Minitab

Minitab

(STATISTICS) a much-used software package for performing statistical analysis. Developed initially to help in the teaching of statistics, Minitab is fully interactive and based on the simple idea of entering numerical information in a worksheet of rows and columns, rather like a spreadsheet. Frequently updated, Minitab now has programs that enable it to handle many complex MULTIVARIATE ANALYSES and time-series analyses. Unlike many standard packages, Minitab is particularly strong in techniques associated with exploratory data analysis (EDA). For the analysis of survey data the package contains a wide range of statistical techniques and graphs; its one drawback is that labelling facilities are limited. Available in both mainframe and microcomputer versions, Minitab is regarded as one of the most ‘user-friendly’ statistical programs.

Collins Dictionary of Sociology, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2000