Run Chart Template

v. 2.0 · 5-30-2016
Developed by Richard Scoville, PhD. (richard@rscoville.net)

Vertical Axis Label Axis Label

Graph Label Graph Title
Date / Extend Phase = 'x'
Observation Value Median Goal New Phase = 'n'
Enter dates or observation 1 15 8.5 30
numbers into the green cells 2 0 8.5 30
at right. (clear the sample 3 2 8.5 30
data before you begin) 4 5 8.5 30
5 6 8.5 30
Enter your data values into
6 19 8.5 30
the blue cells. Goal values
are optional. 7 11 8.5 30
8 12 8.5 30
Don't leave any blank cells 9 5 8.5 30
in the Date/Observation 10 34 8.5 30
column. 11 18 8.5 30 n
12 15 15 30
Enter an 'X' into the orange
13 12 15 30
column to freeze and extend
the median 14 15 15 30
15 15 15 30
Enter a 'N' into the orange 16 19 15 30
column to create a new median 17 19 15 30
(phase) 18 14 15 30
19 18 15 30
Enter your graph title and y
axis label into the cells 20 14 15 30
provided. 21 18 15 30
22 15 30
Use regular Excel commands 23 15 30
to configure the graph. 24 15 30
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See sheet 'Rules for #N/A 30
Interpreting Charts' for
information about interpreting #N/A 30
charts #N/A 30
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Extend Phase = 'x'
New Phase = 'n'
17

Axis Label Graph Title

40

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25

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15

10

0
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10

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Procedure for Interpreting Run Charts

Run Charts Rules Summary

Signals of non-random patterns:
1. Shift - 6 or more consecutive points either all
above or all below the median
2. Trend - 5 or more consecutive points all going
up or all going down.
3. Runs - Too few or too many runs.
4. Astronomical point - A point obviously different
from the rest, "everyone agrees." This rule is
subjective, unlike rules 1-3, which are
probability based.
See Perla et al. (2010) for further explanation and details
1/3/2015 3
Expected Runs T
Total number of Lower limit for
data points on the number of
the run chart runs (< than this
that do not fall number runs is
on the median 'too few')
10 3

Checking for too 11 3

12 3
many or too few 13 4
runs on a run chart. 14 4
Table is based on 15 5
16 5
about a 5% risk of 17 5
failing the run test 18 6

for random patterns 19 6

20 6
of data. 21 7
22 7
23 7
24 8
25 8

Source: Table 1, Perla et al. (2010), p

1/3/2015
 N not on median Lower limit Upper limit
26 9 19

pected Runs Table

27 10 19
28 10 20
29 10 20
30 11 21
Total number of Lower limit for Upper limit for 31 11 22
data points on the number of the number of 32 11 23
the run chart runs (< than this runs (> than this 33 12 23
that do not fall number runs is number runs is 34 12 24
on the median 'too few') 'too many') 35 12 24
10 3 9 36 13 25
g for too 11 3 10 37
38
13
14
25
26
12 3 11
too few 13 4 11 39 14 26
a run chart. 14 4 12 40
41
15
15
27
27
based on 15 5 12
42 16 28
16 5 13
5% risk of 17 5 13
43
44
16
17
28
29
e run test 18 6 14 45 17 30
om patterns 19 6 15 46
47
17
18
31
31
20 6 16
21 7 16 48 18 32
22 7 17 49 19 32
50 19 33
23 7 17
51 20 33
24 8 18 52 20 34
25 8 18 53 21 34
54 21 35
55 22 35
56 22 35
ce: Table 1, Perla et al. (2010), p. 49. 57 23 36
58 23 37
59 24 38
5 2
60 24 38