Graphs - 2D Graphs - Variability Plots

From the Graphs - 2D Graphs menu, select Variability Plots to display the Variability Plot dialog. A variability plot is a display of data where the underlying organization of the data collection is represented by a series of hierarchical or nested rectangles enclosing the data. This type of graph is useful to evaluate the variability of one factor within several other organizing factors.

To create the variability plot, specify a dependent variable and up to eight factors. The first k-1 factors are plotted on the x-axis and are organized into positions where each position represents one combination of the levels of the (k-1) organizing factors. The raw data values for the last factor (or kth factor, where k is an integer between 2 and 8) are plotted using the groups created by the first k-1 factors. The raw values are plotted above the corresponding x-axis positions. Options for identifying values for one or two of the last organizing factors are also available, as well as options for displaying center values (means or medians) for the various factor combinations. Box plots for the kth factor can also be plotted instead of (or in addition to) the raw data values.