Date:         Mon, 28 Feb 2005 07:43:00 -0600
Reply-To:     "Peck, Jon" <peck@spss.com>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Peck, Jon" <peck@spss.com>
Subject:      Re: Boxplot question
Comments: To: Christa Scholtz <scholtz@canelect.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

By default, the median line has a weight of 4 (assuming you are using at least SPSS 12).  If you want a thinner line, double click the chart, select the median lines, and set the line style to, say, 1.  If you need this regularly, save the chart as a template, which you can then apply in the future in the Chart Editor.

Regards,
Jon Peck

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Christa Scholtz
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 2:04 PM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SPSSX-L] Boxplot question

I don't think that scale is the issue, as I am plotting a single variable.  Each boxplot represents a company's values on that one variable.

Christa

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeremy Miles [mailto:jnvm1@york.ac.uk]
Sent: February 27, 2005 2:33 PM
To: Christa Scholtz
Cc: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Boxplot question


It sounds (to me) as if the problem is that the scale of the variables
that you are plotting differs - if that's the case, you're going to have
that problem.

If you are desperate to show the variables on one chart, I would rescale
them, by multiplying / dividing by a constant (and adding / subtracting
if necessary).  In SPSS 12 (and I guess 13, we wait patiently at our
university ...) you can then have a derived axis on the other side of
the chart.  Select Chart, and then "Show derived axis".

If I misunderstood your problem, apologies.

Jeremy




Christa Scholtz wrote:
> Hello,
>
>
>
> When I generate a series of boxplots  (using the GUI, admittedly) there is a black band within each box which I would assume indicates the median.  I am a bit confused however, since the width of this band doesn't change relative to the size of the box/IQR.  This creates some visual confusion, since my boxes have different lengths/IQRs, and hence the band covers a significant portion of those with small IQRs.   Is there a way to have the boxplot generate a thin line to indicate the median versus this larger band?
>
>
>
> Hope this is clear.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Christa
>
>
>
>
>
> Christa Scholtz, PhD
>
> Policy and Statistical Analysis / Politiques et analyse de statistiques
>
> Government Relations / Relations gouvernementales
>
> Canadian Electricity Association /  Association canadienne de l'électricité
>
>
>


--
Jeremy Miles
mailto:jnvm1@york.ac.uk             http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~jnvm1/
Dept of Health Sciences (Area 4),  University of York,  York,  YO10 5DD
Phone: 01904 321375       Mobile: 07941 228018         Fax 01904 321320