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How-To

Quick Start

Create your first dot plot in less than two minutes.

This example shows the simplest way to create a dot plot: a single column of numeric data. Quantum XL plots each value as a dot along a number line, stacking dots vertically when values overlap.

Goal

Create a dot plot showing the distribution of temperature readings from a single column of data.

Sample Data

Press Copy for Excel, then paste the table into a blank worksheet.

Temperature
68.1
69.5
71.2
71.8
72.0
72.3
72.5
72.5
72.8
73.0
73.1
73.2
73.4
73.5
73.8
74.0
74.2
74.5
75.1
75.8
76.3
77.0
78.4
80.2
82.1

Each row represents one temperature reading. The dataset has a dense cluster of values in the low 70s with a few isolated readings at the extremes.

Steps

  1. Put the data in Excel

    Press Copy for Excel above the table, click cell A1 in a blank worksheet, and press Ctrl+V. The header row lands in row 1 and the 25 data rows in rows 2 through 26.

  2. Launch the analysis

    From the Excel ribbon, select QXL Stat Tools → Analysis Tools → Dot Plot.

  3. Select your data

    Select cells A1:A26 (the header row plus all 25 data rows).

  4. Configure the analysis

    In the Dot Plot dialog:

    • Data Columns: "Temperature" should be checked

    Quantum XL automatically selects the single provided data column, so you don't need to change any options. Click Finish to generate the chart.

Result

Quantum XL creates a dot plot showing the distribution of temperature readings. Each dot represents one observation. You can see a dense cluster of dots in the 72 to 74 range, a gap between 78 and 80, and a few isolated dots at the high end (80.2, 82.1). This pattern is immediately visible because every individual data point is plotted.

More Examples

Ready for more? See these variations: