Data Analysis for Student using Microsoft Excel/ Spreadsheet

Having a knowledge of Microsoft Excel/Spreadsheet helps the student saves more time while working and even in his study. It does not matter if the student is studying statistics or not, having a broad knowledge of Microsoft Excel is very beneficial to the students. It can help the student to convert data into good information without going through too much stress. Acquiring knowledge about Microsoft excel will help the student to track their expectation and aims and also their financial stand.

With the help of various formulas on Microsoft Excels, solving problems is more efficient for students while using Microsoft Excel. Listed below are a few formulas that can help the student to achieve efficiency in his study.

IF: It checks whether a condition is met, however, returns the value if it is either true or false.

Example, let say your spreadsheet contains test scores, and you want Excel to tell if students passed or failed. Here’s how you might do that:

=IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])

=IF(B2>65, “Pass”, “Fail)

The above formula checks cell B2 value, if the score is higher than 65, Excel will display “Pass.” If it’s not, it will display “Fail.”

Example for chain multiple IF

=IF(B2<65, “Fail”, IF(B2<70, “D”, IF(B2<80, “C”, IF(B2<90, “B”, “A”))))

COUNT and COUNTA: Sometimes you might need to count the items in a list. The COUNT() function is used to count the number of cells that have numeric entries including dates. COUNT only counts cells containing numbers while COUNTA() function is used counts cells that are not empty. Think of COUNTA as “count all or anything” because it counts every non-empty cell within a specified range. There is also a COUNTBLANK() function that will count only empty cells.

CONCATENATE: By executing this function, Microsoft Excel joins texts string into one text string. It adds two different cells into one without the student going through the stress of inputting another range of data into the cell. For example, if a student wants to merge two cells comprising of A1 David and B1 John into one cell, the student will enter a new cell and type

=CONCATENAT (A1B1)

then automatically it shows David John. Without the student typing David John out.

VLOOKUP: This command will help the student search through a value table and still get back the corresponding value from a different column in the same row.

For example, if you have a spreadsheet contain student scores, and grades. If you enter student name into the formula and the equation will return the grade.

To look up David John’ grade, you’d use this formula:

=VLOOKUP(“David John”, A2:C20, 3)

Excel will look for the text “David John,” then return the corresponding value from the third column in the table. In this case, it would be his grade.

Other importance of Microsoft Excel for Student

Fast and Accurate: By employing formulas and format, using Microsoft Excel will help the student to perform a task faster and accurate.

It can help build strong Analytical thinking: It explores creativity through the use of different formulas in the student minds.

It can help the student visualize data: Day to day operation is based on data gatherings thus converted into visual information that helps analyze the area it dealing with, student having a good knowledge of Microsoft Excel will be able to analyze this visualized data and understand how it has arrived at that extent.

It helps the student to learn how calculations can be easily performed: The knowledge of Microsoft Excel will help the student to understand better about calculation which is mostly visualized on a pie chart, bar chart, graphs, diagram and so on.

When the student learns about Microsoft Excel, it gives the student an easier life in solving problems and also expose the student mind to critical analysis.

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