This wiki is composed of notes taken from the Counselors & Data series held at the Center.  If you have notes to add, please e-mail me and I will add them. Note: these really make the most sense for those who were at the class, otherwise, you can follow the link by clicking the title of the sections below. 

From Session 3: Data Over Time and Data Collection Tools

Data Collection Tools:

• Survey Monkey sample survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WeXAp3nMEgZiUdFEKZZxFg_3d_3d
• Google Docs sample data collection form: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pDpRvDHMKoT1QVEfSd1HrMw Please answer each question to the best of your ability.

PowerPoint and Data over Time

• Copy and Paste charts from Excel: Copy/Paste creates an editable chart. Copy/Paste Special/Picture creates an image that can be resized, but not edited.
• Keep it simple: One or two charts per slide.
• Sample Data:        GraduationData2.xls

From Session 2: hands-on use of Excel for sorting and analyzing (Auto Filters & Pivot Tables)

Types of Data Files

(these are how information from Genesis-type management programs appear)

examples:

Allen    12        Tab delimited text –        .txt

Emily, 11        Comma separated –         .csv

Judy 10        Space delimited text -          .prn 

Excel WOWs

“Filling” - this is how you avoid typing a series like Mon, Tues, Weds... 

1. enter at least two items so you establish a pattern for the series

2. Edit Menu gives you the option to fill up, down, to the side, series, etc.

2. Shortcut – highlight the series (Monday & Tuesday, 1 & 2, January & February, etc.), look for the little circle on the bottom right of the square.  Click and drag the dot as many lines or columns that you want to extend.

* Control key- while holding it down, you can select multiple cells or columns.  Allen's example showed a multi-column set of data and he only wanted to chart one column.  He highlighted the categories column, held the control and then highlighted the data set he wanted to highlight

Features of Excel:

Sample random data:  RandomData.xls

Filters – Data menu -> Filter -> Autofilter (click) 

These dropdown triangles that appear to the right of the text allow you to sort 

•    As you sort, the dropdown triangle turns blue & you then know by which fields you have arranged the data   

•    Caution, as you filter things in ways other than “ascending, descending or all,” you are limiting your data and when you begin to do subtotals, it will look different

Subtotals  - Data menu -> Subtotals →  a popup window of 4 selection options

-    After Filters, we went to subtotals to sort by ethnicity. 

It read “At each change in Ethnicity, Count, add subtotal to Ethnicity”

-    you will probably use the function “count” and not the default “sum”

-    once you have created subtotals, to the left of your sheet, you will see boxes with the numbers 1,2,3 in them.  These represent 1= Grand total, 2= subcategories, 3 = details.

-    The pluses represent areas that can be opened to see more detail

Pivot Tables

Example forcused on Gender & Ethnicity

-    put gender at the top and then ethnicity in the data rows and data field

-    note: pivot tables are amazing and awesome, but a bit overwhelming to put a mind around, play with creating one and dragging data into the table to see what it does.  We did not get too much of a chance to “play” but we will! 

PowerPoint – we used Allen’s “Seven Easy Pieces” guide* for choosing slide format, appearance and type.*

  Putting Charts into ppt

  Method 1:

-    from the right we choose what type of slide we wanted to use and chose the slide that allows us to insert objects – it has a title and then a big box under it

-    in that slide, we clicked on “insert chart” and then we got a simple chart with its accompanying spreadsheet where we could enter data and it was graphed as we entered

-    Note: this spreadsheet is not saved in Excel, it is in Powerpoint.  You can get back to it by right clicking on the background of the chart

 Method 2

-    copy your chart from Excel and paste into the powerpoint slide

-    note:  this is a preferred method for some because you have your spreadsheet and all info in Excell where it is easy to get to and more “manipulatble”

Keys of Power Point presentations – this powerpoint that Allen presented is on the USB drive

PowerPoint in 7 Easy Steps

Create slides

1. Open PowerPoint
2. Format menu – Slide Design (select a colorful design)
3. Format menu – Slide Layout (default is title slide)
4. Add information (type it, or copy/paste from Excel and the internet)
5. Insert menu – New Slide (default is bulleted list)
6. Format menu – Slide Layout (select the design best suited to your information)
7. Repeat 4 – 7

Save

Present

1. Slide Show menu – View Show (or F5 key)
2. Press arrow keys to advance

Two Ways to Paste Charts from Excel

1. Select the chart in Excel by clicking in the chart area, but not on a specific element in the chart. Look for small black dots in the corners of the chart.
2. Edit – Copy
3. Bring PowerPoint to the front.
4. Edit – Paste (inserts an editable spreadsheet object into the slide)

Or…

4. Edit – Paste Special – Picture (inserts an non-editable picture into the file)
5. Resize and reposition the chart to meet your needs.

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Counselor Resources

Career Sites

The Fun Works  -

This Web site is about careers. Not just the interesting ones other people have, but the ones YOU can have. Don't know where to start? Well, dive right in and:

• EXPLORE many different areas, not just the ones that seem obvious.
• THINK about what you enjoy. See where it leads you.
• EXPERIENCE lots of ideas.