|
|
Here are pointers to a number of tutorial spreadsheets of various kinds. Some we will discuss in class, others you may want to work through when you have the time.
The files which you can download here all assume that you have Excel 5 (Mac) or Office for Windows 95, or later. These files may work with other spreadsheet applications, but if not contact me about possible substitutes.
From the list below, click on the appropriate selection!
|
|
Tips:
|
The basic one!
|
Read the Manual!
|
|
|
Practical basics
|
Run the Tutorial Exercises
|
|
|
Formal Learning
|
Join an evening class
|
|
|
DIY or nothing
|
A basic-training file is available
|
|
|
ES304 context
|
A workbook of early ES304 examples
|
|
|
Interested to go on
|
Another spreadsheet example
|
|
|
|
|
The Manual
back to top
|
If you have a licenced copy of your spreadsheet, you will have the relevant manual, although it may be in machine-readable form on the hard disk somewhere. Reading the basic introduction, if you have never worked with one of these applications before, is the least you can do!
You will often find, also, that the manuals are written with specific examples as demonstrations, and these examples may be sufficiently close to what you want to do that you can adapt them to what you need.
A further step in this direction is to buy a guide to the particular spreadsheet which you have access to. Since many of the "How to..." books are worked-over versions of the manual anyway, it is a good idea to browse before buying - try and think of a question you'd like the book to answer, and see how it does.
The local library may have such books available. One to consider is "Spreadsheets in Science and Engineering", edited by Gordon Filby and published by Springer. It includes Earth-sciences applications and a CD of examples.
---------------------
|
|
Personal Trainer
back to top
|
Shrink-wrapped original packages may include a tutorial file or files. Use it! If there is a video, watch it! These have the advantage of being re-playable over and over, while you check about the sequence of actions involved.
---------------------
|
|
Take a Class
back to top
|
If you can learn Earth Sciences in a lecture-and-lab mode, why not do the same for spreadsheets (and other packages, too). Courses at TAFE colleges, as well as on campus, are frequently advertised and relatively inexpensive (often comparable or cheaper than the price of the software you otherwise couldn't use well...)
---------------------
|
|
Desperate to DIY
back to top
|
If you can't take the formal approaches above, you might download this exercise file, which includes some of the basic manipulations although with a minimum of explanation.
You will need a password to open it, so call at my office if you want to go that way.
As well, here is an annotated image of a spreadsheet screen.
You might subsequently search the WWW for other help, and find this site at UBC (with basic tips about charting).
---------------------
|
|
In the ES304 context
back to top
|
If you do have some basic ideas, downloading this file will give you a worksheet as I have used in the tutorial classes, to work from yourself. In this case, as well as the one above and the one below, do remember the help button which is apparent on the menu, the toolbars, and many of the dialogue boxes in Excel.
---------------------
|
|
Extension classes
back to top
|
Where I find them, I will put up spreadsheets as demonstrations here, even though they are not directly connected with ES304.
There is no link, but the Burger text "Exploration Geophysics of the Shallow Subsurface" contains disks which include a number of spreadsheet files in a very simple format for calculating geophysical responses. All of the tables in the book, and many of the diagrams, are calculated from tables included on the disks. (Macintosh format; see LT if you must have someone else convert to Win)
This spreadsheet file contains a couple of examples of grain-size analysis from an Honours program in sedimentology. Once the basic structure of the worksheet, including calculations and displays, is settled, duplicating the worksheet and replacing the size fractions (and the spreadsheet title!) with a new set of observations is all that is needed to compute the basic statistics for yet another sample.
More later, I hope.
---------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
