ask nicely at their office hours. Don't stress!

Also, when in doubt, google - how to make graphs in excel!

 

[seelee]

Some colleges, especially community colleges, will offer a basic computing course that will take you through the Office software. You may want to consider seeing if your school offers a course like that, and if not, then enroll in one.

If you don't want to shell out the money, then just look online. I wouldn't just learn how to make graphs. Learn some of the common excel formulas too. Pretty much any calculation that you can do in a scientific calculator you can do on excel and (especially for physics) it is 100 times faster because you only need to enter the constants once, and then just click on it again everytime you need it.

 

[RySerr21]

RySerr21, which calculus course was this lab work done in? That actually sounds interesting!

These programs are fairly easy to learn, Tennis, so don't fret too much. The two we use most often are Excel for post-lab graph and data table construction and Logger Pro for actual data collection and real-time data table and graph construction. That being said, I learned all of these "on the job", so to speak, as I'm sure everyone else did. Just relax.

It was just general Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. It was anything BUT interesting. I would gladly have that hour and a half per week of my life back (plus however long it took to finish lab quesitons).

 

[Maygyver]

I remember using programs like that in AP calc, but not in my college courses. Basically, if you need to use excel, it will be easy enough for you to handle. If you can't understand it, I'm sure a roommate/friend/teacher/etc will be able to help. In general though, highlight ---> graph----> done

 

[glowworm]

what if you have a mac that doesn't run windows? will the profs get mad if the specifications they give you for a windows doesn't come out quite the same on a mac? is a 12-point font the same on a mac and a windows? do i need to get iWork for all that kind of stuff?

my computer has a graphing application, where you can do really cool looking 3-D graphs in a rainbow of colors. will that work?

and i don't know if my computer does spreadsheets and stuff (what are spreadsheets ?) what do i need to get for that?

 

[Maygyver]

what if you have a mac that doesn't run windows? will the profs get mad if the specifications they give you for a windows doesn't come out quite the same on a mac? is a 12-point font the same on a mac and a windows? do i need to get iWork for all that kind of stuff?

my computer has a graphing application, where you can do really cool looking 3-D graphs in a rainbow of colors. will that work?

and i don't know if my computer does spreadsheets and stuff (what are spreadsheets ?) what do i need to get for that?

I haven't heard of anyone with a Mac not being able to do spreadsheets. Spreadsheets are like...excel files. Just google it Also, if you absolutely need to use Windows, you can use it at a computer lab.

As far as colorful graphs, if it's for a presentation, that's ok I guess, but you also need to remember to be professional so rainbow graphs are probably a no-go.

 

[phorun]

A lot of ours were by hand, since the way my labs works you had to hand in the lab before you leave.

But yes, know how to do graphs with excel. Make up some fake data and learn to make pretty graphs.

If you have a mac, get your hands on office for mac. You'll need it most likely also to have word, as often you'll hand things in online in .doc format.

The other package I've used for graphing and more complex data analysis (ANOVA etc.) is S-Plus, but in first year we were baby-stepped through how to use it.