This page includes Step-by-Step instructions to use Minitab to calculate a correlation coefficient for the Water/Temperature example.  

Note: If you have not used Minitab before, you may want to try the Introduction to Minitab tutorial.

Example: Assume that during a three-hour period spent outside, a person recorded the temperature and their water consumption.  Use Minitab to calculate the correlation coefficient (amount and direction of association) between temperature and water consumption.

Temperature (F) Water Consumption (oz)
99

48
85 27
97 48
75 16
92 32
85 25
83 20

 

Preliminaries:  Entering Data

If you have already entered the data, then you can open the file MinitabData1 and skip to Procedures.

  1. Enter “Temperature (F)” in the title row of column C1.
  2. Enter “Water Consumption (oz)” in title row of column C2.
  3. Enter the data in the appropriate columns.  Do not change the order of the items.  Numerical values should be right justified. If they are not, then click here for more information.

  1. Save the data. Select FILE > SAVE AS. Call the data set MinitabData1. (You will use the data again in future tutorials.)

Procedure:  Correlation Coefficient

  1. From the main menu bar select STAT>BASIC STATISTICS>CORRELATION.
  2. In the Correlation dialog box, under the variables field, select “Temperature”  and “Water Consumption.”
  3.  Click OK.
  4. Save project. Select FILE>SAVE PROJECT AS.  Call the data set MinitabCorr1.  (This data is used in future tutorials.)

    

Interpret P-value or Solution Interpretation or General Interpretation

Learn the procedure for calculating correlation coefficients

   

Don't skip looking at the Terms for Correlation.  Test yourself to see if you know the definitions

Regression Tutorial Menu  Dictionary

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