Minitab is a statistics program that allows you to quickly enter your data and then run a variety of analyses on that data. You can quickly prepare charts and calculate regression, and entering data works very similarly to Excel. Trial Information. Start your data analysis journey today with a free trial of Minitab Statistical Software! Access all of the powerful capabilities, latest enhancements and new features that Minitab Statistical Software has to offer with each trial. Minitab Statistical Software is now available as a desktop and web app.
| Original author(s) | Barbara F. Ryan, Thomas A. Ryan, Jr., and Brian L. Joiner |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Minitab, LLC |
| Initial release | 1972 |
| Stable release | 20.2 / April 14, 2021; 3 months ago |
| Operating system | Windows, web app, formerly: Mac[1] |
| Type | Statistical analysis |
| License | Trialware |
| Website | minitab.com |
Minitab is a statistics package developed at the Pennsylvania State University by researchers Barbara F. Ryan, Thomas A. Ryan, Jr., and Brian L. Joiner in 1972. It began as a light version of OMNITAB 80, a statistical analysis program by NIST. Statistical analysis software such as Minitab automates calculations and the creation of graphs, allowing the user to focus more on the analysis of data and the interpretation of results. It is compatible with other Minitab, LLC software.
History[edit]
Minitab is a statistics package developed at the Pennsylvania State University by researchers Barbara F. Ryan, Thomas A. Ryan, Jr., and Brian L. Joiner in 1972. It began as a light version of OMNITAB 80, a statistical analysis program by NIST, which was conceived by Joseph Hilsenrath in years 1962-1964 as OMNITAB program for IBM 7090.[2][3]The documentation for OMNITAB 80 was last published 1986, and there has been no significant development since then.[4]
Minitab is distributed by Minitab, LLC, a privately owned company headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania.[5] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Minitab LLC requested and received between $5 million and $10 million under the Paycheck Protection Program to avoid having to let go 250 employees.[6] As of 2021, Minitab LLC had subsidiaries in the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Australia.[5]
Interoperability[edit]
Minitab, LLC also produces other software that can be used in conjunction with Minitab;[7] Minitab Connect helps businesses centralize and organize their data, Quality Trainer is an eLearning package that teaches statistical concepts, Minitab Workspace provides project planning and visualization tools, and Minitab Engage[8] is a tool for Idea and Innovation Management, as well as managing Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing deployments.
In October 2020, Minitab launched the first cloud-based version of its statistical software.[9] As of June 2021, the Minitab Desktop app is only available for Windows, with a former version for MacOS (Minitab 19.x) no longer being supported.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ ab'Support Policy | Minitab'. www.minitab.com. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ^Peavy, Sally T. (1986). 'OMNITAB 80'. NBS Special Publication. 701: 1–2.
- ^'OMNITAB'. Digital Computer Newsletter :: Digital Computer Newsletter. 16 (1): 4–6. October 1962 – January 1964.
- ^'NIST OMNITAB 80'. Nist.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
- ^ ab'About Us | Minitab'. www.minitab.com. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^Havener, Crispin (2020-07-07). 'Wide variety of local businesses sought federal PPP loans'. WJAC. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^'Minitab Products'. Minitab.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
- ^'Minitab Launches Minitab Engage (TM) to Accelerate Idea Generation, Innovation and Business Transformation'. Globalnewswire.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^'Minitab Launches New Solutions to Help Organizations Accelerate Digital Transformation'. globenewswire.com. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
Further reading[edit]
- 'Minitab Statistical Software Features – Minitab.' Software for Statistics, Process Improvement, Six Sigma, Quality – Minitab. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.
- Groebner, David F., Mark L. Berenson, David M. Levine, Timothy C. Krehbiel, and Hang Lau. Applied management statistics. Custom ed. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing/Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. Print
- Akers, Michael D (2018), Exploring, Analysing and Interpreting Data with Minitab 18 (1st ed.), United Kingdom, Compass Publishing. ISBN978-1-912009-19-0
- Brook, Quentin (2010). Lean Six Sigma and Minitab: The Complete Toolbox Guide for All Lean Six Sigma Practitioners (3rd ed.). United Kingdom: OPEX Resources Ltd. ISBN978-0-9546813-6-4.
- Bryman, Alan; Cramer, Duncan (1996). Quantitative Data Analysis with Minitab: A Guide for Social Scientists. London: Routledge. ISBN0-415-12323-2.
- Hardwick, Colin (2013). Practical Design of Experiments: DoE Made Easy! (1st ed.). United Kingdom: Liberation Books Ltd. ISBN978-1-4827-6099-6.
- Khan, Rehman M. (2013). Problem solving and data analysis using Minitab : a clear and easy guide to Six Sigma methodology (1st ed.). New York: Wiley. ISBN978-1-118-30757-1.
- Meyer, Ruth K.; David D. Krueger (2004). A Minitab Guide to Statistics (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Publishing. ISBN978-0-13-149272-1.
- Stein, Philip G.; Matey, James R.; Pitts, Karen (1997). 'A Review of Statistical Software for the Apple Macintosh'. The American Statistician. 51 (1): 67–82. doi:10.1080/00031305.1997.10473593.
- Roberts, Dennis. 'Minitab resource website'. Penn State.
External links[edit]
- Official website
A Quick Introduction to Minitab Statistical Software
This introduction to Minitab is intended to provide you with enough information to get you started using the basic functionality of Minitab. Of course, you will learn more about Minitab and its capabilities as you proceed through the course you are taking.
Obtaining a Copy of Minitab
The Minitab software is available through a number of vendors as well as at the Minitab Website. You can get a license for 6 or 12 months.
Minitab can also be accessed through Penn State's WebAppsservice although there are limitations to how it may be used in the web-based environment. Students are STRONGLY advised to have access to a local copy installed. Please contact your instructor to see if using Minitab remotely will present problems for what you need to learn.
Minitab
Copying and Pasting Data into a Minitab Worksheet
All of the data that you analyze in this course will be posted on the course web site. You will just have to copy and paste the data into a worksheet. Let's try it out on the idealwt.txt data set. Once the data are in your browser's window, the easiest way of copying the data is to Select all and then right-click and Copy. To paste the data into the Minitab worksheet, put your cursor in the first (unnumbered) row of the first column, and then click on Edit > Paste cells (or click on the standard clipboard icon used to denote pasting).
Your worksheet should look like this:
Minitab.com
Note that the first (unnumbered) row is reserved for variable names. This is one thing about which you will have to be careful. If you accidentally place your cursor instead in the row numbered 1, Minitab will then treat the data as if they are text.
Text Columns
Columns with text as data can be added, but notice the slight differences in the window.
Note that Minitab has added a '-T' to the column name C3 to denote that the content of the column is text. Another indication that the content of the column is treated as text is that the textual content is left-justified whereas numbers are always right-justified. Minitab cannot summarize data, such as calculating means and standard deviations, when they are treated as text. If you accidentally make this mistake, just open a new worksheet (Select File > New... > Minitab Worksheet > OK) and paste the data properly.
Analyzing Data
The Minitab Help and How-To documentation provides step by step instructions on using Minitab to analyze data. The individual course notes will also provide details for each specific use of Minitab within that course.
Copying Minitab Output and Graphs into Word
To copy output appearing in the Session window, select the desired output using your mouse. To copy a graph window, make the graph window active by clicking anywhere in it, and the select Edit > Copy Graph.
To paste either output or a graph, select Edit > Paste (or use the standard clipboard icon used to denote pasting).
WebApps users should select the Send Graph to Microsoft Word option and a Word Document with this graph in it will be created and can be saved in your PASS space.
Saving Your Work
While you can save your work in bits and pieces — the graphs separately from the worksheet —more often than not, it is best to save your entire Minitab 'project.' A Minitab project includes all of the work created in one session, including multiple worksheets, the Session window, and multiple graph windows. Basically, if you save your work as a Minitab project, you can resume your work right where you left off.
To save your work as a Minitab project, select File > Save Project As..., and provide an appropriate filename in the dialog box. Minitab projects are given a '.MPJ' extension. For the purpose of this course, you may consider creating one project for each lesson, and thereby naming the projects lesson1.MPJ, lesson2.MPJ, and so on.
WebApps users work will be saved in the user's PASS space. It can be download to the user's local computer from there.
Printing Your Work
Of course, you can print your Minitab work as well. To do so, activate the window that you want to print by clicking your mouse anywhere on the window. Then, select File > Print Worksheet or File > Print Session Window or File > Print Graph depending on what it is that you want to print.
Minitab Help
There are various ways that you can get Minitab help.
- You can look for help in the Minitab Help on-line manual also listed in the pull-down menu.
- You can use the various sets of Minitab instructions provided to you throughout the course. You will probably find links to these from the Homework Problems and Lab Activities in each lesson.
- Finally, you can post a question to a discussion in Canvas. Other students or your instructor can provide ideas and feedback.
Support From Minitab
Minitab offers several resources that are helpful for you. Minitab 19 Support - Getting Started is a concise guide designed to quickly get you familiar with using Minitab Statistical Software.
In addition to Minitab 19 - Getting Started, the following tools are available:
Help
A complete Help file is incorporated in Minitab, which provides you with instructions, examples with interpretations, overviews and detailed explanations, troubleshooting tips, formulas, references, and a glossary. Open Help by choosing Help > Help or by clicking on the Help button on every dialog box in the software.
StatGuide
The StatGuide provides statistical guidance after you run a procedure in Minitab. Open the StatGuide by right-clicking on your output in the Session window, then choosing StatGuide.
Tutorials
Step-by-step tutorials help new users learn how to use Minitab. You can open these by choosing Help > Tutorials while using Minitab.
Last, but not least, remember that Minitab provides a support team staffed by professionals with expertise in the software, statistics, quality improvement, and computer systems. Visit the Minitab support web site or call +1-814-231-2682 to speak with Minitab's technical support specialists.